National Fundraising Conference 2011

Our National Fundraising Conference - 'Smart Fundraising: Succeeding in the new reality' - took place at the Convention Centre, Dublin on Wednesday, 30th March 2011. The conference was completely sold out, demonstrating the need and appetite of fundraisers to improve their skills and share knowledge and expertise.

We are delighted to report that the feedback survey indicates the conference was our most well received to date.

There was an enthusiastic presence for the event on Twitter with delegates present and those further afield discussing and sharing content from the event via the #smartfundraising hashtag.

By the end of the day there had been over 650 tweets featuring that hashtag, and the word 'trended' ie. was one of the most frequently occurring words or phrases on Twitter in Dublin and Ireland:

You can view all of the Tweets mentioning: #smartfundraising here. Follow us on Twitter. Join our groups on Facebook and Linkedin.

You can view photos from the conference here and here.

Main conference day 30th March 2011 (Click here for the full conference agenda).
Masterclasses on the eve of the conference, Tuesday, 29th March 2011, 1.30 - 5.30pm. (Click here to read more about each masterclass).

Venue: The Convention Centre Dublin

About the Conference

Fundraising Ireland is delighted to present Ireland’s flagship National Fundraising Conference. Smart Fundraisng: Marketing Partners

This unique conference has been designed for fundraisers, by fundraisers who understand the challenges facing people working in this area today. We have hand-picked a line-up of fantastic speakers from Ireland and overseas who will provide practical advice, tips and essential ‘know-how’.

Their insight will be of benefit to you regardless of whether you work in the charity, arts, culture, education or sports fields and will apply to you if you work in an organisation staffed by three volunteers, or one that has a full time staff of 300.

Speakers Include:

Howard Lake, Fundraising UK Ltd; Tony Elischer, THINK Consulting Solutions; Jim O’Malley, Irish Cancer Society; Damian O’Broin, Ask Direct; Stephen Pidgeon, Tangible; Stephen George, Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres; Jack Murray, Mediacontact.ie; Gerard Tannam, Islandbridge; Lori Davis, DSPCA; David Dixon, David Dixon Associates; Niall Devine, MyCharity.ie; Conor Byrne, Brando; Anna Kupka, Ammado; David McLoughlin, Wexford Opera; Richard Dixon, Concern; Stuart McLaughlin, CEO, Business to Arts.

Read the speakers biographies

Masterclasses: Tuesday 29th March

Following the success of last year’s Masterclass Programme, we will hold another such programme on the eve of the conference, Tuesday, 29th March from 1.30pm - 5.30pm.

These sessions have been developed for fundraisers who want to take part in an in-depth, challenging work-out with three of our prominent international speakers: Stephen Pidgeon, David Dixon and Stephen George. Each masterclass is restricted to a maximum of 30 participants.

Speaker	Masterclass Description
Stephen Pidgeon	Finding new supporters and building long-term relationships with them New supporters come through different media and have different relationships with your charity. Finding new supporters is not difficult, though we will review all cost-effective options. The challenge is the stewardship strategy that’s needed to build a powerful and profitable relationship with every one of these good people. It’s a strategy built on good data and a clear and consistent message. And long term, if you get it right, you will get more legacy money when supporters die. This masterclass is for fundraisers with a small database of individual supporters and some experience of old and new direct marketing techniques. You’ll learn from hundreds of examples and you’ll leave with a list of ideas to implement! And you’ll have fun!
David Dixon	Successful fundraising in the age of social media: management change, integration and strategy Social media is all the fashion but how can it be used in fundraising? One of the challenges of any new medium is working out what is good for, how it can integrate with existing media such as direct mail, press and PR, telephone and events and, perhaps most importantly, what changes it will bring to the way an organisation is structured and managed. Using practical examples this session will show how social media can support fundraising and other functions of a not-for-profit organisation and how it can be measured and monitored. The Masterclass will be of interest to all fundraisers, but perhaps especially those who have strategic responsibilities and who coordinate the work of fundraising with colleagues in other departments.
Stephen George	Developing a legacy and in memoriam strategy  . Legacies are critical to charities. The coming of age for the baby boomers gives us all an amazing opportunity to plan for the future – which is here now. But baby boomers have different needs – and the traditional legacy fundraising and in memoriam approach won’t be enough to engage and inspire a new generation. This interactive workshop will give you a framework to build your own strategy and approach. Using case studies, research, your own challenges, campaigns by Remember a Charity and practical exercises, this workshop will challenge conventions, open new avenues and leave you with practical steps you can take.

Conference Agenda: Wednesday 30th March 2011

Following the success of last year’s conference and in our efforts to meet the needs of a diverse fundraising audience, once again we have developed the conference programme along three streams to allow delegates to choose from sessions that are most relevant to their area of work. The three streams are as follows:

Beyond Fundraising: Fundraising within the overall context of organisational strategy. For example: branding to maximise fundraising return; integrating fundraising with advocacy; PR & Marketing strategy; how to get your message/story out there!
High Level Giving: Corporate partnerships and sponsorship, legacy programmes; securing and managing major donors.
Individual Fundraising: how to have the most effective relationship with your donors no matter what channel you are using: social media, direct marketing, events or otherwise.

Read the speakers biographies

8.15 - 09.00

Registration

09.00 - 09.10

Welcome and Introduction – Mary O’Kennedy. Chair, Fundraising Ireland

09.10 - 10.00

Opening Plenary - How we raised £250,000 for a heritage project in 13 weeks using Twitter and Facebook

Howard Lake shares his experiences from when he and a small group of volunteers used social media tools (mostly!) to try to save Colchester's Roman Circus.

Expect plenty of practical tips to help your organisation make effective use of social media tools.

Howard Lake, Founder, Fundraising UK

Beyond Fundraising

High Level Giving

Individual Fundraising

10.00 - 11.30

1A – Micro/Macro Strategies

This session takes an in-depth look at two totally different organisations, both in size and mission. Lori Davis from the Dublin SPCA will discuss how to take fundraising to the next level by creating sustainable funding and increasing charitable giving opportunities. Richard Dixon will then talk through Concern’s appeal for support surrounding the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Richard will recount how Concern ensured that their key messages were listened to and acted upon, rather than just becoming part of the background noise of all the other organisations also appealing for support.

Lori Davis, Head of Development at Dublin SPCA
Richard Dixon, Director of Public Affairs at Concern Worldwide

1B - Partnering for Success - Exploring the mutual benefits of Corporate Philanthropy

This session will look at strategy and implementation for corporate fundraising in Ireland in the present context, both for charitable and cultural organisations. The topics to be covered include: targeting partners, shaping proposals, ongoing stewardship, building brand profile, the current landscape of private investment in arts and culture in Ireland and what corporations are looking for in a CSR partnership. This session endeavours to give you a template to make your organisation successful in corporate fundraising.

Jim O'Malley, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Irish Cancer Society
John Crimmins, Director of Consulting at Prospectus
Stuart McLaughlin, Chief Executive at Business to Arts.

1C – Donor Care in the Downturn

Why making your donors feel special is the most important thing you need to do this year.

Charities spend a fortune recruiting new donors, but sadly, most of them never even give a second gift. Improving donor loyalty is a sure fire way to increase your income, this year and in the years to come. This session will show you why donor care is important and how you can do it brilliantly, using case studies and research from Ireland and elsewhere.

Damian O'Broin, Managing Director at Ask Direct

11.30 - 11.45

Coffee Break - Sponosored by Spark Marketing

Beyond Fundraising

High Level Giving

Individual Fundraising

11.45 - 13.15

2A – Creativity Showcase 2011

Tony is well known around the world for his passion and insight around creativity and innovation. In this session he will ‘jump start your brain’; share his latest thinking; provide examples to inspire and challenge you; and give you practical ways to make you and your organisation more creative in your fundraising, marketing and communications. This fast moving, fun session will be packed with stimulating ideas, directions, and new thinking on the not for profit sector as well as the commercial sector, which invests billions of dollars in creativity every year. Prepared to be challenged, delighted and bemused!

Tony Elischer, Managing Director at Think Consulting Solutions

2B - How to Talk Legacies

Having a legacy conversation is at the heart of a successful legacy strategy. Using experience at the NSPCC, as chairman of Remember a Charity, and at Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, Stephen will share how to approach legacy strategy marketing, cultural change and measurement. The session will share tips and tools in an interactive high energy workshop that will make everyone a legacy fundraiser.

Stephen George, Director of Fundraising at Maggies Cancer Caring Centres, UK
Micheal Sheridan, Vice Chair at Legacy Promotion Ireland

2C - Social Media and Online Giving

This session has the benefit of 3 presenters who will cover the latest developments and uses for Facebook and other social media tools. They will also widen the discussion to give insights into people’s online social media behaviour, pro social behaviour and motivations to give, and going beyond Ireland and engaging with supporters from around the world. The session will also explore company branded giving and the opportunities available to charities at a corporate level.

Niall Devine, Managing Director at MyCharity.ie
Conor Byrne, Client Services Director at Brando
Anna Kupka, Co-Founder, Ammado

13.15 - 14.30

Lunch! - Sponosored by Champ

Beyond Fundraising

High Level Giving

Individual Fundraising

14.30 - 16.00

3A - Branding and Social Commerce

Your brand should make you the natural choice of customers. Gerard steps from behind the shop-counter to offer a practical hands-on, guide on how to tell your brand story and make an impact on those you must influence.

Jack will talk about explosion of social media in the last 5 years as the single most important event in communications since the invention of radio! He will outline the key areas that fundraisers need to focus on to develop a dedicated online following for their cause, and most importantly translate that support into money.

Gerard Tannam, Brand Director and Professional Speaker at Islandbridge.
Jack Murray, Managing Director Mediacontact.ie

3B – Fundraising for Cultural Organisations

In every country in Europe governments are cutting budgets for the arts and the issue of fundraising has never been hotter. This session will explore the current landscape of private investment in arts and culture both in Ireland and further a field and other issues such as: Can cultural organisations use the same techniques as other good causes? What works and what doesn’t? What special advantages do cultural organisations have? The session will provide all fundraisers with an opportunity to learn from cultural fundraising.

David Dixon, Director at David Dixon Associates 
David McLoughlin, Chief Executive of Wexford Festival Trust.

3C – Building Community: the future for every fundraiser who asks donors for money

Social media - wonderful for people to talk to each other but, so far, not much money has been raised.  

Time to think again! Perhaps it’s the outcome, closer communities, not the medium that has the potential. Now, that is exciting!

In this session Stephen will explore the opportunities and dangers of creating communities (even communities of those who find the internet difficult!) and demonstrate how charities should be monitoring the on-line space. Learn the techniques that every fundraiser will be using five years from now.

Stephen Pidgeon, Chairman at Tangible Response.

16.00 - 16.15

Coffee Break - Sponosored by Spark Marketing

16.15 - 17.00

Closing plenary – Futurology 2011: Time to Re-programme Your Brain!

  As one of the world’s leading fundraisers Elischer is well placed to share his thinking on trends, opportunities and predictions for the future. In this fast moving showcase of his latest thinking, he will share thoughts on what is shaping and what could shape the future of your fundraising success; what are donors doing and thinking? How is digital impacting on programmes? What strategy will work in the future? And many other creative and original thoughts to stimulate, challenge and feed your thinking. 

No fundraiser can afford not to look outside at the wider world to see what might happen next and how to stay ahead of the market. Elischer makes this task easier with a forty five minute guide to the future you’ll never forget!

Tony Elischer, Managing Director at Think Consulting Solutions

Who should attend the conference?

People who are engaged in fundraising in the charity, arts, education, sports or cultural areas.
Everyone involved in fundraising, from those new to the sector, to people at the middle level and very experienced fundraisers will benefit from an appropriate level of training.
Anyone who is paid to undertake or be responsible for fundraising, regardless of their job title, will gain invaluable insights from the training sessions.

Fundraising Ireland would like to acknowledge the support of the sponsors and exibitors: