To include:

• Official Welcome – Katherine Raskob – Fundraising Institute Australia
• Syd Herron Oration
• Opening Plenary: A new ambition Alan Clayton – Robejohn

The most emotionally engaged donor gives the most.

The most focussed and energised organisation raises the most.

How do you achieve both of the above?

In this plenary, Alan will draw on global research and experience from over 350 case studies to introduce the most simple and powerful of concepts: A New Ambition. The new ambition is the precise focus, the precious and precise insight which sets organisations and donors alight with enthusiasm and determination. It is the starting point of any great surge in fundraising growth.

The rest of the convention will show how to raise more money, but this presentation will aptly focus on the starting point – the dream around which all great fundraising programmes unite their organisation and donors.

Alan will very simply present a fast paced and engaging guide to the dreams which work, and how to create them.

Alan Clayton – Chairman, Robejohn

Learn the key insights from the 2018 Legacy Voice report into global gifts in wills giving. For any organisation wishing to benefit from the forthcoming avalanche of legacy giving, this will be in inspiring and focusing place to start!

Alan Clayton – Chairman, Robejohn

Session Grading: General, Beginner and Intermediate

For 50 years The Salvation Army’s landmark mass participation event – The Red Shield Doorknock – had not changed. The last 3 years have seen radical new strategies rolled out including: a volunteering web app, digital receipt books, new payment technology, and the implementation of segmented volunteer journeys. Using first hand case studies the session will explore what works (and what doesn’t) and how best to mobilise a 50,000 strong volunteer army.

Andrew Hill MFIA – General Manager, Community Fundraising, The Salvation Army
Estelle McGuigan – Community Fundraising Coordinator, The Salvation Army
Jess Lucas – Community Fundraising Coordinator, The Salvation Army

Session Grading: General

Practical tools and tips about how to develop, design and deliver motivating training sessions so your fundraising teams can have more effective, powerful conversations with your potential supporters.

Adam Watson – Director, Fundraising Partners
Paul Tavatgis – Director, Whipbird
Jenny Kearney MFIA- Marketing Manager, Cancer Council NSW
Mark Anscombe – Face to Face Fundraising Manager, WWF Australia

Session Grading: Intermediate

The research is in and it’s compelling. Now, more than ever, consumers all over the world are demanding their favourite brands stop operating from a place of ‘profit at all costs’, and start becoming part of the conversation that helps relieve our social, environmental and animal welfare problems.

Combined with that, companies are marketing to their customers in ways that are becoming increasingly sophisticated. With the increasing pressure from consuming to support causes like yours, the time is now for your organisation to become a valuable marketing partner to the right brand and create transformational partnerships that actually propel you towards your mission.

Abby Clemence MFIA – Infinity Sponsorship

Session Grading: General

As a major gift practitioner for over six years, I’ll be sharing personal reflections on three specific donor scenarios, highlighting a five year longitudinal perspective on the ups and downs of a donor relationship, the integral role that excellent stakeholder management plays in managing your donor relationships and an iceberg example of substantial proposal preparation for a single ‘window of opportunity’ to The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation which is managed by Equity Trustees. Grant Hooper, Senior Manager Granting, will speak from the perspective of both the funder and a key advisor to this Foundation, which counterbalances the fundraiser’s role throughout the process. This session will also cover the importance of listening to your donor, the significance of LIA assessment, having the ‘hard’ (yes, really hard) donor conversations about re-purposing funds and the significance that our role as major gift practitioners has on the sector.

Earle Johnston MFIA CFRE – Development Manager Qld, The Salvation Army
Grant Hooper – Senior Manager, Granting, Equity Trustees

Session Grading: General

Your supporter care team plays a crucial role in achieving your organisational mission and your fundraising goals. But when was the last time you thought about this team’s day to day experience? What does it really feel like to deal with donors and beneficiaries who are perhaps impatient, rude, unwell or upset?

Deli Baker  – Psychologist

Learn how Act for Peace grew their annual online income from $400k to almost $4 million in just three years without a huge budget.

Ben Littlejohn – Marketing and Communications Director, Act for Peace
Tim Sadler –  Head of Digital and CRM, Act for Peace

Session Grading: Intermediate

Learn how Guide Dogs NSW/ACT reinvented their established Gifts in Wills Program to ensure continued growth and sustainability in to the future.

Sally Biles – Planned Giving Manager, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT

Leila Davis, -Executive General Manager, Fundraising, Marketing & Communications, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT

Session Grading: General and Intermediate

Vinnies will detail the journey they went on to turn things around – from unsuccessful attempts to what eventually clearly worked to boost fundraising results.

Catherine Braybon – Senior National Marketing, St Vincent de Paul Society Australia

Marcus Blease FFIA – Co-Founder/ Director, Donor Republic

This session will show you exactly how to form a simple ask for some of those lovely ‘above average’ donors to give you more than ever before – with no complex case for support needed.

Sean Triner – Co-founder, Moceanic

CRM, commercial arrangements and endorsement of products

Samantha Brown – Corporate Community Engagement, Cancer Council Australia

How do you manage and develop an ethical MG program during a fundraising and communication world in rapid transition? Peter Mac will share how it has successfully, and sometimes unsuccessfully, engaged with major donors to grow its Major Gift program.

Jennifer Doubell FFIA CFRE – Executive Director, Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation
Carl Young – Philanthropy and Fundraising Director, Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

Session Grading: Intermediate

Leadership and culture are crucial to successful fundraising. In fact, leadership is arguably your most valuable asset, and it isn’t reserved for the chosen few. Taking bold leadership means building knowledge within the entire organisation, from the front line to the board that embraces the role of philanthropy in achieving mission. Rather than being constrained by fear of the future, step towards your organisation’s capacity to change the future. In this session, Andrea McManus will lead a deep dive on how to advance culture using philanthropic literacy throughout an organisation.

Andrea McManus CFRE, ViTreo Group, Canada

In this unmissable rapid fire session, three panellists well versed in social media will share case studies on making the most from this powerful medium.

Elana Harari – Managing Director, Loud Days Agency
Lachlan Dale -Digital Strategist, Pareto Fundraising
Samara Gentle – National Digital Specialist, St Vincent de Paul Society

Session Grading: General, Beginner and Intermediate

Taking learning’s from other global UNICEF offices, Melanie Verges shares how marketing to Baby Boomers through digital channels is increasing awareness of gifts in Wills.

Melanie Verges – Legacy Fundraising Manager, UNICEF Australia

Session Grading: Intermediate and Advanced

Learn how One Girl has grown their Do it in a Dress campaign with limited staff, small budgets but utilising their supporter base and networks.

Jez Hunghanfoo – CEO, One Girl Australia

Hear how in the space of two years, Jesuit Mission grew their fundraising impact, and significantly increased revenue by introducing more appeals and more donor care.

Dan Geaves – Co-owner and Creative Strategy Director, Marlin Communications

Participate in this interactive panel of corporate partnerships experts as we explore the challenges and opportunities with in-house partnerships teams and working with partnership and sponsorship consultants.

Abby Clemence – Founder, Infinity Sponsorship

Sacha Koltun – Head of Business Partners, Leaukaemia Foundation

Karen Laws – Corporate Partnerships Manager, LifeFlight

Hear how Orygen secured over $15 million in two years with no history of fundraising or a culture of philanthropy; no CRM; no team; no programs and no brand awareness.

Dan Kneipp – Director of Fundraising, Orygen Youth Mental

Session Grading: Intermediate

This practical session will explore how leaders can impact and influence people to perform at their best, with specific behavioural recommendations you can implement immediately upon return to work.

Professor Anne Lytle – Monash University

Session Grading: General and Intermediate

Timing is key! Learn how Amnesty International developed an agile framework to harness external media moments and supporter journey touchpoints.

Digital fundraising lead Eddie O’Loughlin will share two case studies on agility, the first detailing how they can quickly be live within hours of an international crisis. The second on embedding agility into your website journeys through step up asks and how Amnesty has converted thousands of donors with a simple tweak.

Eddie O’Loughlin – Digital Fundraising Manager, Amnesty International

Session Grading: General and Intermediate

Keeping a watchful eye on Gifts in Wills fundraising programs and research that is happening overseas is an invaluable way of sharing best practice amongst practitioners and encouraging collaboration amongst charities. Professor Russell James will share some of his latest research and insights from his studies in America. He is a world-leading Gifts in Wills researcher and his sessions are always full of new ideas and great insights that are eagerly anticipated by fundraisers.

In October 2018, seven Australian Gifts in Wills fundraisers travelled to London, attended a leading Legacy Fundraising Conference, met with representatives from UK charities and learnt about working with government and regulators.

This panel session will provide an opportunity for Gifts in Wills fundraisers to share some of the lessons and insights from America, the UK and beyond. A chance to hear a wide range of thoughts about Gifts in Wills best practise, discover new ideas from charities overseas and a lively discussion about some of the concepts that we can adapt and adapt here in Australia.

Professor Russell James, Director of Graduate Studies in Charitable Planning, Texas Tech University

Helen Merrick, Director, Include a Charity

Vicki Rasmussen, Executive Director, Charlies Research Foundation

Nadia Aden, Planned Giving, The Fred Hollows Foundation

We’ve all heard it before, ‘what’s the next Ice Bucket Challenge?’ Creating a new fundraising event is frequently a hot topic within charity walls.

Killian Feehan – Freelance Fundraiser

We all know the undeniable value of regular giving to our organisations. But every regular giving product and program is the result of a very unique (and often never ending) journey. In this session, you will hear from several charities about how they’ve navigated some difficult challenges to achieve regular giving success.

Deep dive into all thing WPG as part of an integrated partnerships program. Learn about different models and programs, strategies for broader partnership acquisition and how the sector is working with third party platforms.

Amelia Hart – Partnership Manager, Redkite

Showcasing Oxfam Australian’s Major Gift team this session will provide insights as to what is happening in Australia’s major gift market, and how Oxfam had a 150% increase in income, from $2m to $4m, in just 4 years from this area of giving.

Micah Demmert MFIA –  Major Gifts Manager, Oxfam Australia

Learn about how Cancer Council Victoria has introduced an innovation approach to reinvigorate old fundraising products, and develop new ones.  This session will include an overview of innovation methods, stories of failure, and real case studies from Cancer Council Victoria where innovation theory has been applied to achieve new income, or has improved net return on older campaigns.

Marlene Cirillo –  Head of Innovation & Business, Cancer Council Victoria

This session will explore restructuring your traditional business models to seamlessly integrate humans and AI Bots into a more streamlined, holistic, donor centric system that delivers better outcomes for our donors, our direct response fundraising campaigns and for donor support and servicing teams.

Michael Turnley –  Head of Digital (Strategy, Marketing, Engagement & Fundraising), UNHCR
Brendan Scott – Managing Director, CTO, RunGopher

Session Grading: General and Intermediate

What does it take to deliver excellence in Australian fundraising? This session launches the findings of a major new research project commissioned by the FIA. How do organisations that truly excel in fundraising in Australia achieve that growth and success? In this session you’ll learn about the characteristics of the leaders that lead successful fundraising programs. We’ll focus on their leadership styles and relationships between specific styles and success. You’ll also learn about how these individuals lead the fundraising function (i.e. what they choose to manage) and how they approach solving their greatest fundraising problems. The session will also cover how fundraising leaders interact with their Boards and what it is about the nature of those interactions that contributes to outstanding fundraising success. Of course, Boards should give and facilitate fundraising, but how can they “charge” and motivate their fundraising team to achieve their goals?

Professor Adrian Sargeant, The Philanthropy Centre

Following its successful launch at FIA Conference 2017, ‘Myth Smashers’ has become one of the Conference’s most popular sessions.

A fast paced, dynamic session where up-and-coming stars present for six minutes only on the biggest myth they heard when they started in fundraising.

Once everyone has presented we’ll be asking for the audience to vote on the best myth smashed.

The day-one closing plenary will include a Fellows Recognition

Chair:  Luke Edwards -Elevate Fundraising

Panellists:

Dr Adrian Sargeant – The Philanthropy Centre Ltd
Shannon Fleming – Action Aid
Jan Chisholm – Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation (VIC)

Chair: Gavin Coopey – More Strategic

Panellists:
Bisi Alimi – Angelic Troublemaker
Shannan Dodson – UTS Indigenous Department
Donna Purcell – Commbank

Pick-up essential tips in this fun and energetic session so that you can effectively communicate with your donors about gifts in Wills from the very first time you have contact with them!

Heather Stott, – Planned Giving Coordinator, Royal Flying Doctors QLD

Session Grading: General, Beginner and Intermediate

This exciting session will cover four key areas:
• Diversification – played to strengths and will continue but have identified the need to diversify and keep supporters’ year round
• Future of fundraising is to bring people on a journey, taking action at multiple times and getting them to care
• Way people consume news/info has changed and need to use multiple platforms (whole content/storytelling team)
• Tech helps to make this happen

Rachel Carr – Australia Country Director, Movember Foundation

Find out what’s really driving Middle Donor response and value and how you can reap the rewards from the rest of your donor-base.

Fiona McPhee, Pareto Fundraising

Learn about the role of a corporate partnerships manager and the value of the role and what it can bring to your charity.

Karen Laws – Corporate Partnerships Manager, LifeFlight

Disruption is coming from all directions. It is changing the way we do business and not for profits are being asked to do more with less.

As a fundraiser, it is imperative to keep pace with the evolving landscape.

This session will provide insight on the mega trends that are driving change in Capital Markets, and the new approaches and expectations of potential investors and funders of your organisation

Christopher Thorn AM – Partner, Social Finance, Impact Investment & Philanthropy, Ernst & Young

Session Grading: Intermediate/Advanced

An examination of recent trends in giving by channel to help you set realistic expectations and budgets

Martin Paul – Director, More Strategic

This session demonstrates the use of biometric technology across a variety of channels from television advertisements, website journeys, face to face training and donor conversations and explores how it can be used to inform the future of journey evaluation and understanding the pain points of a supporter’s experience.

Karen Armstrong – Director – More Strategic

Session Grading: General

Gifts in Wills represent one of the last big fundraising opportunities. Yet very few organisations ask their supporters to include them in their Will in the most effective way. In this fast moving sessions we’ll explore why people include charities in their Wills, how they select organisations to give to, what they think of our current approaches and how to build powerful and effective solicitations.

We’ll look at the science behind the language you should be using and show you many practical examples of what organisations that succeed in gifts in Wills fundraising are doing.

The session will conclude with 10 powerful takeaways that will lift bequest-giving to your charity and allow you to meet and exceed your gifts in Wills targets.

Professor Adrian Sargeant, Executive Director, The Philanthropy Centre UK

Session Grading: General and Intermediate

What do you do when your once successful event nose dives?  MS was challenged by this scenario when their flagship fundraising event, the MS Sydney to Gong Ride, experienced a significant decline.  Following 34 years of success the event went from selling out and raising more than $4m each year, to seeing participants drop by 28% and fundraising nearly halve.  In this session, Tamsin & Luke will share the strategies and tactics used to re-connect with the MS Gong Ride market – in 2018 the event sold-out 13 weeks after launch and 4 months before the event.

Tamsin Loy – Program Manager, Events Marketing & Fundraising, MS Limited
Luke Edwards – Director, Elevate Fundraising

Hear how a strategic approach to combining best practice with new technologies created more meaningful and successful conversations with donors.

Ashley Rose – CEO, MonDial
Georgina Murray – Direct Marketing Manager, UNICEF

Are you ready to say no or yes to a partner, and what guides that discussion? What do you do when things go wrong (e.g. partner controversy)? How do you exit a partnership? This all-in session will discuss partnership values, ethics and key guidelines, processes and policies to manage partnerships effectively on a State and National basis with case studies.

Alex Struthers – General Manager Supporters, Leukaemia Foundation

Leigh Cleave – Fundraising Director, Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation

A demand to connect profit with purpose, from philanthropic foundations, Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs) and private investors, is largely driving the social impact investing movement.

Philanthropy is increasingly adding the power of their investments to the power of their grant-making, with some foundations and PAFs investing part of their endowment into social impact investments that align with their philanthropic purpose and values.

What opportunities or treats does this provide for YOU, the fundraiser?

Panelists

Nigel Harris FFIA CFRE, CEO Mater Foundation

Christopher Thorne AM, Ernst & Young.

Jackie Coates, Head of Telstra Foundation

Session Grading:
Intermediate

In early 2018, four WA based charities took the bold step to truly work together on an innovative, unique and co-operative fundraising program.  Understanding the need for charities to collaborate, the four charities established the “Western Charity Alliance” with a view to make it easier for supporters to help more charities in a single transaction.

The Western Charity Alliance is a joint fundraising initiative between Royal Life Saving Society WA, Rebound WA, Diabetes WA and Children’s Leukaemia & Cancer Research Foundation.  Each charity are equal stakeholders in a program to engage the community through financial support that is shared equally across four different causes.

This session will detail the journey of the four charities as they embrace a new approach to collaborative fundraising.  Addressing key issues of trust, brand management, data ownership, media, risk management and decision making, the Alliance partners will share their experiences and challenges in bringing the Alliance to market.

We are not in this alone, we are in it together.

Allan Godfrey, Royal Life Saving WA

An innovative and customer centred courier company, will explore what charities can do to leapfrog the five-year lag between corporates and charities. Eva will deliver an insider account of Sendle’s approach to customer service excellence that truly puts the customer at the heart of everything they do.

Eva Ross – Chief Marketing Officer, Sendle

Knowing the possible loss of income helps you build an investment case for better planning of the gift in will pipeline, and for donor stewardship. This session will show you practical steps to reduce the false positive rate and project the future value of a gifts in wills program.

Roewen Wishart FFIA CFRE – Director, Xponential Philanthropy

Session Grading: Intermediate and Advanced

Hear about the evolution of Cancer Council’s The March Charge. How a change in proposition, acquiring participants through multi-channel communications and engaging participants through gamification and “story involving” has contributed to the fundraising success and growth, resulting in a YOY net increase of 190%.

Helen van Nooten – Campaign Manager, Cancer Council NSW

In this session, you’ll hear from two charities who have found ways to create propositions and compelling campaigns. Regardless of your charity’s cause or mission, you’ll be given some great ways to identify your strongest ask, and bring the rest of your organisation along for the ride.

Lisa Cheng – Head of Fundraising , Camp Quality
Alice Anwar – Donor Development Manager, CARE Australia

Hear the ins and outs of how a strong partnership was created between The Women’s Foundation and SASS Clothing Company to assist vulnerable women in need of clothing during times of crisis.

Susie Greig-Rouffignac – Philanthropy Manager, The Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation VIC

Every day, more internal and external factors are changing the donor landscape and influencing our organisations’ ability to raise funds. The impact of technology, transparency, artificial intelligence, big data, mega giving, rage or venture philanthropy, government policy and more are all growing at a rapid pace….and, to say nothing about the increasing gap between the very wealthy and the not so wealthy. In this session, Andrea McManus will share insights, offer research, and poll the audience to gather perspective and, ultimately, help you understand the myriad forces influencing philanthropy and how you can adapt your fundraising for the donors of today and tomorrow.

Andrea McManus CFRE,- ViTreo Group, Canada

Session Grading: General

Join Nigel Harris from Mater Foundation as he delves into all things political with a group NFP senior leaders that have extensive experience in the political arena.

Nigel Harris, Mater Foundation
Pam Anders, Director of Public Engagement at Oxfam
Matt Tinkler, Director of Policy and Program at Save the Children
Nick Martin, Director of Public Affairs at Fred Hollows.

With a name change, coupled with the introduction of the NDIS, Wellways was under enormous pressure to increase both brand awareness and fundraising income. Enter Fansdonate; an exciting partnership between agencies Cornucopia and Curious Minds Media. Fansdonate provided Wellways with an end to end solution combining cutting edge social media advertising with personal online interaction to generate warm, engaged leads. Through a telefundraising campaign these leads were then converted to regular gifts or directed to Wellways services. A hugely successful campaign provided outstanding fundraising results as well as propelling Wellways from a relatively unknown entity to a leading advocate for change. Mission accomplished! Ross, Curtis and Fiona will take you on their journey and provide critical insights on how social media lead generation can deliver fundraising success!

Fiona Gillen, Wellways
Ross Howe – Director, Fansdonate
Curtis Moore – Fansdonate

Session Grading: Intermediate

As gifts in Wills fundraisers we spend much of our time inspiring our supporters to create a legacy that they want, for the causes that they are passionate about. Time is also spent understanding and recording their final wishes for the gift they’ve included in their Will. After they pass away, we sometimes encounter legal issues that can cloud their final wishes and create barriers to receiving the gift that they had intended to leave.
This panel discussion will explore some of these legal issues and provide insights about how and when charities need to engage legal advice and seek support to help us fulfil our supporters’ final wishes.
A leading expert in estate planning, probate and litigation is joined by experienced Gifts in Wills Program Managers to discuss the latest developments and approaches in estate legal issues.

Chair: Ross Anderson

Panellists:
Lachlan McKenzie – Estate Planning & Probate Practice Leader, Moores Legal
Martin Williams – Bequest Planning and Retention Manager, Australian Red Cross
Bethan Hazell – Bequests & Estates Manager, Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

Session Grading: General and Intermediate

In this engaging session we will hear from some of Australia’s leading event fundraisers as they discuss what is next for P2P fundraising in Australia.

Luke Edwards, Elevate Fundraising
Marcus Blease, Donor Republic

Based on 12 months of research into sector engagement and stewardship tactics, this session will take you through some of the most interesting findings with a view to providing fundraisers with insights and practical learnings that can be applied to their own programs.

For the top 40 Australian charities, Amplify Fundraising’s mystery shopping exercise has provided useful information on their internal stewardship practices and processes, as well as invaluable feedback on their engagement strategy from the perspective of a real donor.

Join Paul Bailey to see a Donor-Eye-View of the stewardship tactics and strategic journeys of Australian charities and how well they live up to the expectations of a new donor in the first 12 months of a giving relationship.

Paul Bailey – Director, Amplify Fundraising

Justine Curtis, CEO & Founder, Inspired Adventures

Professor Adrian Sargeant, Executive Director at the Philanthropy Centre UK

Adrian Sargeant, Executive Director at the Philanthropy Centre UK

Session Grading: General

Cats rule the internet, but why? With so much noise and activity online, how can you cut through and start a dialogue with your existing and potential supporters? In this session, Nicola and Kristy will explore the power of digital film and how it can deepen the relationship with your existing supporters. They will also explore how digital storytelling can help to increase acquisition of new regular donors through digital channels. Showcasing RSPCA NSW’s digital campaign as a case study, Kristy and Nicola will share learnings from digital campaigns run over the past 12 months and how, by harnessing the power of film, they have managed to engage and acquire a steady stream of new regular donors. This practical and innovative session will explore ways to use film within your digital and social strategy even when you can’t rely on cats or dogs.

Nicola Long – Marketing and Fundraising Strategy – Head of DTV Australia and New Zealand at DTV Group
Kristy Blake – Executive Manager Fundraising, RSPCA

Session Grading: General and Beginner Fundraising

Bisi Alimi went from being an anti-gay prosthelitizer, preaching hell fire and damnation to those who strayed, into the first Nigerian to come out on national TV and a world-renowned AIDS activist. Now based in London, he is the founder of the Bisi Alimi Foundation, which advocates for LGBT rights in Nigeria. He also consults with the World Bank, writes for outlets like The Guardian and Project Syndicate, and has appeared on shows like Tell Me More with Michele Martins, Christiana Amanpour, and BBC World Service. He is also the co-founder of Rainbow Intersection, a dialogue about race, culture and sexuality, and the biggest LGBT charity in Nigeria.

Bisi won the first London Moth Grand Slam and also spoke at the Aspen Ideas Festival. His TEDxBerlin talk received a rousing standing ovation. Bisi is an edge-of-the-seat storyteller with multiple lifetime’s worth of material. He brings an actor’s eloquence with an activist’s wisdom to any gathering, speaking to one of the most contested issues of our time.

Bisi Alimi –  Bisi Alimi Foundation