In this workshop, you’ll dissect more than 30 (heretofore unopened) direct mail appeals from the most successful charities in the country (some with regular giving programmes raising in excess of £50m per year). You’ll work with other delegates to identify the keys to a really strong appeal, and explore some of the secrets experts use when drafting a great fundraising letter – the dialogue method, you vs we, empathic author, repetition, hero words, urgency, easy fulfilment, segmentation. By the end, you’ll be able to design a direct mail campaign capable of meeting and exceeding targets.

Legacies are a hugely emotive subject and talking about money and death can be difficult. This session debunks that thinking and will leave you knowing that this is a normal and vital conversation to have with your donors (and perhaps one you should have at home too!). You will learn tips and techniques for talking about this most taboo of subjects and discover the tools and rules for helping a donor achieve incredible things with their legacy.

Campaigns have become increasingly familiar in the fundraising world over the last decade, with many establishing monetary goals that quite simply boggle the mind. This session will help you understand how and why fundraising campaigns to achieve clear desired outcomes for society can play such a critical role in the advancement strategies of educational institutions. Liz and Liesl will share their thoughts and first-hand experiences on campaigns and will invite delegates to explore the pros and cons of a campaign approach to fundraising as well as the building blocks to ensure success, many of which will draw from sessions earlier in the week.

Ethics are fundamental to human endeavours, enabling personal and professional growth. An ethical compass provides individuals with purpose and authenticity. An ethical practice also ensures professionalism in the field of fundraising and promotes philanthropy by increasing trust and public confidence. This session will help us reflect on the significance of purpose and authenticity in fundraising, and how ethics shapes the fundraising profession. We will also examine various scenarios where taking an ethical stance is necessary to uphold institutional purpose and authenticity.

The CASE-Ross data shows that typically many of the biggest gifts come from trusts & foundations. This session shows how to access the big bucks!

If you count your team in fractions, this session is for you. We will discuss how to plan strategically, prioritise your activities and manage the expectations of senior leadership in developing your master plan. On the way, we will share tips and tricks to make the most of a small budget and an even smaller headcount.

So much of philanthropy claims to be planned, guided by theory of solicitation cycles and wealth ratings. However, we all know that luck so often plays an important role! This elective invites you to be curious; to revel in the unpredictability of humans and to lean into the opportunities for chance that our sector has in abundance. How can your fundraising success be improved by learning to see opportunities in the unexpected and how can you change the way you work to become ‘luckier’?!

A case for support is the backbone of all our fundraising communications. So how do you make a case that sings? In this interactive session, we will take a deep dive into the fundamentals of case development and explore to bring your institution’s work to life for your donor. Bring your pens—you’ll be working too!

This session will explore how institutions and organisations can successfully foster a culture of ‘Principal Giving’ through an interactive presentation and delegate round table discussion. Faculty members will draw on their extensive experience in a range of settings and will explore what Principal Giving could mean for you and your team. We’ll look at how your organisation might define, identify and develop principal donors and partner with them to realise shared ambitions and transformational impact. We’ll also highlight key issues and operational tensions that may need to be navigated and discuss how you can develop your own professional competencies to play your role to the full.