In this end-of-year message, Michelle Berriman reflects on the challenges and successes of the past year, including personal struggles, community growth, and gratitude for supporters. She highlights the achievements of the fundraising nest, including member growth, event participation, and scholarship funding. Looking ahead, she shares plans for new initiatives and expresses excitement for the future.

takeaways

• The year was busy with many events and challenges.

• Personal challenges included supporting my son.

• Gratitude for sponsors and supporters is essential.

• Community engagement has grown significantly this year.

• Over 450 members are now part of the community hub.

• 21 scholarships funded, totalling over $24,000.

• The website issues provided an opportunity for improvement.

• Next year will feature online virtual events.

• Exciting developments are planned for March.

• The importance of community and support in fundraising.

Nest week we will be sharing our final end of year message and included in the Communication (EDM) will be a video message from me and my Christmas postcard to Mr. & Mrs. Claus...but we share our things HERE first !

And you never know by the time we share wider then there might be lots of new wishes and messages!

WHAT message? well....

1. Ask a question!

2. Leave a end of message for your fellow fundraisers

3. What was your biggest challenge this year?

4. What are you PROUD of this year?

5. What are your goals for 2025?

Share, support and celebrate!

Charity values may not be so important to the ethics of turning down donations

This contention comes in new paper produced by Rogare with the Chartered Institute of Fundraising

Posits that most decisions based on alignment with a charity’s values can also be made by considering the harm that would result from accepting the donation

The Rogare paper is a companion to CIoF’s guidance on creating gift acceptance/refusal policies.

🩷Registrations are open for the next intake of Change&Co’s Fundraising Communications Mastery course, kicking off in Feb 2025. 🎉

Feather your nest with a partner education discount!

🩷 Fundraising Nest members save an extra 5% 🩷 

As part of the select group of 10-12 students, each month you'll receive:

💛 Exclusive access to live and interactive webinars

💛 Take-home tasks to embed your learning

💛 Practice exercises with personalised feedback

💛 Up to 2 hours of personalised 1-on-1 coaching

💛 Expert review of your fundraising content

This conversation explores the complexities of fundraising ethics, focusing on ethical dilemmas faced by fundraisers. It includes an overview of ethical frameworks and a case study involving a terminally ill child, discussing the responsibilities of fundraisers in sensitive situations

Alicia Van Ek, a fundraiser and chair of the FIA committee in Tasmania, shares her experiences and insights in the nonprofit sector. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration and support among fundraisers and highlights the need for smaller organizations to receive assistance in fundraising. Alicia also discusses the challenges faced by fundraisers, such as the pressure to raise money with limited resources and the negative perception of overhead costs.

Michelle Berriman speaks with Ashley David, the head of development at Q Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand. Ashley shares her journey in the arts and fundraising, discussing the challenges and joys of her role. She emphasizes the importance of relationships in fundraising, the need for community support, and the impact of technology on the profession

🩷ON-DEMAND CONTENT – START ANY TIME!

🩷LIFETIME ACCESS

🩷 ELIGIBLE FOR 8.75 CFRE POINTS

🩷NESTER PAY ONLY $79!Are you looking to upskill in the specialised art of fundraising communications?

Now you can, with Change&Co’s ON-DEMAND course covering the essential skills and strategies of fundraising communications.

Across five, self-paced modules, master fundraiser Dominique Antarakis will teach you the basic building blocks of fundraising appeals from choosing and telling a strong, emotive story and the crucial elements of a direct mail pack, to how to adapt DM packs for online, and the key things to cover when venturing into the digital space. We’ll also cover the use of personalisation to increase response and boost donor loyalty.

Each module contains best-practice examples, video walkthroughs, downloadable resources, quizzes to test your knowledge and bonus content.

PLUS, full participation in Fundraising Communications Essentials course is applicable for 8.75 points in Category 1.B -Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

Change&Co is your training partner for the specialised art of fundraising communications. From free primer courses and short fundraising communications essentials courses to comprehensive 6-month mastery training and personalised ad-hoc or continuous 1-on-1 coaching, there's a course or coaching option to suit everyone.

Discover more Change&Co training here.

Maven Mind Series with Shanelle Clapham.

Conversation with friends is here again..

This conversation is about the upcoming third edition of Ken Burnett book, Relationship Fundraising.

In this conversation, Michelle Berriman and Ben Lawless discuss education, youth empowerment, and the future of learning. They explore the importance of alternative education methods, the need for social connection and empathy, and the challenges facing the charity sector.

Download and have some fun with the team on this year Nest Fest Emoji Quiz

Last Thursday, Rogare released this research agenda devised by an international project team led by Cherian Koshy.

Introducing our newest Maven, Alex Harding. Discover cutting-edge insights on leveraging data for fundraising.

Download our 2024 Mindfulness Bingo and get intentional with your time and energy this year, starting NOW!