K Williamson
Fundraising & Events Manager
Down Syndrome Victoria
successfully completed FIA Skills 2 – Building on the Foundations of Fundraising, July 2011, Melbourne

Thank you for the opportunity to attend this course.  I had completed Skills 1 in a previous fundraising role but was feeling the need for a bit more direction with my new role which is a different sector and presents challenges I have not had experience with previously.

During the course we covered many valuable skills that will enhance my ability to further develop the fundraising program for Down Syndrome Victoria. Key areas of focus included:
• Mission & Case Statements
• Prospect Researching
• Marketing, Communication & Fundraising
• Strategic Planning for Fundraising
• Direct Response
• EFundraising
• Donor Management
• Fundraising with Institutions (Grants)

Some areas I found extremely beneficial were particularly around Donor Management and Strategic Planning. Our organisation has acquired iMIS this year and while it is in its infant stages of getting the data right – I can see the huge potential for implementing a direct mail program as we move forward with cleaning up our data. I am also involved in an evolution of structure within the organisation and am now given many responsibilities around planning and strategy.

Another area that was covered was eFundraising which is a big area of focus for Down Syndrome Victoria. Best practice tips, pitfalls to avoid and discussions around social networking tools were all covered and very useful.

The opportunity to network with other Fundraising professionals was also really good and provided sharing of ideas and experiences that were beneficial.

An extensive workbook was provided as part of the course and I have found myself referencing it quite a bit since completing the course.

Thank you for assisting our organisation with the scholarship to cover the cost of attending the course.

Trackback This Post | Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed