#FP 18 - It all comes out in the wash
A newsletter packed with ideas & opportunities for future focused civic leaders...
Hi all,
It’s good to write to you all in particularly high spirits. The transition back to Australia has largely gone to plan and my family & I have truly enjoyed the change of pace, scenery and dare I say, politics.
I have been buoyed by the conversations I have had with key stakeholders in philanthropy and energised by their energy around proposed new reforms to double giving by 2030.
I had the opportunity to take to the main stage at the Philanthropy Australia Annual Conference and share my thoughts on the future of philanthropy to over 900 of my peers and have embraced the opportunity to re-release my book to a whole new audience, with an in-person book tour to kick-off later this month.
The most exciting development however has been the launch of Fundraise For Australia, a national fellowship that seeks to identify, recruit, and empower a new generation of fundraising talent. Applications for our first cohort are now open and I encourage you to check it out - I don’t think I have ever been excited about something like this in my entire career, and if you know me this is particularly telling!
Australia has a real opportunity to weave giving into its civic fabric but there is a long way to go. It’s a good decade behind the U.S. in terms of its systems, vehicles, tools and processes, but that’s why I’m also excited for the evolution of my writing - seeing the promise of philanthropy, yet demystifying the advances in the field through a truly global lens. I hope you enjoy the ensuing layers - because whether you are building up or deconstructing the content, there is ultimately a lot of optimism enshrined in the words ahead.
RG
What I’m Writing
Fundraising & Washing Machines - What Is The Best Cycle To Set (4 min read)
While no donor conversation is the same and some asks happen in the first meeting and some on the hundred and first, what we don’t see in our cycle is depth and speed. What are the markers that move us on to the next step? What are the on and off ramps in the process? Is this a roundabout or a washing machine
Go Fund…For Australia (3 min read)
“One of the challenges that F4A is trying to tackle is that the demand for fundraisers continues to outstrip supply, yet every day at GoFundMe we see community champions take the charge to close funding gaps in their communities.
“The community fundraisers we work with have a huge impact on their communities. They're an untapped source of professional fundraisers. What's more, they're experts on the issues that matter to them and those they aim to represent”
No Need For Analysts - Translating Nonprofit Data Into Opportunity (7 min read)
A data translator is someone who can bridge the gap in expertise between technical teams, made up of data scientists, data engineers and software developers, and business stakeholders.
From a nonprofit perspective those groups will be less technical and more programmatic, but will help inform leadership to make better decisions.
And that’s what we are in need of. Someone to make sense of the data objectively, stating what it shows, what it means, and what it means for the organisation.
Book Updates
I recently returned from a quick visit to the U.S. where I was able to finally collect my Next Gen Indie Book Award. I also got hold of those fancy gold stickers that makes the book cover a little shinier!
My Australian book tour kicks off in earnest on the 25th October at Harry Hartog Booksellers ANU. If you live in the area please join us for a fun chat about philanthropic futurism! Tickets are free (and can be found linked here)
What I’m Sharing
Fundraise For Australia Fellowships: The F4A national fellowship program connects new and emerging fundraisers with the tools and opportunities that will help them supercharge their careers & deliver transformative change for their communities.
Learn how to effectively qualify and engage donors and turn them into lasting champions for our community and build a strong professional network within our cohort-based learning environment.
This program is designed for 'emerging fundraisers' with 0-3 years fundraising experience and participants will benefit from an engaged and connected alumni group committed to helping individuals secure dynamic and engaging jobs in the sector, connecting them to continued opportunities in the field and identifying, empowering and supporting a new generation of diverse fundraisers that reflect the communities, programs, organisations and people they fundraise for and on behalf of.
What I’m Reading
What the rise of community independents tells us about philanthropy - Philanthropy Australia (8 min read)
Ahead of the last federal election, 11,200 donors came together from across every electorate in Australia to support Climate 200. Philanthropy Australia spoke to Simon Holmes à Court about how to understand the outcome and philanthropy's relationship to politics.