Fiona Ramsey, Philanthropy Manager, Royal Flying Doctor Service Career highlight? “The first time I took a donor to visit a community in remote Australia so they could connect with the people who live there and see, first-hand, the work they have supported. It was so satisfying and touching.” It would be fair to say that the major gift portfolio has been moved and shaken since Fiona joined RFDS in 2019. In two years, gross revenue grew by over 185% across major donors and trusts and foundations and, to date, major gifts revenue has grown 220% since her arrival. This is due, in part, to Fiona’s dedication to building relationships not…
Jono Kirk, Executive Director Supporter Experience, Compassion Australia Best advice received? “As fundraisers, our goal shouldn’t be purely financial — it should be to create experiences that capture the donor’s heart and mind and speak to their purpose.” Jono’s career at Compassion Australia has spanned 12 years, starting as a Supporter Relationship Specialist answering phones in 2010 to leading a team of 37 marketing specialists as the Executive Director Supporter Experience today. That team are on track to raise over $100 million this financial year. Customer experience is the name of his game and Jono is excited to see communities transformed through powerful encounters with the cause. He has…
Jeremy Bennett, Owner and Chief Consultant, Bigfoot Fundraising Best advice received? “Making decisions in fundraising is 50% analysing data and 50% intuition and listening to your gut.” Sometimes, fundraising wins call for a list, and what follows is a handful of highlights achieved by Jeremy Bennett, who established Bigfoot Fundraising in 2018. The former Amnesty International Australia fundraiser has helped Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation significantly grow their digital fundraising with record-breaking appeals such as Gold Telethon, Bandaged Bear, Radiothon and Sydney Sick Kids ($6 million in 2021); contributed to an increase in Plan International Australia’s digital income by over 160% after taking on their paid social and SEM channels in…
Most important learning? “Our role as fundraisers is simply to provide people with the opportunity to support causes they care about and inspire them to do so.” “Carrie, to me, is the mover and shaker for fundraising events,” says Donor Republic Director, Marcus Blease. With Carrie leading a team of 18 to oversee more than 30 of Australia’s leading peer-to-peer (P2P) events, he may not be far off the mark. Many of the P2P innovations we think of started with Carrie’s ideas. She embedded VIP clubs into events, focusing on those who raise larger sums. She introduced tiers, breaking down targets into bitesize chunks with rewards and catchy names. Other…
IHC New Zealand are on a mission to support a meaningful life for people with intellectual disability. Fundraising is key to that mission and requires sophisticated measurement and automation. F&P’s Fiona Atkinson learns more
FINZ Leader of the Year, Claire Carruthers, on a united approach, calling 560 donors, protecting the team’s mental health and the secret to going digital
When Neil Armstrong landed onto the moon, he achieved something considered impossible. Today, one philanthropist is on a different risk-taking mission. Fiona Atkinson talks to James Chen
