First Fundraising Camp takes place in Oxford tomorrow
Howard Lake | 23 September 2013 | News
UK Fundraising tomorrow hosts the UK's first Fundraising Camp for fundraisers in Oxford. This is the first in a series of 'unconference'-style events designed to help fundraisers find and share ideas, contacts and advice from other fundraisers in their region.
Unlike standard conferences, this event will not have any set roster of speakers or topics. Instead, the delegates themselves are the speakers. Each of them is encouraged to come prepared to talk for 30 minutes or so on a fundraising subject that matters to them.
This could be sharing a successful case study, an idea for a fundraising campaign that they'd like feedback on, something they learned the hard way, suggestions for collaborating on an event, or a problem they have faced and can't resolve.
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Tapping the audience's fundraising expertise
The event turns standard fundraising conferences on their heads. It is an opportunity to tap into the extensive experience and expertise available from the people who are usually in the audience at a conference, and who usually network with just a small proportion of the rest of the audience.
The event might feature informal discussions, some Powerpoint presentations, a panel session, a mini training session, some videos, a show and tell exercise, or a copywriting clinic. It is down to the delegates and what they wish to talk about and how they prefer to do so, with some ./guidance and help from the UK Fundraising team of course.
Low ticket price event
The first Fundraising Camp has sold out, and will be attended by over 60 delegates. It has been kept at the price of £25 + VAT for the whole day, including lunch and refreshments.
This has been made possible by sponsors One Cent Call and Be Inspired Films.
Fundraising Camp?
The event is indoors and does not involve tents. Its format is inspired by other alternative conference formats such as unconferences and barcamps, in particular Barcamp Nonprofits. Indeed, Sylwia Presley, co-founder of Barcamp Nonprofits, will be assisting at the event.
Like these events, Fundraising Camp will encourage its delegates to share what they learn at the event and in particular to a wider audience via social media and UK Fundraising. The hashtag for the event is #fundraisingcamp.
More Fundraising Camps to come
The initial announcement of Fundraising Camp has generated a lot of interest in the format around the country and further afield so UK Fundraising will be running perhaps a dozen more of these events, primarily in towns and cities that don't often attract fundraising conferences. Fundraising Camp will take place in Canterbury at the University of Kent, courtesy of the Centre for Philanthropy, on 30 November, and other venues and dates will be announced soon.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.