What makes an exceptional fundraiser? Expect the unexpected!
Howard Lake | 17 June 2016 | Blogs
This year’s Fundraising Convention – starting on Monday 4 July – will open with a special keynote talk, led by fundraising guru Ken Burnett, and featuring fundraisers Esther Kwaku (Resource Alliance), Michelle Chambers (Think Consulting Solutions) and Rory Green (Associate Director of Development, Simon Fraser University).
Here, Ken Burnett gives a taste of what delegates can expect to hear…
The thing about an opening plenary for a conference as big and important as the IoF’s Fundraising Convention is that you don’t want to give the whole game away in advance.
You want elements of surprise, to build a sense of excitement, a tidal wave of anticipation, an atmosphere of mystery and expectation.
The opening plenary on 4th July is no exception. In fact, Monday’s plenary presentation on the first day of the Convention is pretty much bound to be mostly unexpected, even for the presenters.
Some details are, of course, already announced. It will last inside an hour, and with four presenters and five key themes we can predict each minute will be action packed.
You know that there will be a panel of experts, only that’s not really quite right. It’ll just be Esther, Michelle, Rory and myself, plus maybe a surprise or two, all sharing their emotions, passions, enthusiasms and letting you in on some priceless things we’ve picked up.
You know – because it’s on the Convention website – that the opening extravaganza will reflect on the extraordinary legacy of fundraising legend Tony Elischer, who passed away earlier this year, far too early for all who knew him and denying brilliance to those who didn’t. But the session, if we’re honest, isn’t really about Tony. It is in a way, but it’s about something else, something bigger, wider and deeper than any individual – something universal, that you’ll think really matters to you, too.
You know – because you’ve been told as much in the Convention blurb – that this opening plenary session promises to be about what it takes to be an exceptional fundraiser. So that’s what we’ll deliver. Only, many times over. And not quite as you’d expect.
You’ve also been promised inspiration. There’s that, aplenty. So please, come and be inspired…
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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.