2025 Organisational Development & Fundraising Network
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This Network’s curriculum will focus on helping leaders learn how to do development and fundraising through a variety of biblically-based principles. The aim is to encourage and equip you in equal measure: to give you the confidence to trust the Lord for your organisation’s vision and needs, and to give you the tools you need to build lasting, intentional relationships with those who share your dreams. Come prepared for a very interactive, practical series of talks with discussions and Q&A throughout, all designed to help you realise that God is right there on this journey with you.
Prior preparation will be set for all applicants.
What Network Participants Are Saying
- "This year I attended the Organisational Development and Fundraising Network. I'm responsible for a youth festival in Poland, and I hoped to learn how we could broaden our reach so that God could change more lives. For me, being here is also a blessing for the event and the hundreds of young people who visit the festival. I did not have to wait long to see and receive fruits from being here. Because of my network, I gained a new connection in just one day that will help the festival grow. It would not be possible without your sacrifice."
- Łukasz Wakula, Festival Organiser, Poland - "The Organisational Development and Fundraising Network sessions equip me by giving me ideas and tools for how to develop our organisation and its fundraising initiatives in a God-honouring way. I have learned a lot of new information and am at the same time building a network of other Europeans who share the same challenges and blessings in similar ministries."
- Edita Ulcina, Executive Director of Spolocenstvo Evanjelia, Slovakia - "I am responsible for the financials in my organisation. In the Forum’s Organisational Development and Fundraising Network, I am learning deep truths about how part of fundraising is about building meaningful relationships and developing them according to the Great Commission of Christ. I am also learning about how to become a better, more faithful steward. I have found this Network immensely helpful."
- Gabor Racz-Schliszka, Vice President of Reformatus Fiatalok Szovetsege, Hungary
Applicants should be those individuals interested in learning how to do development and fundraising through a variety of biblically-based principles.
Network Speakers
Gregory Long is an author, speaker, consultant, and elder in his church. 35+ years of ministry leadership & fundraising experience steeps every conversation and presentation. Including mistakes! He has taught non-profit leadership and management at the undergraduate and graduate level. He… Read more
Network Programme
Sunday, 18 May
Organisational development is more about relationships than it is donations and fundraising. And, just like our own relationships, our volunteers, donors, and partners are in different places in their relationship with our ministry. This session will set a firm foundation on the importance of not just being good stewards of donations, but also being a God-honoring steward of the donor.
Continuing the opening session’s emphasis on relationships, we will go deeper into the practical application of identifying important individuals and groups who can support our ministry’s vision. While not everyone is in the same relationship with our organisation, we can begin to look practically at how to build relationships with individuals and identify specific steps we can take to deepen relationships with our partners.
Monday, 19 May
Just as there are laws of gravity, there are Laws of Development. Understanding how these laws reflect and affect your ministry are critical in building capacity for you to reach more money, more people, and more impact. This session will also cover the important elements of Leading Development Indicators and an introduction into giving charts as a Development tool.
In this session, we will cover the importance of having a long-term vision and mission for your ministry. Most ministries do not have a well-conceived, organised strategic direction. But a strategic plan is so much more than words on a page. It provides a roadmap for relationships so everyone involved in your ministry, including staff, board, trustees, volunteers, donors, and other stakeholders all know what the journey is – and more importantly where they can join you on the journey.
Tuesday, 20 May
No ministry will ever have all the money it needs to hire all the staff it wants. This session will talk about getting organised for growth and how to develop event calendars so volunteers can be invited to participate. We will also discuss and provide a tool for evaluating Development strategies so activities and events can be improved over time.
“What God is doing in our ministry is the world’s best-kept secret.” Sound familiar? As a leader in organisational ministry, how do we communicate what we are doing in a God-honoring way? Communication is so much more than fancy media, expensive materials, and pamphlets. This session will discuss how to communicate your impact in a way that gives glory to God and can encourage others to participate with your ministry.
Wednesday, 21 May
The process of asking someone for time, treasure, and talent can be intimidating. Many ministry leaders feel confident about their Gospel message but are still fearful of asking for money. This session will introduce the five steps to Solicitation and how to invite people to become partners with you in ministry. Part of this discussion will include strategies for database management and relationship-building.
Our final session together as a Network will finish off the five-step Solicitation process. Special emphasis will be placed on the actual process of asking for donations. We will also cover strategies designed to help sustain our donor relationships long-term.