Eight reasons why you need to be an FIA member
As a professional fundraiser, joining Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) is an incredibly valuable experience. Whether you’re looking to network, learn about the latest trends in fundraising or expand your skill set, there are at least eight reasons to join today:
1. Make sure you are known as a best practice fundraiser
Whether as an individual or organisational FIA member, your membership signals to your donors, stakeholders and the broader community that you’re committed to ethical fundraising practice. Membership gives you the right to use the member logo on your collateral, so people know you abide by FIA’s self-regulatory Code and will do the right thing.
FIA is constantly working on behalf of the fundraising sector to make your life easier – reducing red tape and ensuring that you get to keep speaking to the community that supports your mission.
2. Helps you find that dream job
Listing your FIA membership on your resume is impressive and often important to current/future employers – it shows you’re dedicated to best practice and staying up to date in the fundraising profession. The sector is changing rapidly and being part of your professional organisation allows you to keep abreast of trends, developments and new ways of working.
3. Gives you the opportunity to meet other best-practice professionals
FIA offers a rich variety of monthly networking events in each state and territory. You never know when you’ll meet your next boss or make a connection for your perfect job. You’ll also learn about some aspect of fundraising or just have fun with your peers and make new friends with similar interests. You can share ideas, ask for advice or volunteer to be a presenter too!
In essence, joining FIA puts a large number of fundraisers at your fingertips – 1,400 at last count – that you might not otherwise have access to.
4. Get some great fundraising ideas
FIA’s monthly events, member updates, and annual conference have important educational components and share the latest case studies and information. Attending these professional events gives you access to new ideas, the latest developments in fundraising and best practice theory. There are also free monthly webinars for members on a variety of relevant topics. This means you can skill up and be the best fundraiser you can be.You will also get useful insights for your fundraising campaigns. Best of all, there are discounts for members to attend and some scholarship possibilities too!
5. Significant discounts to quality professional development courses
FIA offers members the chance to learn, consolidate or refresh their fundraising knowledge through core education programs, in-house training and one-day classes that focus on specific skills like storytelling, gifts in wills fundraising, copywriting and major gifts. And there’s often a discount if you sign up early for a course!
6. Share your skills and passion through our revamped national Mentoring Program
As an FIA member, you have free access to our reinvigorated mentoring program. So, if you’re a would-be mentee looking for guidance on how to rise up through the ranks or want to give back to the fundraising community as a mentor, membership makes this possible. Being part of the mentoring program enhances your network as a mentee while giving back is an excellent reward for mentors.
7. Handy resources at your fingertips
Another critical reason to consider FIA membership is to take advantage of member-only resources. Our fortnightly e-bulletin covers news, links to educational information and other nuggets of interest to members.FIA also provides information on research, white papers and regulatory news (like our updated privacy guidelines) through our member portal. We also have a lending library and bookshop with a wealth of fundraising books written by experts in the field.
8. Learn new skills as an FIA volunteer
Like many membership organisations, FIA operates with a small staff and is heavily reliant on volunteers. If you want to expand your skillset in events, committee work or at board level, getting involved with FIA is an excellent strategy for professional growth and satisfaction.
So, whether you want career information or advice, to network in the fundraising community, access events or just have fun meeting new people, joining FIA is the right thing to do. Learn more about the benefits of membership or join at https://fia.org.au/membership-5/