First Catholic fundraisers conference to take place in Rome

Catholic fundraisers will gather in Rome this November for what the Catholic Church believes is the first conference of its kind.

The Catholic Fundraisers Pilgrimage and Conferencewill be held over six days in the Eternal City, starting from 28 November 2017, and aims to help Catholic fundraisers increase future fundraising revenue, while also giving delegates the opportunity to have a spiritual experience in Rome. Topics to be covered include making the ask for major gifts, ethical Catholic fundraising, legacies, and how to run a capital campaign.

The conference is organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and will use its guesthouse and conference centre Domus Australia.

Chris Herron, conference organiser and Director of Development and Fundraising in the Sydney Archdiocese said: “We think this is a first for the Catholic Church, a Rome pilgrimage combined with a fundraising conference.”

“The conference offers unlimited networking opportunities and includes discussion groups, Fundraising 101 sessions as well as lectures and workshops while the pilgrimage component allows delegates to visit St Peter’s and the Papal Basilicas, enjoy an early morning breakfast inside the Vatican Museums followed by a VIP tour of the museums and Sistine Chapel before the doors open to the public. The conference ends by attending the Sunday Angelus with the Holy Father Pope Francis.”

The line-up of speakers includes keynote speaker Sr Georgette Lehmuth OSF, President and CEO of the National Catholic Development Conference in the United States; Professor Adrian Sargeant, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Philanthropy at the University of Plymouth, Richard Radcliffe, leading legacy/bequest expert; Michael Farrell, Canadian philanthropy coach specialising in major gifts and capital campaigns; Brice Sokolowski, Catholic fundraising expert, writer and founder of CatholicFundraiser.net and Mary Macuga, Director of Resource Development for the Archdiocese of Brisbane.