EFA Certification Symposium, Helsinki, 25-26 April 2024
January 15, 2024
EFA New Advanced Competence Framework Webinar: Opportunities for Training Providers
February 25, 2026
31 May – 1 June 2026 | Berlin Congress Center (bcc), Germany
The Future of Fundraising Leadership Starts Here
What skills will define the next generation of fundraising leaders?
How does professional education translate into measurable income growth?
And how will fundraisers learn in an era shaped by technology, data, and changing donor expectations?
The EFA Learning Symposium 2026, organised by the European Fundraising Association and hosted by the Deutscher Fundraising Verband (DFRV), brings together Europe’s leading thinkers, educators, certification experts, and senior practitioners to address one central question:
Why professional fundraising education is no longer optional — but strategic.
What We Will Explore
Through expert presentations and structured discussions, the Symposium will examine:
The skills and knowledge future fundraising leaders need
The impact of professional fundraisers on organisational income
Why education drives performance
Barriers to professional education
This is a working symposium designed for serious exchange — not passive listening.
Who Should Attend
Fundraising education providers
Certification bodies and programme partners
International NGOs and charity employers
Fundraising service providers
Leaders shaping professional standards in Europe
EFA member organisations
If you influence fundraising talent, strategy, or professional development, this conversation concerns you.
Speakers
Jeanette Eesmann-Foster
Mindwize (NL)
Martin Georgi
DFRV
EU Consult (DE)
Heike Kraack-Tichy
emcra (DE)
Mary O'Kennedy
O'Kennedy Consulting
EU Consult (IE)
Zoe Oldham
Upsall International (ES)
Bill Stanczykiewicz
Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (US)
Giedrė Šopaitė
Baltic Fundraising Hub (LT)
Nele Theuer
BIBB (DE)
Pia Tornikoski
VaLa (FI)
Programme Overview
Sunday, 31 May 2026 | Congress Dinner (18:30)
Monday, 1 June 2026 | Symposium sessions (10:00–16:00)
09:45 - 10:00 Registration and Coffee
10:00 - 11:15 Welcome
KEYNOTE: Philanthropy, Passion & Resilience
Philanthropy is uniquely capable of making the world a better place, including during today’s turbulent times. While highlighting the latest findings of the Global Philanthropy Environment Index, with a special focus on Europe, this keynote session will describe the distinct influence of philanthropy on improving lives, strengthening communities, and promoting justice. Fundraisers will be affirmed and inspired to know how their leadership is essential to fulfilling philanthropy’s greatest potential.
Bill Stanczykiewicz
IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (US)
Assessing Fundraising Competencies: From Intuition to Strategic Team Development
Fundraisers are critical to nonprofit success, but without clearly defined competencies, teams rarely reach their full potential. This session presents a structured, competency-based approach to assessing and developing fundraising capacity, moving from intuition to strategy. Drawing on Lithuania’s national programme, it offers practical insights into needs-based training and introduces the fundraising competency matrix as a tool to map strengths, identify gaps, and align teams with strategic goals.
Giedrė Šopaitė
Baltic Fundraising Hub (LT)
11:15 - 11:45 Coffee Break
11:45 - 12:15
Who Is Leading Fundraising In A Charity?
Who Is Delivering Service To Charity Clients?
Recruiting Insights
Jeanette Eesmann-Foster, Owner and Founder of Mindwize, and Zoe Oldham, CEO Recruitment at Upsall International, will draw on their extensive experience of recruitment processes to share insights into the skills and knowledge future fundraising leaders need to succeed in securing roles. The discussion will be moderated by Pia Tornikoski, Chair of the EFA Certification Committee.
Zoe Oldham
Upsall International (ES)
Jeanette Eesmann-Foster
Mindwize (NL)
Pia Tornikoski
Vala (FI)
12:15 - 13:15 Lunch
13:15 - 14:30 Presentation Of Workshop Topics
Parallel Workshops:
Challenges And Potentials Of Education In Fundraising
This workshop will be based on findings from the study “Education and Training in the German Fundraising Sector”. Together, we aim to discuss open questions about the challenges and potentials of education in fundraising: How will educational requirements change in the future and which developments are needed to meet them? How can we ensure that the educational needs of (aspiring) fundraisers from different backgrounds and with varying priorities are adequately addressed? How do structural characteristics of the German fundraising landscape help or hinder these developments? With or without prior knowledge on the topic, you are warmly welcome to join the workshop and share their individual experiences.
Nele Theuer
BIBB (DE)
Should I Forget What I Know? Rethinking How Fundraisers Learn.
This interactive workshop puts learning at the centre. Together, we’ll explore the evolving demands on fundraisers and the skills, mindsets, and formats needed to stay effective in a rapidly changing world.
We’ll challenge traditional approaches to professional development, asking what still works—and what doesn’t. Through discussion, fresh perspectives, and collaborative thinking, we’ll rethink how learning in fundraising can become more connected, practical, and bold. Join us to spark new ideas and shape concrete approaches for future-ready learning in fundraising.
Heike Kraack-Tichy
emcra (DE)
Bridging The Gap Through Learning: Aligning Consultant Skills With Nonprofit Needs
Based on a Europe-wide study by EUConsult, this session presents key skills for consultants in the nonprofit and social impact sector alongside newly developed and tested training modules. Participants will explore gaps between current consultant skills and the evolving needs of client organisations and contribute to shaping tools to better understand these needs. Join us to reflect, challenge, and help advance the future of consultancy skills training in Europe.
Mary O'Kennedy
O'Kennedy Consulting
EU Consult (IE)
Martin Georgi
DFRV
EU Consult (DE)
14:30 - 15:00 Coffee Break
15:00 - 16:00 Presentation Of Workshop Results + Q&A
Closing
Participation Options
EFA Learning Symposium | 31 May – 1 June 2026 | €200
Symposium + German Fundraising Congress | 31 May – 3 June 2026 | €795
Venue | Berlin Congress Center (bcc), Berlin (open 09:00–18:00)
Accomodation | Explore hotels near the venue
Registration
Secure your place via this registration link.
Professionalisation is reshaping fundraising across Europe.
The question is not whether education matters — but how to design it to maximise impact.
Join the debate in Berlin.
Meet the Speakers
Jeanette Eesmann-Foster
Mindwize (NL)
Jeanette has over 35 years’ experience in direct marketing and fundraising, and remains deeply passionate about the field. She is driven to achieve the best possible results for her clients and to explore new approaches to fundraising. She is inspired both by small organisations with the ambition to grow and by national organisations with international aspirations.
Martin Georgi
DFRV, EU Consult (DE)
Martin Georgi is chair of the German Fundraising Association and a consultant for social organisations (strategy, organisational change, fundraising and development). He was director of the WSCF, Christian Movement for Peace, European Youth Forum, Amnesty International Germany, CBM, and Aktion Mensch.
Heike Kraack-Tichy
emcra (DE)
Heike Kraack-Tichy has over 20 years’ experience as a consultant, trainer and speaker in EU funding, fundraising and organisational development. She is the founder of emcra – Co-shaping Europe, including its certified academy, as well as the EU Fundraising Association, and serves as a board member of the German Fundraising Association. She also initiated the German Fundraising Association’s education study, contributing valuable insights into the future of learning in the sector. Her strength lies in strategically supporting civil society organisations on their path to greater impact.
Mary O'Kennedy
O'Kennedy Consulting, EU Consult (IE)
Mary is a passionate advocate for values-led and impact driven philanthropic and corporate social investment. She has over 25 years' experience of working with charities and has been responsible for driving numerous capital campaigns and large-scale philanthropic and corporate partnerships across the sector. Having worked in philanthropy roles in both Trócaire and Dublin City University’s Educational Trust, in 2002 she established OKC (formerly O’Kennedy Consulting), and the team now works to initiate and grow philanthropic, corporate and multi-channel donor relationships for diverse organisations across the charity and social enterprise sectors. Mary also provides guidance to individuals, foundations and corporates on impactful philanthropy. Mary is a previous recipient of the National Award for Outstanding Contribution to Fundraising. She is also a co-founder and Director of CCI Executive Search, a specialist charity sector recruitment company, and a Director of the arts and cultural jobs platform Creative Careers.
Mary was the Founding Chair of Fundraising Ireland (now Charities Institute Ireland) and is the current Chair of EU Consult, the European Association of Civil Society Consultants. She is the Irish Advisor to the Global Leadership Foundation, founded in 2006 by Mr FW de Klerk, and is also on the Board of the Seamus Heaney Estate.
Zoe Oldham
Upsall International (ES)
CEO of our Recruitment division at Upsall International, Zoe, is one of the sector’s foremost experts in recruiting strong and successful teams. Originally from the UK, Zoe now operates from Madrid, developing her vast global network as a warm and dynamic relationship builder. Having placed hundreds of high performing candidates over the years, Zoe now works strategically and innovatively to develop our extensive recruitment services while still leading important executive level recruitments for C-suite, director, and manager positions. With a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, a background in occupational psychology, and deep cultural intelligence, Zoe supports NGOs to unlock sustainable growth.
Bill Stanczykiewicz
Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (US)
Bill serves as senior assistant dean for external relations at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where he also serves as director of The Fund Raising School. In nearly 30 years of service in the philanthropic sector, Bill has been associated with raising more than $100 million (USD) while focusing on such topics as healthy youth development, poverty alleviation, and the elimination of homelessness. He researches and teaches on the unique aspects of leadership in the philanthropic sector.
Giedrė Šopaitė
Baltic Fundraising Hub (LT)
Giedrė is a strategic philanthropy consultant, speaker and trainer with over 20 years’ experience working with and within the NGO sector in Lithuania. With a background in Social Work and an MBA in Strategic Management, she bridges the realities of the non-profit sector with strategic, business-oriented approaches to fundraising and philanthropy. Giedrė supports NGOs in developing effective fundraising strategies and advises corporate partners on thoughtful, strategic giving decisions. She is the founder and CEO of Baltic Fundraising Hub, where she provides consultancy and training for non-profit leaders and fundraising professionals. Giedrė is also the creator of Fundraising@LT PRO, Lithuania’s first fundraising competency development programme, and the organiser of the annual Fundraising Summit conference. In her work, Giedrė focuses on strengthening fundraising competencies, leadership and ethical, impact-driven philanthropy. She is particularly interested in how NGOs and corporate partners build long-term, trust-based partnerships. Giedrė is also deeply curious about why people give, what motivates donors, how they make giving decisions, and how this understanding can help organisations communicate and fundraise more meaningfully.
Nele Theuer
BIBB (DE)
Nele holds a Bachelor’s degree in Literature and Cultural Studies and a Master’s degree in Psychology. She is currently working on her dissertation in Educational Psychology at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and the University of Tübingen. Her research focuses on educational transitions during adolescence, as well as the interplay between environmental and individual influences on developmental success. Before moving into educational psychology, she worked in communications and public relations at the German Fundraising Association (DFRV). Bringing these two areas of interest together, she later worked as a freelance researcher and was responsible for conducting a multi-method study on the challenges and potential of education and training in the fundraising sector.
Pia Tornikoski
VaLa (FI)
Pia Tornikoski is Secretary General of Vastuullinen Lahjoittaminen VaLa ry (the Finnish Fundraising Association). Pia also holds a number of roles in international networks, including EFA, GivingTuesday, and is currently Chair of the Supervisory Council of ECNL. Pia has extensive experience in advocacy and funding for the Finnish NGO sector. She has advised the Finnish government on a range of issues concerning civil society’s access to resources. She has also played a key role in developing the national Certified Fundraiser education programme and a legacy fundraising campaign. Her previous career focused on marketing, communications and fundraising for a range of causes. Since 2010, she has worked as a consultant with several charities, institutions and networks in Finland and abroad. Her earlier experience in corporate sponsorship for international sporting events held in Finland has further strengthened her understanding of partnerships. Pia is also the author of the first guidebook on fundraising in Finnish.
