West Midlands Fundraising Conference 2026

CIOF West Midlands Fundraising Conference 2026

CIOF West Midlands are delighted to bring a one-day event full of inspirational speakers and thought-provoking seminars, plus plenty of opportunities to network and learn from your peers.

There will be sessions for all kinds of fundraisers, from director-level to those taking their first steps in our vibrant and diverse sector. We'll have contributions from people who inspire support across income streams for a wide variety of different causes.

A full agenda to include details about the speaker sessions will be published here in the upcoming weeks. Our three tracks will focus on the following themes: Inspiration, Innovation, and Implementation.

If you register for this event you agree to abide by the declaration below and our Code of Behaviour for Training and Events - also written below.

If you have any questions or require any further information, contact us at westmidlands@ciof.org.uk

Opening plenary:

• 5 steps to telling stronger stories - Andy King, Director at Fireside Fundraising

Fundraising, fundamentally, is storytelling. Where companies have the opportunity to sell you something "a chocolate bar, a glass of wine, a holiday", charities rely on donors buying into our stories.

However, these stories can be hard to find - and even harder to shape. When you know you need money, it can be tempting to lead with a target, or a solution, rather than a problem to solve. You can end up missing major opportunities because you can't explain why you do what you do in a simple, emotional way.

Inspiration:

• How to build a high performing fundraising team - Katie West, Senior Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Hospice

In this session we will share how we have built a high performing fundraising team that remain passionate and resilient through times of adversity.

• Funding the whole plan: practical strategies for securing flexible, trust-based support - Anna Makanjuola, Head of Development at Anawim - Birmingham's Centre for Women

Many fundraisers know the challenge of managing multiple restricted grants, each tied to specific posts or budget lines. While they keep us going, they don't always support long-term, transformational impact.

This session will explore how to shift funders mindsets from project-based funding to investment in your organisation's overall plan. I'll share practical steps to build funder confidence, strengthen the case for unrestricted or flexible funding, and reduce reporting burden. The session will provide honest reflections, examples of what has worked (and what hasn't), and ideas you can apply directly to your own fundraising approach to secure more meaningful, sustainable support.

• This Is Me: Person-Centred Fundraising in Practice - Rachel Shepherd, Fundraiser at Myriad Centre

How do we truly understand and communicate the wishes of people with profound disabilities, especially when most are non-verbal? This session explores strength-based approaches to fundraising that champion possibility rather than disability. We'll examine practical ways to include clients in fundraising activities, report meaningful outcomes beyond conventional measures, and explain positive risk-taking to funders. Moving away from deficit-based narratives, we'll share how The Myriad Centre ensures clients' aspirations are heard, respected, and met - creating fundraising that tells positive stories of achievement. Person-centred practice means seeing the person first, always.

Innovation

• From idea to income: the reality of funding innovation - Laura Spencer, Deputy CEO at FareShare Midlands

In a challenging fundraising climate, charities must think differently about growth. This session explores how we developed and implemented a mobile pantry model, not just as a service innovation but as a new fundable income stream. We'll share how we positioned the project to attract support, aligned it with funder priorities and navigate the practical realities of delivery.

Expect honest reflections on pitfalls, what we could do differently and how this approach can translate to other charities.

• Donate what you can: how National Youth Choir changed their approach to individual giving - Isobel Froston, Development Manager at National Youth Choir

In Autumn 2025, National Youth Choir did something they had never done before: we made our auditions free to everyone. Instead, we gave people the chance to donate was they could. This was a risk because audition fees are usually a sure source of income. With careful planning, changes to our language, design and approach and with incredible teamwork, it succeeded.

• The evolution of memorialisation: technology's role in shaping in-memory fundraising - Sally Swann, Head of Partnerships at Much Loved & Umar Mahmood, In Memory and Legacy Manager at Midlands Air Ambulance

Over the last two decades, digital memorials have transformed how people grieve, remember, and give in memory. This session explores how tribute pages have shifted the way individuals mourn, share memories and engage with causes important to them. Drawing on insights and real-life examples, we'll show how tribute pages help to create lasting relationships with in-memory motivated supporters, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how they can leverage online memorials to both support bereaved families and enhance their legacy fundraising efforts, ensuring a lasting connection between the charity, the family and the memory of their loved one.

• From 'Data Nightmare' to Dream Campaigns: How to fix your tech stack so you can actually fundraise and get AI-ready - Harrison Brown, Director, & Mike Ashelby, Technical Account Manager at Suru Partners

We all have 'Dream Campaigns' hyper-personalised journeys and seamless donor experiences that we can't run because "the system won't let us." It's time to stop letting legacy tech dictate your fundraising strategy.

This talk explores how to flip the script: defining your Supporter Experience first, and building the tech to match. We will look at the critical milestones to moving from "Data Nightmares" (silos and black holes) to a unified system which serves as your assistant, not your master.

• From First Ask to Lasting Impact: Principal and Major Giving in a Global Context - Helen Layer-Evans, Associate Head of Philanthropy – Principal Gifts, and Michelle Gun, Senior Philanthropy Manager, at University of Warwick

Implementation

• Legacy Fundraising: nothing to fear here - Abigail McMillan, Head of Legacy Funding at CAFOD

We'll cover the basics of getting started, where to find more information and support and some practical steps to try right now.

• Sales Skills to Transform Your Corporate Partnerships Success - Peter Chiswick, Director of Corporate at Remarkable Partnerships

Peter's message is clear: we are all salespeople - and that's a strength. To secure game-changing partnerships, fundraisers must apply commercial techniques to demonstrate value, build trust with decision-makers, and maintain momentum through to the securing the deal.

In this energising speech, Peter will combine sales expertise with Remarkable Partnerships charity insight to deliver a powerful call to action: think commercially, communicate strategically, and close with confidence.

You''ll leave with a fresh perspective, renewed confidence, and practical ideas you can apply straight away to build stronger, more valuable partnerships.

• Utilising your organisations supply chain to maximise donations - Helen Miles, Head of Partnerships and Major Donors at Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity

Closing plenary:

• If they don't feel it they won't follow: Your guide to impactful communication - Lucy Key, Company Director at Performing Perfectly

In this highly interactive session, Lucy Key, a communication expert and West End actress, shares the tools fundraisers need to become more impactful, credible, and memorable. Drawing on years of coaching senior leaders across business, healthcare and elite sport, she'll guide you through what it really takes to communicate with presence - and why most people get it wrong.

If you register for this event you agree to abide by the declaration below and our Code of Behaviour for Training and Events:

Declaration:

I share the Chartered Institute’s ambition to create a culture where everyone is not just safe, but able to truly thrive. I have read carefully and understand the Code of Behaviour for Training and Events. I hereby agree to abide by its requirements and commit to upholding the standards of conduct required.

I declare that:

• I am not currently suspended due to an investigation by the Chartered Institute.

• I have not previously been found to have violated any of the behaviours outlined in this Code of Behaviour.

• I have not received sanctions by the Chartered Institute which prevent me from participating in this event / training.

In the event of a violation of this Code of Behaviour I accept that:

• My organisation (if relevant) may be notified of the violation and proposed course of action.

• Support may be withdrawn from me to attend the event, and I may not be invited to future events.

• The Chartered Institute is not liable or responsible for any legal actions brought against me and I will be responsible for all legal costs in such circumstances.