5 Fundraising Trends We’re Bringing Back From the FIA Conference

Two weeks ago, the team at Bigfoot Fundraising had the opportunity to attend the Fundraising Institute Australia Conference in Melbourne.

We spent a few days surrounded by fundraisers, digital specialists and nonprofit organisations, all exploring the same question: How do we grow fundraising in an increasingly digital world?

Across the sessions a number of themes kept coming up again and again. These weren’t just interesting ideas; they were practical approaches already driving growth for organisations across the sector.

Here are five trends we’re already bringing straight back into our campaigns at Bigfoot.

1. Authentic storytelling beats polished production

One thing everyone seemed to agree on was the power of authentic storytelling, particularly through video.

We saw multiple examples of user-generated content (UGC) and real impact stories outperforming highly polished creative. Supporters (particularly younger audiences) want to see what’s really happening on the ground.

The trend is shifting toward more “effortless” style video: content that feels simple, authentic and easy to consume.

People aren’t looking for perfectly produced videos anymore. They want something real, something that feels raw, relatable and human.

Content that feels honest and unfiltered often creates a much stronger emotional connection and helps people feel closer to the cause.

For fundraisers, this often means shifting the mindset from: “How do we make this look perfect?” to “How do we show what’s really happening?”

Often the most powerful stories come directly from the people involved - staff, volunteers and the communities charities support.

2. The “always-on” acquisition mindset

Another major theme was how donor acquisition is evolving in a digital-first world.

For many organisations, acquisition has traditionally centred around key campaign moments; Christmas appeals or tax-time drives.

But the data presented at the conference showed a clear shift: digital acquisition is increasingly outperforming direct mail, largely because it allows charities to reach supporters where they are, all year round.

The organisations seeing the strongest results are moving towards always-on acquisition models, maintaining a permanent digital presence rather than relying solely on campaign bursts.

However, this approach raises the bar for messaging.

When your campaigns are running continuously, sloppy messaging won’t cut through. Organisations need to invest in clear fundraising propositions that translate effectively online and resonate quickly with new audiences.

3. Integration is where growth happens

Another theme that came up repeatedly during the conference was the risk of building fundraising programs in isolation.

Too often campaigns are structured in silos - acquisition, Gifts in Wills, community fundraising or major donors - each operating separately.

But supporters don’t see themselves that way.

They don’t think of themselves as a “cash donor”, an “event participant” or a “GIW prospect”. They simply see themselves as someone who cares about the cause.

The organisations seeing the strongest growth are those where teams and channels work together to create joined-up supporter journeys.

Legacy fundraising was a great example discussed at the conference. When Gifts in Wills is integrated into the broader supporter journey, it becomes far more powerful - not just as a revenue stream, but as a clear expression of an organisation’s mission and long-term impact.

When programs operate in isolation, supporters often fall through the gaps.

4. Systems protect humanity — they don’t replace it

One session that particularly resonated with our team came from Médecins Sans Frontières Australia and Médecins Sans Frontières New Zealand on major donor fundraising.

One message from the session stuck with us:

“Systems don’t reduce humanity - they protect it.”

By using smart automation, data qualification and tools like supporter assessments, organisations can free up their teams to spend more time building deeper relationships with supporters.

Technology isn’t about replacing human connection, it’s about protecting the time needed to nurture it.

5. Culture eats strategy for breakfast

One of the biggest takeaways from the conference wasn’t just about tactics or platforms, it was about culture.

You can have the best digital strategy in the world, but if an organisation’s culture isn’t built for agility, collaboration and test-and-learn thinking, that strategy will struggle to succeed.

High-performing fundraising teams are comfortable experimenting, learning quickly and adapting their approach as they go.

It also means being willing to move supporters between teams or programs to ensure they receive the best possible experience, rather than protecting internal silos.

Fundraising growth doesn’t happen overnight. It requires long-term thinking, proper investment and a willingness to plan for the future.

A first FIA conference perspective

For our Account Manager Maria Perez, this year’s conference was her first.

“It was inspiring to see how openly organisations are sharing ideas and learning from each other,” said Maria. “For me, the biggest takeaway was how much the sector is evolving, particularly around digital storytelling and integrated supporter journeys. It reinforced how important it is to stay curious, keep testing new ideas and continue learning from the sector.”

The big takeaway

If we were to summarise our key takeaway from the conference, it would be this:

Fundraising growth in 2026 isn’t about working harder — it’s about fundraising smarter.

It’s about being data-led, human-centred and digitally brave, while always keeping supporters at the heart of every decision.

And those are exactly the ideas we’re already bringing into our campaigns. Get in touch if you have questions or want to hear more about what we can do for your organisation in 2026.