Wednesday

March 5th

Topic: Shot to the Heart: You can give Love a good name!

If there’s one thing we can learn from the current American political landscape, it’s that emotion trumps reason.

Come to this session and learn how you can employ emotional storytelling to connect with your donors and inspire them to become a hero for their community, their country and the planet.

Leave this session armed with creative new ideas you can immediately apply to your fundraising program to inspire more people to make gifts and become loyal donors.

Learning outcomes:
· Uncover your organisation’s stories
· Learn creative ways to use your organisation’s stories
· Learn how to use emotional language to inspire donors to take action
· Learn why negative emotions trump positive, feel-good stories

Location: Conference Room 1
SaskAbilities, 2310 Louise Ave
Meeting entrance at back – parking back of building in spots 14-28

7:30 AM  SSFRE Annual General Meeting
8:00 – 9:00 AM Presentation

Wednesday

february 5th

Topic: Working with your team & board to create a culture of philanthropy

In 2022 RUH Foundation (RUHF) appointed a new CEO, Jennifer Molloy. Join us to learn more about the changes that were made to engage all of RUHF in redefining themselves as a major gifts focused organization.

Wednesday

january 15th

Topic: Round-table discussion: Postal Strike Implications

Location: Conference Room 1
SaskAbilities, 2310 Louise Ave
Meeting entrance at back – parking back of building in spots 14-28

7:30 – 9:00 AM 

Wednesday

december 4th

Topic: Integrating Planned Giving Conversations – It’s Nothing to be Afraid of!

Come join us for an event on integrating planned giving conversations into your philanthropic efforts. Don’t be scared – we’ll guide you through the process step by step! Learn how you can make a lasting impact through planned giving while enjoying a great atmosphere with like-minded individuals.

Wednesday

november 6th

Topic: Helping Donors Give More for Less

PearTree helps people with philanthropic high net worth individuals to give more, doing it efficiently, elegantly and strategically

Location: Conference Room 1
SaskAbilities, 2310 Louise Ave
Meeting entrance at back – parking back of building in spots 14-28

7:30 – 9:00 AM 

Wednesday

october 2nd

Topic: The Psychology of Asking

 Scarcity mindsets, imposter syndrome, fear of rejection and ways to get over your fears so you can get on with asking.

Location: Conference Room 1
SaskAbilities, 2310 Louise Ave
Meeting entrance at back – parking back of building far left side

7:30 – 9:00 AM 

Wednesday

September 11th

Topic: How to craft fundraising offers that lead people toward greater generosity

Learn valuable tips and strategies on creating compelling fundraising offers that inspire people to give more. Whether you’re a seasoned fundraiser or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their skills and make a bigger impact.  

Wednesday

June 12th

Topic: Outdoor Breakfast – Networking Session

Wednesday

may 1st

Topic: Corporate Activations – Fostering meaningful and lasting corporate relationships

Wednesday

April 3rd

Topic: Planned/Legacy Giving Basics

How to do Planned / Legacy Giving when you have many other things that need to be done

Wednesday

March 6th

Topic: All I Really Needed To Know About Fundraising I Learned In Saskatchewan!

Younger donors. TikTok influencers. Professional production. Big-name sponsors. Expensive donor databases. A board with high-net-worth connections. A clever gala theme. Gorgeous glossy cases for support and annual reports. An advertising campaign created by one of those agencies with a foosball table where everyone gets to bring their dog to the office.

Is this what it takes to be a successful fundraising organization today? Are these really the best practices in our sector?

NOPE.

It’s all pure poppycock!

The only way to build sustainable fundraising programs and long-term value that can deliver results you’ve only dreamed of, is by sticking to the basics…actually one basic: create and nurture genuine, meaningful relationships with donors.

Now, there’s a place in Canada that just happens to know a thing or two about genuine, meaningful relationships. And it also happens to have a zero poppycock tolerance.

(and it’s where I learned everything I needed to know about fundraising…)

In this session you’ll learn about a prairie tradition that is the foundation of all fundraising. And we’ll also take a look at some commonsense stuff that you need in place to build donor relationships. And finally, we’ll discuss how planting seeds in the right (three) areas will pay off (massively) over the long term.

You’ll leave this session with the exciting knowledge that you live in the secret wellspring of fundraising fundamentals you can tap to deliver transformative results for your foundation.

Wednesday

February 7th

Topic: Enhancing Donor Engagement though Digital Workflows

Learn the importance of data management in donor relations, explore the functionalities and benefits of CRM systems in the nonprofit sector, and discover strategies for aligning projects and events with relationship building.

Location:Queen’s House Retreat & Renewal Centre
601 Taylor Street West

7:30 – 9:00 AM 

Wednesday

december 6th

Topic: Mental Health & Fundraising: Making Brain-Space & Time for Self-Care

Margot will take a look at and share key takeaways on the following:

the special stressors fundraisers face everyday – but more so at the end of the year
warning signs to heed in yourself and your team members
some mentally healthy holiday hacks to help you get through this busy time

Wednesday

november 8th

Topic: Maximizing Your Donor Base to Raise More Funds (by video)

 As a fund raising consultant, Sam helps non-profit and charity organizations engage with donors to maximize the impact of the important work they are doing every day. Through donor data analytics, fundraising and stewardship reports, board training and fundraising audits, Sam will help you engage more donors.

Wednesday

oct 4th

Topic: Get the Most from Your Non Profit Organization — Recruitment & Training

– Labour Market Trends
– Employer Brand and Being an Employer of Choice
– Workplace Culture ✓Culture Fit ✓Culture Add
– How to Use Social Media to promote your company
– Being competitive in the market 

Wednesday

Sept 13th

Topic: Achieving Meeting Effectiveness

If you are like most people you at times feel like all you do is attend meetings and over 60% of people feel like the meetings you attend are either not useful, or productive or you likely did not need to be there in the first place. And now we add to the mix online or as is commonly referred to virtual meetings.

In this session we will explore a few bits of research on what others have said about the effectiveness of meetings, what it takes to make meetings effective and how to prepare for and make the most of meetings and ultimately its effects on your own productivity and effectiveness and of those you work with.

Wednesday

june 14th

Topic: Networking

Wednesday

may 3rd

Topic: How to Market Your Organization on Social Media in 2023

It’s never been more important to ensure your business is where your customers are… online. Social media and digital marketing provide cost-effective, highly targeted, measurable opportunities to engage your audience and promote your business. Let’s talk about how you can:

• build a content strategy that engages your audience
• create, plan and schedule great content
• capture strong imagery and video
• break through algorithms
• drive business results with an advertising strategy

Wednesday

april 5th

Topic: All Things Canada Post for Mailing, Postage, Segments and more!

Joel Fraughton will discuss marketing strategies & utilize the most current data solutions available to max your fundraising dollars!

Wednesday

March 1st

What You Need to Know about Estate Planning

Is estate planning a mystery topic for you? Damian will help answer questions on basic estate planning and administration for nonprofits

Damian will discuss estate planning and estate administration and how it interacts with the charitable sector for example. He will answer any questions you may have about these topics!

Wednesday

february 1st

Grow your monthly giving program

 Want to grow your monthly donors? You’ve come to the right presentation!

Learn how you can increase your monthly donor base and maybe learn how David’s fundraising teachings originated in Saskatchewan.

Wednesday

January 11

Public Speaking

Learn the mindset of an effective speaker, proper preparation techniques, and everyone’s favourite … what to do with your hands! Get rid of the dread that comes along with facing an audience and be your authentic self in front of a camera or crowd. 

Wednesday

december 7th

Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve – Stewardship Best Practices

Join us for breakfast and learn how to highlight the importance of good stewardship in sustainable fundraising. During the session, James will offer practical ways for small and medium sized shops to keep their donors engaged with year-round touches.

Wednesday

November 2nd

Care and Feeding of Long-Term Funding Strategies — Looking Beyond Year to Year Fundraising

 Learn to strategically create donor giving plans that nourish your organization for the long term.

Bring your abundance mindset along with questions about endowments, major gifts, planned gifts, gifts of securities, bequests, required policies and start to sketch out a path to the vision of where you want your organization to be in 10, 20, or 50 years. 

Wednesday

October 5th

Grant & Proposal Writing

What you will learn:

– What your organization should do before, during, and after your write

– What infrastructure your organization can set up to make the process less onerous

– Common structure of a proposal

– How to set your organization up for multi-year deals 

Wednesday

september 7th

Data Segmentation

Not sure what or how to use your data from donors?

Deborah Kies will share her data segmentation tips and tricks to maximize your donations!

Are you using your supporters donation habits to its full potential?

Whether you send out newsletters, direct mail appeals, targeted e-blasts, run raffles, or other campaigns, you should be using data segmentation to maximize your fundraising results. 

Deborah Kies will use Lung Saskatchewan campaigns as a case study to show how you can use your donor data to create segments that are more accurate and result in effective targeting, cost savings, and happier donors.

Wednesday june 1st – Webinar

Topic: Until Next Time

Reflecting on her 37 year career in the charitable sector, Arla Gustafson will share what is important in the work we do to build a more caring community

RECORDING: Click HERE and use passcode p5m$=Aa&.

Wednesday may 4th – Webinar

Topic: Community Panel on Corporate Sponsorships

•  Nicole Westerlund, Conexus Credit Union
• Sheryl Harrow-Yurach, READ Saskatoon
• Laura Gawletz, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital

 How does Conexus Credit Union make community investment decisions? What can charities do today to grow their corporate partners?

Join us for a panel discussion on corporate partnerships.
Topics will include:

* shifts in community investment strategy
* stewardship
* types of corporate partnerships
* recognition
* what you can do today to increase your corporate partnerships

Wednesday apr 6th

Topic: DM 101: Everything you always wanted to know about Direct Mail but were afraid to ask.

Are people really sending pieces of paper through Canada Post to people’s homes asking for money? And are those people sending money back to charities?

Yup. To paraphrase, the reports of Direct Mail’s death are greatly exaggerated.

So just how do you use this very old tool to successfully connect with donors and raise money? Will it work for my charity? What does a successful Direct Mail package look like? How many appeals should I send in a year?

Presentation Outcomes

1. Optimize communication and results with your donors-next-door

2. Build donor loyalty

3. Set the stage for sustainability.

4. BONUS: using Direct Mail to increase the chance of receiving transformational gifts.

Wednesday mar 2nd – webinar

Topic: Revisiting Sponsorship strategies for Today’s Uncertain Landscape

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. by Zoom

Has your sponsorship strategy been flipped upside down? Now more than ever there’s a need to be flexible in your sponsorship asks and mindful in the delivery. Knowing where to start is the hard part.

Join us as Terri discusses the current trends in events and what that means to your supporters, and future partners.

Wednesday feb 2nd – webinar

Topic: A DIGITAL CUSTOMER JOURNEY: How to deliver at every step

Now more than ever, your customers are online, and it’s crucial for your business to be right there with them.

Blue Moose Media is here to discuss the importance of a strong digital presence for your business, and to share strategies you can implement to create a presence at each stage of your digital customer’s journey. Presenter, Travis Low, will show you how these strategies can be applied to market your non-profit/charity.

Wednesday jan 5th – webinar

Topic: Gift Acceptance – Some Points to Ponder before saying “Yes”

Do you have questions about Canada Revenue Agency regulations? How about gift acceptance policies or supporting a donor through your planned giving process? Jim is more than a numbers guy. His knowledge of donor relations, combined with his accounting experience, makes him the perfect person to answer your questions in this session.

Wednesday dec 1st – webinar

Topic: One – Two Punch: Building your case for support and making the ask

You know you need a case for support. But what is it, and more importantly, what do you do with it once you have one?

We’ll get into the specifics about what a case for support for your organization is (and what it isn’t!) and how to use your case to open doors, open minds and most importantly, engage donors. We’ll share plenty of examples and would love to hear from YOU, whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to fundraising in Saskatoon. Watch for a survey link after registering for this fun and interactive session.

Wednesday nov 3rd – webinar

Prospect Research for the Small Org: Who, what where when, why and how

Is having a prospect researcher almost the same as having a psychic medium on your team? Perhaps it’s more like having a code-cracking hacker who can find out the most private of info – all for a good cause, of course.  Find out exactly what prospect research is – and just as importantly – what it isn’t. Join us for an experience-based introduction to the most essential parts of prospect research and how to use it effectively when time and resources are in short supply.

Wednesday Oct 6 (webinar)

Strategic Planning in Interesting Times

A strategic plan has traditionally been seen as the cornerstone for any non-profit, providing both direction and a framework for assessing performance. The pandemic, in addition to causing many existing strategic plans to be thrown out the window, has called into question the whole purpose of planning itself: if we can’t foresee or understand what’s going to happen next month, let alone three years from now, what’s the point? In this session, Brian will explore how planning can still be a useful activity in the midst of uncertainty, with a focus on frameworks and resources that can help your organization plan for and adapt to a rapidly-changing world.

Wednesday

sept 8

Will Power Kick-Off Event

Trina will be presenting an overview of what the national Will Power campaign is hoping to achieve over the next 10 years. This initiative is the biggest effort in Canada’s history to make estate giving a social norm. Now is the time to take action and encourage people to consider including a gift in their will to a charity.  It is projected that, in Canada, within a generation over 400 billion dollars will be transferred and charities need to be a part of that.

Wednesday

june 2nd – webinar

Topic: Shifting the Narrative around Charity Overhead

  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. by Zoom

Wednesday

May 5th – webinar

Topic: Donor Engagement Through a Planned Giving Lens

  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. by Zoom

Jay Stark will be presenting ‘’. There are vast and overwhelming issues currently facing many nonprofits during these unprecedented times. However, where there are challenges there are also opportunities to show leadership and demonstrate empathy towards donors. During this private presentation Jay will share with you the latest up-to-date research and unique insights uncovered over the last year from our Canadian planned giving community. You will learn:
• The Easiest and Least Expensive Initiative to Grow Your Endowment.
• The Most Effective Planned Giving Tools and Strategies … And Why They Work.
• How to Attract Pools of Willing and Able Donors…Given Limited Resources.
• Why Charity Is Last with Donors’ Wealth Priorities … And How to Move It Higher.
• Why Your Website Is Not Working… And What to Do About It.
• The Fastest Growing Gift Strategy in Canada … That If You Can’t Beat, You’d Better Join!
• What Does COVID-19 Mean for Your Organization’s Future?

Wednesday

apr.7th – webinar

Telemiracle 45 — “A Pandemic Will Not Stop Us”

  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. by Zoom

Last March, the world changed – and so did TeleMiracle. After 44 years, this annual telethon had to be re-invented in the midst of a pandemic. Kinsmen Foundation Executive Director Richard Kies will offer a behind-the-curtain look at how TeleMiracle 45 adapted to the challenges, and opportunities, of the COVID-19 reality.

Wednesday

Mar. 3rd – webinar

Online Fundraising in 2021

  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. by Zoom

Wednesday

feb. 3rd – webinar

Mental Health for Fundraisers

In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health issue serious enough to require assistance. Mental illness can strike anyone regardless of your gender, age, or socioeconomic background: your family, friends, neighbours, co-workers, people living next to you in the community … and YOU! With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, most everyone is discovering how important it is to protect and strengthen our mental health.

 As people working with vulnerable populations, community-based and street level programs and services, and donors who want to know that their generosity is making a real difference in the lives of people in need in our community, we find ourselves in a potentially precarious situation. While we find great joy and gratification in knowing those we serve are taken care of, we also can get caught up in concerning and caring for others often at the expense of our own mental health.

 Join us for an interactive conversation with Margot Weiner, Director of Development for the Canadian Mental Health Association – Saskatoon Branch, as she leads us through a discussion of our unique mental health needs as fundraisers and some strategies to manage and strengthen our resilience in the face of these needs.

Wednesday

jan. 6th – webinar

Community Investment during the Pandemic: Trends and Opportunities

After nine months of COVID-19, clear trends are developing in the community investment world at the intersection of funding dollars and not-for-profit/charitable causes. While it is tough to find certainty in many areas of our lives, there are trends that are impacting the fundraising sector. And there are opportunities to focus on. While 2020 will be known as a year that caused almost all businesses to re-act to sudden change; 2021 can be a year where you can plan toward certain targets.

Wednesday

Dec. 2nd – webinar

Yes You Can: Government Relations on a Budget

  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. by Zoom

Sheri will share the thoughts and learnings she has gleaned being on both sides of the GR desk.

Wednesday

Nov. 4th – webinar

De-Mystifying Grant Writing: Special 2020 Edition

 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

 https://ssfre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SSFRE-SCF-Grantwriting-Nov-4-2020.pdf

Wednesday

oct. 7th – webinar

Agility, Humility and Resilience: A Non-Profit Response to a Global Pandemic

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday
may 6th – webinar

Donor Love 101 to 1001

Donor Love, what is it and how can one truly add this magic in my work.  Whether you are just starting out, need a boost to get out of a funk, or wear a million hats in your role – Donor Love is what you need.   Like the Beatles song, ‘All You Need is Love’, so is true for your fundraising program.  Tips and tricks to inspire you, motivate you, and add sprinkles of Donor Love throughout your day.  I promise you can do this and it will make a difference. 

thursday
Apr 16th – webinar

Achieving Success in These Chaotic Times

• The implications of a VUCA²  (Volatile; Uncertain; Complex; Ambiguous) Environment
• Addressing Grief, Loss and Habit Change
• Strategies for Effectiveness Working Remotely
• Personal Effectiveness and Engagement

This session will provide participants with insights that will guide their path to success in working through this environment we are currently experiencing. The concepts, tools and techniques shared and explored will serve for the current circumstances as well as future challenges and opportunities that may be experienced. The concepts will be explored in the context of the lived experience of fundraising and Social Impact Agency professionals.

Participants in this session will receive a comprehensive Success Tool Kit. Also included will be a personalized Working From Home Profile Report and Guide.

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM – Go To Meeting Webinar
  Free — just register to receive the link.

Wednesday
feb. 5th

The Underbelly of Hospitality: How understanding hotels can help you have a better event

The presentation will focus on the inner workings of hotels when it comes to events, and how to be a better client so you can have a better event.

Le Rendez-Vous Francophone Community Centre, 308 – 4th Ave N.

7:45 AM Continental Breakfast
7:55 AM Welcome & Introductions
8:00 AM – 8:55 AM Guest Speaker Presentation

Wednesday
jan. 8th

Let’s Talk  Annual Giving – (with a special focus on year end campaign)

When your donors open your solicitation emails, are you grabbing their attention or going to the trash can without a glance? Infusing creativity into your fundraising communications, taking risks and expanding your zone of inspiration outside of the advancement field can have huge payoffs and keep your institution’s messaging relevant and fresh in the eyes of your donors. For the University of Saskatchewan, using this approach to create a holiday “Give & Win” email campaign—integrating a multi-layered communications strategy with development, alumni relations and athletics influences—was the winning ticket for exceeding scholarship and bursary donation goals during the busy holiday season. 

Wednesday
Nov. 6th

Leadership Style – Its Impacts and Effects – Part 2

 In leadership Styles session #1, we explored the results of a few studies on leadership styles in the Canadian Landscape.

In session #2, we will go a little deeper. In this session we will focus on Leadership styles and:

a. Impact on fundraising effectiveness/results
b. Impact on staff satisfaction and staff turnover
c. Strategies for leadership success
d. Strategies for working with leaders who demonstrate the various styles

Wednesday
Oct. 2nd

The Case for Support

Making Your Case.

“Wow, I want to support the people you serve!” That’s the ideal response when you ask an individual or corporation for funds.

A polished, professional case for support serves as a valuable tool in encouraging a positive response. The case enables you to discuss the project requiring funds face-to-face with a prospect and leave information for the potential supporter to review again later.

Find out where to start when producing a compelling case for support.

Wednesday
Sep. 11th

Leadership Style – Its Impacts and Effects

Based on research funded by the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy and other studies, Shad Ali, President of On Purpose Leadership, will provide an overview of leadership styles and their impact on fundraising and staff/volunteer satisfaction, and present strategies for leadership success.

 Link to Non-Profit Canadian Leadership Styles Study