Introducing the SOFII blog…

SOFII now has its very own fundraising blog. Each week, we will be bringing you new posts on fundraising trends, innovations and issues from around the world. Before you go straight to our blog, we wanted to introduce you to all seven of our very talented SOFII bloggers and thank all of them for taking part.

Christiana Stergiou

Christiana has been an occasional writer and researcher for SOFII since our early days; putting together some of our favourite exhibits including the Greenpeace Australia Welcome Pack and the Adopt a Word exhibit, plus many insightful editorial profiles of gurus from David Ogilvy to George Smith. She is an accomplished fundraiser and professional speaker who is passionate about fundraising, especially bequest (legacy) fundraising and helping small nonprofits effectively raise more money. Christiana has her own fundraising consultancy, Scribbly Bark, based in beautiful Byron Bay, Australia. Christiana’s blogs for SOFII will be inspired by some of the latest and greatest fundraising books, of which she is an avid reader, as well as the communications she gets from the many nonprofits she supports. You can find out more about Christiana at www.scribblybark.com.au.

Lucy Gower

Lucy has been fundraising for over 10 years for a range of organisations and causes; from a lone fundraising, communications and marketing function in a small charity to part of specialist fundraising teams in larger organisations. Lucy has experience of trust, statutory, corporate, community and events fundraising. She was responsible for innovation and product development at the NSPCC, delivering a fundraising innovation strategy to help fundraisers to be more creative in their approach and delivery of fundraising. She also worked with the child protection consultancy team, developing ideas and delivering pilot projects to ensure that the NSPCC provides world-class consultancy and training to organisations working with children. 

Lucy is passionate about innovation and how it can transform organisational and individual performance and, ultimately, make a difference to the causes that we fundraise for.

Lucy is now a freelance trainer and consultant specialsing in helping individuals and organisations think more creatively to get better results. Lucy is an active blogger on fundraising and innovation and regularly speaks at conferences both in the UK and overseas.

You can follow Lucy on Twitter @lucyinnovation or contact Lucy at lucy@lucyinnovation.co.uk or via her website.

Damian O’Broin

Damian O'Broin is director of Ask Direct, a fundraising and direct marketing agency. With almost 20 years’ experience working on advocacy, fundraising and communications campaigns for some of Ireland’s largest and most well-known charities and nonprofits, Damian is regarded as a leading expert on non-profit communications and fundraising. He believes that convincing lots of ordinary people to support your cause is vital if you want to achieve your goals and build a sustainable organisation in the process.

Damian is a member of the Institute of Fundraising and the Institute of Direct Marketing and currently serves on the board of Friends of the Earth (Ireland). You can visit Damian's website or follow Damian on Twitter here @damianobroin

Vishal Talreja

Leaving investment banking behind, Vishal was one of eleven people who set up Dream A Dream in 1999, a nonprofit organisation which aims to empower children in vulnerable backgrounds by developing their life skills. Under Vishal’s leadership, Dream A Dream has improved the lives of 3000 children with the active support of 1500 volunteers. The organisation has won several awards including runner up in the Japanese award for the most innovative development project hosted by the global development network. Vishal also mentors many start-up NGOs and provides his expertise as an independent consultant in areas of governance, strategic planning, fundraising strategy, project evaluations and financial planning.

You can visit Vishal's Dream a Dream website here.

Kirsten Bullock

Kirsten Bullock, CFRE, is a consultant, trainer and coach who works with theleaders of non-profit organisations and ministries to bring professionalism, excellence and effectiveness to their development efforts. Since 1995,Kirsten has worked with health care organisations, social service providers, national and local ministries, and international membership associations.These have included organisations such as AIDS Interfaith Ministries of Kentuckiana, Presbyterian Women National Offices, Community Health Centers,Inc. and the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation.

Kirsten is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, holds a bachelors of socialwork degree and a master's in business administration and is president-elect of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Louisville Chapter. You can find out more about Kirsten by visiting her website here.
 

Marcelo Iniarra

Marcelo currently runs his own international creative consultancy www.marceloiniarra.com, providing social marketing and public mobilisation strategies powered by innovation for the social sector to organisations like Amnesty International, Greenpeace, UNICEF , UNHCR , ActionAid and SOS Kinderdorf.

Marcelo is one of the global pioneers of digital media in the social sector, leading the design and implementation of cyberactivism and fundraising at Greenpeace International. He has been an environmental activist for over 20 years and has always tried to provide an original and groundbreaking approach. He is constantly on the move, giving workshops and presentations all over the world. Marcelo saw a desperate need for innovation in NGOs that led him to create www.innophoria.com, an online game to boost innovation within the social sector.

You can find out more about Marcelo by visiting his webpage, Facebook profile and Twitter account.
 

Pamela Grow

Pamela Grow is a successful and experienced nonprofit veteran. Her marketing, political, foundation funding, individual giving and communications background make her a sought after fundraising 'ninja' who gets results in any economy. Nonprofit development isn't merely an area of business for her, it is a very important part of her life that she freely and generously shares with the readers of her internationally recognised and always top-rated blog, www.pamelagrow.com and her popular ezine, The Grow Report.

If you'd like to experience Pam's tips for getting things done faster, smarter, better so your nonprofit can make maximum money in minimum time, click here for your complimentary five-part grantwriting course and subscription to The Grow Report.

To read the latest article on the SOFII Blog pages, please click here.

If you think you have what it takes to be a SOFII blogger please contact Nathalie.