News

Dates and Session details:

Back to Basics: Getting Fundraising-Ready- 15^th April

Start the financial year with clarity and confidence. Back to Basics: Getting Fundraising-Ready is a practical session designed to help arts organisations and creatives strengthen their foundation before stepping into active fundraising.

We’ll walk through the essentials—from shaping a compelling case for support to building a focused fundraising strategy and developing a clear roadmap for action. You’ll leave with practical tools, key considerations, and a stronger understanding of what you need in place to fundraise effectively and sustainably.

Whether you’re new to fundraising or refreshing your approach, this session will set you up for success.

Fundraising Bootcamp:  Navigating Trusts and Foundations- 13^th May

Join us for a practical, welcoming session to support you at every stage of your trusts and foundations fundraising journey. Whether you're just getting started or looking to sharpen your approach, this session is open to anyone working in the arts, cultural, or wider charity sectors who wants to build confidence and take a more strategic approach to fundraising for arts activity.

We’ll explore practical tools for researching prospects, analysing organisational/project fit, and building a more strategic fundraising pipeline that delivers results. Discover how to identify the right funding prospects, assess best fit, and build a focused, effective fundraising pipeline that delivers results. On the day, you’ll also have the opportunity to access 1:1 peer support for tailored guidance and connect with experienced arts fundraisers who can help you refine your approach to applications and troubleshoot challenges specific to your organisation.

Building Better Partnerships- 17^th June

Discover how purposeful arts and business partnerships are built with this practical, step-by-step session designed for both arts organisations and corporate teams. Whether you’re seeking support or curious about investing in the arts, this event will help you understand the full partnership journey—from identifying aligned collaborators and preparing your offer, to shaping a clear value exchange and making a confident, well-timed ask.

Together, we’ll explore what drives successful cross-sector partnerships: shared ethos, complementary vision, and a commitment to creating meaningful impact. Participants will gain guidance on how to assess fit, articulate strengths, and approach conversations with clarity and confidence.

The session also includes dedicated networking time, giving arts and corporate attendees the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and spark new partnership possibilities.

Growing support from your community- Strengthening Individual Giving- 12^th August

Maximising High-Value Giving: Engaging and Caring for Major Donors- 16^th September

Step into the world of high-value philanthropy with this focused session for arts organisations looking to build lasting relationships with major donors. We’ll explore strategies for identifying, cultivating, and stewarding high-net-worth supporters, with a strong emphasis on donor care—ensuring your top supporters feel valued, engaged, and connected to your mission.

Participants will gain practical guidance on how to approach major donors with confidence, create personalised giving opportunities, and nurture relationships that are both meaningful and sustainable. This session is essential for anyone ready to elevate their major donor fundraising while building a culture of exceptional supporter care.

We’ll be joined by Oonagh Desire, who will share her insights and practical advice gained from working in Ireland, Britain and the United States. Since returning to Belfast she has been working island-wide, supporting organisations and individuals to achieve their goals and grow their impact. Drawing on her 25 years of experience in arts, culture, and the voluntary sector with a background in management, fundraising and engagement, Oonagh provides strategic guidance, capacity building and change management support.

1:1 Support drop in- 21^st October

As a follow-up to the Fundraising Bootcamp, we are offering a drop in of 1:1 support clinics designed to help you build on what you’ve learned and apply it directly to your organisation. These tailored sessions provide focused, practical guidance on your specific fundraising challenges, from developing funding strategies, support on your trusts & foundation application and refining cases for support to planning next steps with confidence. Each clinic offers dedicated time with an experienced advisor of the A&B NI team to help turn ideas into action and strengthen your fundraising approach.