The course aimed to introduce participants to the fundamentals of professional fund raising as a pathway to ensuring the long-term sustainability of their organizations’ missions. Representatives from a wide mix of organizations, ranging from education, religious, sexual and reproductive health, and environmental sectors, among others, joined the three-day workshop.
The program opened with a session from our Executive Director, Ms. Pinky N. Medina, who set the tone with an overview of fund raising—what it is, why it matters, and the importance of aligning initiatives with the organization’s vision, mission, and goals. This was followed by sessions from our Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Kiel Fernandez, on who does the fund raising, highlighting the importance of teamwork, roles, and responsibilities, and later on what is needed—the systems, processes, structures, and policies that make fund raising work.
On the second day, Ms. Ira Hachero, Program Manager, presented the latest trends and insights in the fund raising landscape, covering global, regional, and local data. She emphasized the value of data-driven strategies and introduced participants to emerging approaches such as the rise of AI, impact investing, and venture philanthropy. The day continued with Ms. Fernandez’s session on who we fund raise from, focusing on identifying, developing, and engaging constituencies effectively.
In the afternoon, participants explored various fund raising strategies with real-world examples and best practices. They also benefited from Ms. Medina and Ms. Fernandez’s first-hand sharing of their own fund raising experiences. This discussion carried over to the third day, where the group examined additional strategies, including earned income opportunities and grants.
To close the program, Ms. Fernandez discussed how to know if fund raising works, emphasizing the importance of regularly monitoring and evaluating strategies so plans can be adjusted and pivoted based on actual data. Finally, Ms. Medina introduced the fund raising planning process, equipping participants with the tools to design actionable strategies moving forward.
Throughout the three days, participants were highly engaged—sharing experiences, exchanging insights, and collaborating through group work and activities. The interactive environment fostered creativity, problem-solving, and peer learning.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participants for their enthusiasm and generosity in sharing their experiences. We hope you found the sessions as enriching and inspiring as we did.
To keep yourself updated on our future courses, reach out to us via email at venture@venture-asia.org or follow us on Facebook.