Unconventional: Where the real conversations happen
At Fundraising Convention 2026, a new series of peer workshops will create space for fundraisers to learn directly from one another. Wendy Maitland, Convention and Events Manager at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, introduces Unconventional, a series of structured roundtable sessions designed for fundraisers, including those working in small charities or as sole fundraisers, to share lived experience, discuss real challenges and exchange practical solutions with peers.
Fundraising Convention has always been a place to learn from experts, leaders and sector specialists. But some of the most valuable insights in our profession don’t come from a stage.
They come from lived experience.
They come from honest conversations.
They come from fundraisers who are navigating real constraints, real pressures and real opportunities - every day.
That’s why, at Fundraising Convention 2026, we’re introducing Unconventional: structured, lightly facilitated peer workshops designed to create space for genuine exchange.
These are not teaching sessions. There is no panel. No slides. No keynote.
Instead, Unconventional offers something different: psychologically safe, confidential roundtables where fundraisers learn directly from one another.
Why this matters
Not every fundraising role looks the same.
Sole fundraisers and small charity professionals often operate with limited resources, broad responsibilities and fewer peers within their own organisations. Even within larger charities, roles can feel isolated. The pressures facing the profession are real, and they vary significantly depending on context.
Unconventional recognises that expertise exists across the room.
By creating structured peer dialogue, we aim to:
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Surface lived experience from across the profession
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Generate practical, transferable solutions
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Strengthen connection and reduce isolation
Ensure voices sometimes underrepresented at large events are heard and valued
This is learning through participation, not observation.
A different kind of session
Each Unconventional workshop follows a clear format designed to maximise inclusion and psychological safety. One is intended for sole fundraisers, and one is for fundraisers in small charities.
Ground rules are explicit. Chatham House Rule applies. There is no selling, no hierarchy and no pitching. Lived experience is recognised as expertise.
Facilitators act as hosts and guardians of the space - ensuring balanced participation, constructive discussion and forward-looking thinking. The aim is not to create a complaints forum, but to move conversations towards practical insight:
What have you tried?
What worked?
What would you do differently?
Short reflection periods and focused discussion rounds ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute. The sessions conclude with a “lightning wisdom” round, where each participant shares one idea they are taking away - reinforcing both learning and connection.
From conversation to collective insight
Throughout the sessions, anonymous insights will be captured - the biggest challenges fundraisers are facing, the boldest ideas being tested, the practical tactics that are working.
These reflections will inform a post-Convention summary, helping us better understand the realities across different roles and organisational contexts. Listening to the profession is part of our responsibility, and Unconventional provides one way to do that more intentionally.
Why take part?
Because some challenges can only be fully understood by those living them.
Because the person sitting next to you may have already tested the solution you’re still searching for.
Because connection strengthens confidence.
And because Convention is not only about absorbing content - it is about building community.
Unconventional invites you to contribute, not just attend. To share, not just listen. To learn from peers who understand the context of your work.
We hope you’ll pull up a chair and join the conversation.
Unconventional Workshops at Fundraising Convention
There will be 4 Unconventional workshops running at Fundraising Convention 2026. These sessions will run at the following times:
- 4 June: 12.00 - 12.45 and 16.00 - 16.45
- 5 June: 11.15 - 12.00 and 15.45 - 16.00