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Fundraising New Zealand is a
good value publication

The beginning of the working year is a good time to review your memberships, your subscriptions and your professional development plans.

The key conferences you want to consider are those associated with your memberships - the FINZ conference for example is in May. The Australasian Sponsorship Conference is in October. Don't forget that your software supplier may have a conference and your own charitable sector may have a conference. You may want to bone up on a particular knowledge area - social media for example and there may be a relevant conference associated with it. To get a freebie attendance at a privately run conference you simply have to ask. Another way of getting a freebie is to offer yourself as a speaker. Not only does this mean free attendance, it also looks great on your cv.

Memberships are also important for the cv. Always use your memberships on your card, your signature etc. If you are torn between which memberships are most relevant to you, consider which ones your employer will pay for, and which ones you should pay for yourself. Have a look at the benefits and look at value for money. Make the most of all the offerings. Some societies offer free mentoring and coaching. Take advantage of all the benefits.

Subscriptions are often undervalued. Some memberships will include a magazine or access to e-news. Make it a point each month to spend an hour or two refreshing your knowledge by reading a few magazines, subscribing to a few blogs and sharing your own knowledge by reciprocating. If you are planning to undertake the CFRE qualification you will need to show that you are well read in your area of expertise and that you actively share your knowledge with others.

For your professional development, hopefully you have negotiated a budget for this. Firstly consider what you need to achieve, and then have a look at the offerings by reputable providers. The consider the pricing - what works for your budget. Sometimes it can make more sense to get a few hours of one on one coaching rather than a full day course. In some cases you may want to have your whole team trained. Most trainers work on a daily basis. You can hire them for a whole day, and then you can set the agenda.

An hour doing your planning now can ensure you spend your budget wisely. Otherwise you may spend all your budget on one activity only to find the most important conference is being held at the end of the year.