Bush Heritage

Winner of the 2017 Bequests/ Gifts in Wills, over $5 million

Campaign: Bush Legacy Circle & Bequest Reconfirmation Campaign

Key Personnel: Rebecca Passlow, Jill Swanson, Lorna Downey, Kate Eddy MFIA, Andrew Myer

What does winning these awards in 2017 mean for your organisation?
Winning an FIA award is terrific recognition and endorsement of Bush Heritage Australia’s success in fundraising – in particular our Gifts in Wills program. The award draws attention to the areas you are excelling in within the sector, and give opportunity for others to engage and learn from our experience.

How has it impacted on your work in terms of campaign strategies, staff morale etc?
Receiving an FIA award is great for morale building. It recognises the hard work of many in bringing together and implementing an innovative program or project. The award also gives your organisation a great opportunity to reflect on achievements and celebrate them.

Briefly tell us about the campaign that won you this award? What made this campaign so successful?
The campaign Bush Heritage submitted in the 2017 awards was the Bush Legacy Circle and bequest reconfirmation campaign. This campaign was successful in firstly launching a recognition program to engage more deeply with our committed supporters who choose to support us through a gift in their Will. The second element of this campaign was to reflect and gain a deeper understanding of long standing commitments of our supporters through a bequest reconfirmation form. The inclusion of the reconfirmation form opened a dialogue with our supporters on the type and nature of their extraordinary commitment to bringing the bush back to good health.

Why did your organisation decide to submit an entry?
We think an important aspect of working in the fundraising sector is to shine a light from time to time on initiatives which strive for excellence. Sharing this knowledge in this form and others is a fantastic way to keep our sector active and striving for excellence.

What advice or suggestions can you give to other members considering submitting an awards nomination?
It is worth taking the time to put forward a submission for the FIA awards. The process is relatively simple, and yet the submission process gives you the opportunity to reflect on the achievements of your organisation and how you measure your impact or success.