CIOF Cymru Fundraising Conference 2025

Following a six-year hiatus, we are delighted to announce that the CIOF Cymru Fundraising Conference will be returning in 2025!

We will be taking over the Leonardo Hotel in Cardiff to celebrate, learn and network - and we are looking forward to seeing you there.

With over a dozen sessions to choose from throughout the day, plus discounts for sole fundraisers and micro charities, you can guarantee there will be something for you. A warm, Welsh welcome awaits you.

This year's conference will offer different tracks, ensuring an exciting and interesting day for delegates in all areas, and all levels, of fundraising. With over a dozen sessions to choose from throughout the day, plus discounts for sole fundraisers and micro charities, you can guarantee there will be something for you. Sector trends, the latest fundraising research, a debate on corporate partnerships, advantages of regular giving, the power of legacies... - our Cymru Conference offers all this and more!

To keep up with the latest programme announcements, follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

PLACES ARE LIMITED AND WE EXPECT TO SELL OUT. BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.

VENUE SPONSORS: Leonardo Hotel Cardiff; Conference Care Cymru

DIGITAL SPONSOR: The Sapphire Running Zone

Info: Fuel up, start your day in good company and visit our table-top expo area

Info: Our CIOF Chair, Harpreet Kondel, will open the plenary and speak to delegates about fundraiser wellbeing – the challenges we are facing and how the CIOF aims to help improve the situation, including changing the perception of fundraising and increasing public trust. Harpreet will be followed by 'State of the Nation: How does the public view charities in Wales?' . How have attitudes towards charities in Wales changed over the last decade? Using long-term polling data, nfpResearch will share insight into three vital strategic areas for the Welsh fundraising sector – trust, donor behaviour and localism. This plenary session will examine how trust in Welsh charities compares with the rest of the UK, changes in giving and spending preferences, and the growing importance of supporting local or Welsh organisations. These insights will provide delegates with valuable data and strategic guidance on how to navigate Wales' evolving fundraising sector. A great way to set the scene for the day.

Info: This informative session will share the complete findings of recently-conducted research commissioned by WCVA, illustrating the make-up of voluntary income within the Welsh sector. Find out which fundraising activities have the most potential for growth, and be among the first to hear initial findings for further detailed research undertaken with a small group of larger charities in Wales.

Info: In an ideal world, all charities could rely on the financial freedom that comes with funding that has 'no strings attached'. But what do you do when funders want to support specific programmes or outcomes? How do you meet their needs without losing the flexibility that keeps your organisation running? In this session, Jenna and Dan will talk about what it takes to generate restricted funding for a charity that has never wanted it before!

Info: Catch up with fellow delegates and visit our table-top expo area

Info: Plan ahead for the next Payroll Giving Month (February 2026). This session will share results and case studies from 2025, highlighting how charities at any stage in their payroll giving journey can get involved. Learn how to promote Payroll Giving to corporate partners, and why this tax-efficient form of giving should be on every fundraiser's radar.

Info: In this engaging session, Remember A Charity will explore the potential of legacies for the Welsh market, sharing key toplines from their latest consumer benchmarking research along with top tips for legacy fundraising. They’ll be joined by Wales-based fundraisers sharing how they bring their legacy messages to life, and the impact gifts in Wills have made to their charities.

Info: Catch up with fellow delegates, visit our table-top expo area and drop into one of our 30-minute 'lunch and learn' sessions

Info: Bring your lunch and join a conversation to explore the benefits of the use of the Welsh language in fundraising. What is the value of Welsh-speaking fundraisers in building strong and long lasting relationships with donors in rural Welsh communities? Does language really matter? Let's discuss! THIS TOPIC WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE MEDIUM OF WELSH. TRANSLATION WILL BE AVAILABLE; EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION.

Info: Through short, visual examples and reflections from charity sector work, this lunchtime session will explore the role of graphic design in building connection, trust and impact within charity campaigns — especially when resources are limited. Learn how to collaborate more confidently with designers and use creativity to enhance outcomes. And does any of it *actually* work?!

Info: Corporate partnerships can unlock a wealth of potential. But what does 'good' look like, and how can fundraisers - and businesses - ensure they're mutually meaningful? Join the conversation as we talk about value beyond the income, how to get a charity/corporate win-win, and how to navigate volunteering quandaries

Info: Silo’d, dysfunctional and ineffective working. How much energy, time, money, mental wellbeing and good people are lost from charities every year as a result? Max & Lindsay bring key learnings from Outward Mindset (Arbinger Institute) and, crucially, how they’ve consistently applied them within their teams, organisations, and own wellbeing and development - with amazing results. They’ll share real, frank and honest stories, easy-to-use tools and things to take away and use in your own workplace straight away.

Info: Catch up with fellow delegates and visit our table-top expo area

Info: Many charities face the dilemma of how to mobilise a supporter base that is dispersed throughout Wales. Add to that the growing culture of a largely cashless society, and it can be tricky to equip supporters with the digital tools they need to generate income. Hear how Wales Air Ambulance Charity has grown its regional income by utilising a cashless 'tap to donate' app.

Info: From grassroots community groups to charities of all sizes, grants now account for 15% of total income to the voluntary sector. But what's available here in Wales, and what impact can it have in real life? Hear perspective and insight from a Welsh funder, together with first-hand experience of the challenges and opportunities this type of funding can bring. We'll also explore how capital projects differ from other fundraising campaigns, and why cross-departmental working is key to success.

Info: In the spring and summer of 2020, we thought we might never get another supporter again, so many of us pledged to do everything possible to thank the ones we did have and make them feel super special. From bespoke videos to Thankathons, we threw everything at them. Why have we stopped? What do we need to remember and resurrect? Max and Lindsay will lead an enlightening retrospective on some of the best thanking techniques from that time and discuss - and break down - results of Thankathons they've been part of at various charities. This will be a great and energetic way to close our Conference, reminding fundraisers of one of the most important elements of our role - saying "Diolch/ Thank you".

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Leonardo Hotel Cardiff, 1 Park Place, Cardiff, United Kingdom