On the 4th of September 2025, we held our first-ever RETHINK Fundraising in Auckland.
Our plan was to collaborate with partners to co-design and create an event that doesn’t just talk about rethinking, but demonstrates in real-time what that can mean. A day of inspirational presentations, panel discussions and practical workshops to leave Aotearoa’s hardworking fundraisers energised and armed with a toolkit of actionable learnings to take back to their organisations.
Here’s our recap of the day:
The morning
After months of planning, it was finally here. The day dawned bright and (mostly) sunny in Auckland. People started arriving nice and early, all seated by 9 am for the start of a fabulous day.
We kicked off with Tim Dove from re:brand, who got us all rethinking branding – with some great before and after examples illustrating how an effective visual identity can multiply your fundraising.
Followed by Chris Schultz on Moments that Matter – showing us how reaching people with a relevant ask at key moments can reduce unnecessary spend and increase response.
A quick morning tea break, then straight into MIMO and Datam talking personalisation. Mark, Paul and De burnt down the ‘hit or miss’ approach and explored how data and behaviour-driven engagement can genuinely connect with supporters.
Just before lunch, Liam from CornucopiaPO provided food for thought on harnessing AI rather than letting it get away from you.
After lunch
The afternoon workshops got us deep diving into our brands and pulling apart our approaches to DM. Attendees could apply their learnings to their own organisations and pick the brains of our expert presenters.
To close the sessions, Grace Stratton, CEO of All is For All, shared thoughts on perception and telling your own story when others try to define you. She left us inspired to believe in our potential and the passion that brought us to our work.
We kept the party going into the evening with a Fundraising Follies to unwind and network over drinks, canapés and the stunning harbour views.
Thank you!
We wanted to give one final, massive THANK YOU to everyone who made RETHINK such a success.
Event partners: Acquire, CornucopiaPO, Datam, MIMO, re:brand and FIA/FINZ.
Speakers: Dominique Antarakis, Tim Dove, Liam Malcolm, Mark Newell, Chris Schultz, Grace Stratton, Paul and Deanne Wright.
Venue: Ponsonby Cruising Club
Catering: Bowler, Daily Bread, The Sustainable Food Co.
And, of course, to everyone who came along to RETHINK Fundraising 2025! We couldn’t have done this without you, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next for RETHINK.
