HIE Digital Masterclass: Community Engagement and Fund-raising online (Forres, Moray)

Community Engagement and Fund Raising Opportunities Using Online Channels:

These events are focussed on HIE account managed ‘community’ clients in the following categories:

• Social Enterprises
• Development Trusts / Community Associations
• Community Projects and Community Groups

These events are ideal for projects that are in the early-stages of development, including project-planning, or pre-funding. They are also suitable for well-established projects looking to extend community engagement or improve sustainability.

Being visible and active on social media is an important and effective way of raising awareness of your project and organisation, communicating with stakeholders and being seen by potential investors and funders. This Masterclass is delivered in two parts, each of which will include a hands-on, interactive element that will not only help you to make better use of the various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, but also how to manage them more effectively with limited resources.

Part 1: Community Engagement using online channels

• Review of best practice in community engagement and exemplars of where public engagement can be seen to be working well online
• Online platforms community engagement - practical review of helpful features and tips
• Strategies and best practice using online platforms for community engagement
• Setting a strategy for use of online tools
• What to do when it all goes wrong. Some case study examples.
• Discussion: Share experience around the table, identify further needs for support.
• Conclusions – summary of insights and reference to further sources and contacts

Part 2: Fund raising and online platforms

• Review of different ways in which online platforms play a key role in securing funding, from providing evidence to funding applications to individual giving campaigns, corporate sponsorship and crowd funding
• Exploring case study examples
• Practical tips on how to develop a successful fundraising campaign
• A step by step approach on how to successfully raise finance
• Discussion: Share experience around the table, identify further needs for support.
• Conclusions – summary of insights and reference to further sources and contacts

Pre Masterclass Activity:

• In order to tailor each Masterclass, the presenters will call all registered delegates prior to the Masterclass to understand their goals and current use of online platforms.

Dates and Timings:

The timing for each Masterclass is as follows:

Part 1: 9.30 – 12.30

Part 2: 13.30- 16.30

Delegates can attend either or both parts of the Masterclass.

Masterclass Presenters:

Part 1: Rene Looper

Rene is an experienced and inspiring speaker, coach, strategist and trainer, who has designed and delivered a wide range of digital and social media workshops, bespoke training, and extensive one-to-one social media consultancy and strategy support to clients across many industry sectors. Community clients include Applecross Community Company, Soirbheas Community Development, Dornoch Area Community Interest company and Feis Rois. Rene was one of the first in Scotland to actively educate businesses on the potential of social media when he founded Tuminds Ltd in 2006. In 2011 he was the industry expert on the Social Buzz Awards judging panel, alongside representatives from Google, Tesco, BBC and Microsoft. Rene is an approved trainer for the Digital Marketing Institute’s Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing and is a Hootsuite Ambassador for the UK. Rene presents in an engaging, non-technical way. His sessions are packed with useful information at a very accessible pace, and can be pitched at all levels of expertise. Delegates leave feeling informed and confident about using social media in a way that will help them achieve tangible results.

Part 2: John Meiklejohn:

John has over 25 years experience in strategy development and fund raising. He has worked with over 300 organisations including private, public and community sector clients. His clients have raised many millions of pounds through crowd funding and other on-line platforms. Clients include: GHA, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Highland Wildlife Park, Highlands Small Communities Trust, Moray Firth Media Trust, Queens Cross Housing, Scottish Construction Forum, Soirbheas Community Development, GlenWyvis community distillery and Kintyre Recycling.