Looking Back at the 2026 Fundraising Conferences – and Saying Thank You for the Many Encounters, Open Conversations and New Perspectives
Sometimes, what stays with us after a conference is not a presentation.
It is a conversation at the stand. A question between two appointments. A practical experience that stays on your mind for days afterwards.
In 2026, we had many such encounters.
At the Northern German Fundraising Day in Hamburg, the NRW Fundraising Day in Gelsenkirchen, the German Fundraising Congress in Berlin and, to conclude our conference year, the Austrian Fundraising Congress in Vienna.
Four events, countless conversations – and topics that accompanied us throughout the fundraising year.
What Matters to Fundraising Organizations in 2026
How can organizations acquire new donors when budgets are under increasing pressure? How can existing contacts be retained over the long term? What role does the quality of existing data play? And how can we ensure that a message truly reaches people?
These were questions we discussed time and again throughout 2026.
The answers are as diverse as the organizations themselves. However, one point emerged repeatedly from our conversations: successful fundraising is not the result of a single measure.
It requires the interaction of high-quality data, clearly defined target audiences, relevant communication, the right timing and reliable implementation.
After all, even the best message can only make an impact if it reaches the right people.
Good Data Lays the Foundation for Meaningful Dialogue
Especially when it comes to new donor acquisition and donor retention , data quality is becoming an increasingly decisive factor.
Accurate and well-maintained contact data helps reduce wastage and allocate available budgets more effectively. At the same time, it enables communication that is better suited to the respective target audience and its existing relationship with an organization.
But data alone does not build lasting relationships.
Ultimately, fundraising is about people and their decision to place their trust in an organization.
Or, to put it another way:
Trust is not built in an Excel spreadsheet.
Data can help initiate the right dialogue. How that dialogue is conducted remains crucial.
Personal Exchange Remains Important
Perhaps this is one of the reasons why events and conferences remain so valuable to us, despite all the possibilities offered by digital communication.
They bring together people with different experiences. Successful approaches are discussed just as openly as challenges. A specific question can spark a new idea – sometimes even a completely different perspective on a familiar problem.
No presentation or lecture can fully replace this kind of exchange.
Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen, Berlin and Vienna therefore provided us not only with many valuable conversations, but also with fresh inspiration for our daily work in dialogue marketing.
Thank You for an Inspiring Fundraising Year 2026
As our conference year comes to an end, there is one thing we would particularly like to say: thank you.
Thank you to all visitors, customers, partners, organizers and companions who took the time to talk with us, share their experiences, ask questions and contribute new perspectives.
We are taking many valuable insights from the 2026 fundraising year with us.
And we look forward to continuing the dialogue.
Because fundraising thrives on trust.
And dialogue builds trust.