The Transformational Gift award celebrates philanthropic contributions that transcend traditional forms of support and recognises the extraordinary impact the gift has had on an organisation or on the wider community. This award seeks to honour gifts which have set new standards of philanthropic excellence, inspired giving through innovation and re-shaped organisations

Nominations will be evaluated based on the unique and transformational nature of the gift on an organisation or community and its potential to create positive change and lasting impact through inspiring supporter relationships, rather than the size of the donation.  

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Submissions may include gifts made by individuals, non-commercial organisations, trusts and foundations through personal solicitation. The nominated gift can be part of a capital campaign, but a specific gift must be nominated, rather than an entire campaign.  Gifts can be from a living or deceased supporter, but the gift needs to have been fully or partially received between 1 March 2024 to 31 August 2025 and the organisation must have built a relationship with the donor during their lifetime.  

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Applicable Types of Campaigns

Includes by not limited to:

• Major Gifts partnerships – Including Capital Campaigns

• Individual Giving – Including gifts in Wills, cash and regular giving

• Grants, trusts and foundations through personal solicitation

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Criteria

Executive summary - 20%

a)    Tell us about your transformational gift and the relationship behind the gift. How did it benefit your fundraising activities and organisation? What makes this gift and relationship extraordinary?   

 

b)    Please provide a short (approx. 1-3 min) video telling us about your transformational gift and why it should win this award. Tell us about the transformative nature of the gift and its unique ability to empower positive change. This can be a simple video filmed on your phone.  The quality of the production will not be considered in the judging process – it’s about the story you tell.
To see examples of some of the videos the judges have rated highly in the past, visit #TopTips | FIA Awards

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Strategy - 20% 

a)    What led you to seek and secure a transformational gift from this individual or organisation?        
b)  How did the gift transform or change the relationship between the supporter and the organisation?  What makes this giving experience unique?
c)    What do you believe were the key success factors which led to this Transformational Gift?  

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FIA Code Alignment - 10%

​Demonstrate at least one way you ensured ethical fundraising was undertaken to secure your Transformational Gift and how did this process align with the FIA code.  

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Relationship management and stewardship - 30%

a)     How was the relationship nurtured and developed to inspire a transformational gift?   
b)   What processes and steps were undertaken to secure this gift? How did the organisation collaborate internally or externally during the solicitation process? How did you ensure transparency with the donor? 
c)     How has this relationship influenced your approach to future donor engagements?​

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Impact and Outcomes - 20%           

a)    What changed due to this gift for the organisation, the wider community and the supporter?   
b)    What impact did this gift have on your overall fundraising and organisation?  How was this measured?
c)    What lessons were learnt?

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Who can enter this category?

Please note that any organisation entering the 2026 FIA Awards must be both a current (2025/26) FIA member and have held FIA membership for a period of at least 12 months prior to submitting their entry.

Organisations from New Zealand are only eligible to enter the 2026 FIA Awards provided they meet the above criteria.

 

If you require assistance with your FIA membership, please contact us on 1300 889 670 or email members@fia.org.au

The Transformational Gift must have been received (or partially received) during the last 18 months: 1 March 2024 to 31 August 2025. The Transformational Gift must be making a significant difference to the organisation.  

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Submission guide 

Download the submission guide for full details, terms and conditions and to plan your submission before you start.

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Applications close on Friday 15 August 2025

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