For three days in July 2022, Jasmine attended the Chartered Institute of Fundraising's national Fundraising Convention at the Barbican Centre, London. In this article, Jasmine shares her experience of attending her first convention.

I graduated during the height of COVID-19 pandemic and started my fundraising career in lockdown. Finally, I had the opportunity to to meet peers in the fundraising community face-to-face for the first time, share aand expand my knowledge and make friends.

The convention was jam packed with a wide variety of sessions, ranging from trusts and foundations to the future of fundraising. There really was something for everyone - I could have attended them all!

My session highlight was "Are Small Charities Getting a Raw Deal?". This was a panel discussion between two small charities and two grant-making organisations. All four offered their experiences of the grant making process and shared their top tips. For example, where possible, it is a really good idea to contact funders before applying to foster relationships and save time on applications which are likely to be unsuccessful.

I also really enjoyed the "Rising Stars" session where first time speakers spoke passionately about new ideas in fundraising, including innovative ways to monitor and share impact data with donors. There was also a fantastic hour and a half session in the main hall dedicated to mental health and wellbeing at work and in our day-to-day lives.

I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to attend and can't wait to go back next year - hopefully!