In late June, the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) International Fundraisers, a collaborative network dedicated to strengthening the global community of OFM fundraisers and supporting Franciscan solidarity projects, gathered for the OFM International Conference on Fundraising.
Held at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, AZ, the conference for Franciscan fundraisers and development professionals offered an immersive experience to learn, collaborate, and build networks that advance the mission of solidarity and compassion.
Some of those in attendance came from as far away as Africa, traveling 20-30 hours to attend the first-of-its-kind conference, a brainchild of Br. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General of the OFM. The conference was sponsored by the Order’s three partner fundraising organizations: General Secretariat of Franciscan Missions, led by Andrew Brophy, OFM, U.S.A.; Franziskaner-Helfen, led by Matthias Maier, OFM, Germany; and Fondazione OFM Fraternitas, led by Franco Mirri, OFM, Italy; the three partners asked the Development office of the Province of Our Lady Of Guadalupe to organize the event, and Br. David Convertino and Mr. Peter Mazzei began the conference planning process last year.
Br. David Convertino, OFM, Executive Director of Franciscan Friars Charities, opened the weeklong conference with three compelling questions:
“Will you be bold this week? Will you open your heart to new ideas? Will you leave this conference ready to change lives? Because somewhere in the world, a child is waiting. A friar is waiting. A mission is waiting. And we are the ones who will make the difference.” The conference’s first presenter, Br. Bill Short, OFM, kicked things off by talking about how the origins and spirituality of Franciscan fundraising make it unique—how the world’s first Franciscan fundraiser, St. Francis of Assisi, who begged for stones to repair the Church of San Damiano, relied on the Lord’s generosity shown through the
hospitality and alms offered by others. Br. Bill left attendees with a compelling thought:
“We are not called to repeat the gestures of Francis and his early followers. To do so would require us to pretend to live in the Middle Ages. We are asked to do something more difficult: to express through concrete examples in our own day the same kind of loving care toward others that inspired Francis. We look to the same source that inspired him in the 13th century, the Gospel of Christ, but our way of expressing it in our actions will be very different in our 21st century society.”
The conference then explored 21st century ideas and methods by which the Order can effectively express its loving care and raise funds for those in need.
Leading the exploration was speaker Dr. Michele Dunne, Ph.D., a secular Franciscan who served for nearly 20 years in the U.S. Department of State. Dr. Dunne spoke about being a Franciscan in the world today and laid out a broad challenge to conference attendees: Can fundraisers enrich their efforts and improve their outcomes by undoing old certainties or ways of thinking? The old certainties Dr. Dunne spoke of included: the Earth will always recover from human consumption, people will mostly remain within national borders, post-World War II political and economic arrangements will endure, warfare will become less brutal, and technology will serve humanity reliably.
After some very interesting workshop discussions, old certainties gave way to thoughts on the new technologies that comprise Artificial Intelligence (AI). Mr. Cameron Bennett of HIVE Group, NYC, gave attendees a fundamental understanding of AI, how it works, and how it connects to fundraising tools and missions by analyzing large volumes of data and donor behavior. Mr. Bennett also discussed the future of AI and its potential to automate entire fundraising processes, including following up with donors and tracking their responses.
Attendees still discussing fundraising automation received a welcome dose of authenticity from Mr. Peter Mazzei, CMO of the Development Office of POLG. Mr. Mazzei shared ways Franciscan fundraisers can enhance their online presence, including creating impactful websites that feature authentic ministry photos and testimonials, and utilizing social media to tell visual stories that engage followers and foster a sense of community.
Next came the conference’s featured address by Br. Massimo titled, “Our Cloister is the World.” Br. Massimo championed Franciscan fraternity as the best and only way to navigate an evolving and challenging fundraising landscape—that raising funds isn’t just about collecting money to care for the poor; it’s an act of fraternity that engages the world from as many local ministries as possible.
With practical ideas and inspiring words in mind, and in a testament to the Order’s dedication to the sharing of ideas and evolving with the times, a final workshop was held.
“We wanted to have some concrete realizations of the things that need to be done,” shared Br. David. “So, I led them through a process that brought recommendations forward that will be given to Br. Massimo and the General Definitorium of the Order, as well as to the three partners. Those recommendations are being prepared, and we’ll see what the future will bring for more of these types of gatherings.”
“The conference was essentially a sharing of ideas,” he continued. “Our workshops were wonderful in how they laid out the principles of Franciscan spirituality, Franciscan history, and how to read the signs of the times. Another major focus was about how fundraisers are also called to minister to our benefactors as part of our relationship with them.”
“It was an excellent week!” he said. “You could feel a sense of community among all in attendance. We worked really well together, and it was great to get to know each other. Our hope is that the Order considers fundraising conferences for Franciscans in other parts of the world, which is important because the way we fundraise in the United States differs from the way we fundraise in Africa or Europe. You can’t just take a U.S. model and presume that’s going to work everywhere.”
The Order’s fraternal and collaborative hopes for its fundraising future resonated in the concluding words of its Minister General, Br. Massimo Fusarelli:
“Let us continue, then, to develop a renewed creative fidelity, capable of responding to the challenges of our time with the same spirit as St. Francis of Assisi. Let us remain open to the universal, attentive to the peripheries, bold in our proclamation and denunciation, rooted in spirituality and projected towards an encounter with all. Let us go beyond the horizon of our habits, to grasp the signs of the Spirit calling us to new forms of presence.”
“Your competence in gathering resources is an essential tool to support the Order’s mission in its multiple expressions. ‘Our cloister is the world’ is not just a motto, but a program of life that commits us to transforming fractures into bridges, differences into wealth, crises into opportunities. Together, as a Franciscan family, we can be credible witnesses of that universal brotherhood that the world awaits and so badly needs.”
