With 22 years of senior executive experience in global diaspora fundraising, Mike Bailey has a unique perspective on what it takes to run a successful international fundraising campaign.

 

Leveraging this extensive experience Mike founded The Practical Fundraiser to provide a wide variety of services to organizations that deal in fundraising and developing diaspora networks, including strategic consultancy, training (professionals and lay leadership volunteers), personal mentoring and hands-on assistance in developing philanthropic products (including impact investing), marketing materials and fundraising capabilities.  

 

Mike served on the senior management team of the largest global diaspora oriented fundraising organizations – Keren Hayesod United Israel Appeal, which raises over US$200 million annually from Jewish communities in 50 countries (in 9 languages), and led fundraising campaigns and professional teams all around the world.

 

He began his fundraising career in Sydney, Australia, as the Director of a local office, where he executed three full annual fundraising campaigns, conducted hundreds of face-to-face solicitation meetings and produced dozens of fundraising events. 

 

Following that, as an International Regional Director, he was responsible for fundraising campaigns and professional teams in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and South Africa, generating over US$ 46 million in donations a year.

 

For 12 years he served as Director of Development and a member of the organization’s management, in which capacity he managed development and service departments responsible for marketing, major donors, planned giving (wills and endowments), missions and projects. 

 

In this role Mike oversaw the development and execution of hundreds of new philanthropic products, including over 100 capital construction projects, established a philanthropic impact investing fund, developed and implemented new organizational branding and digital marketing platforms and oversaw the production of hundreds of marketing videos and other materials. He also reinvented and produced for 15 years the prestigious ILR (International Leadership Reunion) conferences for major donors.

 

Mike has extensive experience in training fundraising lay-leadership and professionals. He established and ran an international conference for lay leaders, conducted practical fundraising seminars in many countries and helped local organizations develop their fundraising strategies. Over the years Mike trained over 400 professionals in one of the best practical fundraising courses in the world (The KH-UIA Emissary Course).

 

Mike has a law degree from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and worked as a lawyer in the business sector. He holds a Master's (with Honors) from Bar Ilan University in organizational development, specializing in Third Sector (nonprofit) organizations.