2024 Global Education Courses

Additional Information on the

2024 AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising Course

Module 1: Overview of Fundraising. A big-picture look at professional fundraising, including the important role philanthropy plays in organizations and key motivations behind why people give. Also included: the primary sources of contributions; the importance of ethics and accountability; what an integrated development program looks like and which essential components aid success; the fundraising profession as a career, focusing on key qualities for success and a basic path for personal and professional development in the field.

Module 2: Developing an Integrated Fundraising Program: To effectively raise funds for an organization’s mission, it’s important to have a comprehensive plan in place that articulates the organization’s case for support and includes appropriate giving opportunities. This module covers the importance of connecting that comprehensive plan with the organization’s overall mission and strategic plan. The module features an overview of campaign types (annual giving, major gifts, planned giving) with a focus on the key role of annual giving. Content includes establishing/ensuring that appropriate policies and procedures are in place to both ensure integrity of donor intent and to honor donors/volunteers inappropriate ways.

Module 3: Marketing for Ongoing Success: Communicating information about fundraising activities to appropriate audiences (donors and prospective donors alike) and keeping all stakeholders informed about the organization’s progress is critical to ongoing and future success. Effective marketing is a key part of building and sustaining relationships for fundraising purposes. This module will cover creating a plan for marketing and communications activities that support development goals and strategies. It will also touch on the growing roles and importance of the Internet and social media in fundraising.

Module 4: Building & Sustaining Relationships: Relationships are the key to fundraising success, and successful relationships start with knowing current and prospective donors well. This module will introduce the powerful role of prospect and donor research, including identifying and segmenting prospective donors and donors according to appropriate variables as well as effective donor records management to support ongoing relationships. Finally, cultivation, establishing and maintaining relationships with individuals and organizations, and optimizing relationships to retain donors rounds out the module.

Module 5: Securing the Gift: Once the development plan is in place and appropriate policies and procedures are set up, it’s time to actively solicit gifts from donors and prospective donors. In this module, a closer look will be taken at solicitation strategies for campaign types, focusing most closely on solicitation techniques for annual giving. Additionally, there will be an overview of techniques for soliciting major and planned gifts.

Module 6: Volunteers-Partners in Fundraising: Fundraising just wouldn’t be possible without dedicated volunteers supporting the organization’s efforts. Establishing and maintaining a respectful relationship with volunteers is both art and science, beginning with how they are recruited. This module will explore effective ways volunteers can be recruited, trained, managed, motivated, evaluated, and recognized. As importantly, there are times when volunteers are best included in the development process to ensure they experience a sense of ownership in the organization’s work and can effectively perform their roles.

Module 7: Management & Accountability: Fundraising is about more than soliciting donors and prospective donors, and the development office is responsible for managing the development plan. This module will present an overview of the management aspects of fundraising including budgeting, records management, gift processing, program evaluation, and the key roles and responsibilities of staff and volunteer leadership. The module ends with a look at accountability, basic legal requirements, and fundraising ethics in practice.

More Benefits: Each day is devoted to two modules with some of the best fundraisers in Columbus as your presenters. On the last day of the class, you will also have the opportunity to have lunch with the presenters (as many as can return) to ask them any questions that may have surfaced since you last saw them. We want this course to provide you a solid foundation of fundraising while also introducing you to other newer fundraisers in the community. Our hope is that you will be able to use what you learned from the class (and the connections you formed during it) long after the class ends.