Fundraising & Grant Strategies

Fundraising & Grant Strategies is the third and final eight-week online course in the Executive Certificate in Transformational Nonprofit Leadership series. This course shifts the focus from leadership skills to the practicalities of raising funds. You will delve into a myriad of concepts behind successful fundraising and grant writing. You will also explore the diverse philanthropic landscape and master key strategies essential for raising capital. You will also learn the steps to prepare, write and manage the outcomes of your proposals. This course will give you a complete overview of the many ways in which you can raise the funds necessary to finance and maintain your organization’s transformative social programs.

What You’ll Learn

• Strategic Differentiation
• Gift Giving and Prospect Identification
• Solicitation and Persuasion
• Donors and Gifting
• Engaging Prospects
• Business Requirements
• Grant Proposal Preparation
• Grant Proposal Writing

Curriculum 8 Week Course

Lesson 1 - Philanthropic Trends

• Welcome & Introduction
• Philanthropic Trends: Part 1
• Philanthropic Trends: Part 2

Lesson 2 - Your Agency’s Story & Transactional Fundraising

• Agency Branding, Marketing, and the Power of Your Story
• Branding, Strategy, and Tactics
• The Importance of Your Agency's Story
• Creating Your Story
• Transactional Fundraising
• The Sticky Message
• Making Your Event a Meaningful Experience

Lesson 3 - Transformational Donors

• The Power of Individual Giving
• What Must Be in Place?
• Setting the Stage
• The Transformational Process
• It Feels Different
• Volunteers in Stewardship

Lesson 4 - Making the Ask

• Making the Ask
• High-Net-Worth Households
• The Planned Gift
• Bequest Donor Traits

Lesson 5 - Donor Success in the Digital Age

• Donors in the Digital Age
• Publicly Available Data
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics

Lesson 6 - Organizational Success

• The Success Formula
• Records, Records, Records
• Ingredients of Organizational Success
• Steps to Success

Lesson 7 - Grant Proposal Preparation

• Preparing for the Proposal
• Types of Foundations: Part 1
• Types of Foundations: Part 2
• Government Grants and Lesser-Known Funders
• Identifying Potential Funders: Part 1
• Identifying Potential Funders: Part 2
• Your Relationship With the Funder and Organizational Involvement

Lesson 8 - Grant Proposal Writing

• Developing the Case Statement and Defining the Community Need: Part 1
• Developing the Case Statement and Defining the Community Need: Part 2
• Developing the Needs Statement, Solution, and Program Explanation
• Developing Additional Components of a Successful Grant Proposal
• Proposing the Solution and Creating a Logic Model
• Final Reminders and Tips
• The Dos and Don'ts of the Written Proposal
• What to Do After Proposal Submission
• Course Conclusion