Fundraising From Scratch: A Complete Guide To Growing Income from Udemy

Is your organization new to fundraising? Have you been relying on one source of income but would like to diversify? Are you a brand new fundraiser learning the ropes? Or are you experienced and simply want to broaden your skills and make sure you're not missing a trick? Want to boost the income of your non-profit, organization, charity, cause or crowdfunder?

This course is for you.

You'll learn step-by-step and systematically how to get your fundraising going and how to start growing your income. This course will teach you the principles of fundraising and everything you need to do to develop your fundraising strategy. This isn't about a document that will just sit on your shelf..this course is a practical guide and shares methods that you can put in to practice TODAY.

This course goes through all the different mediums of fundraising available to you, the methods and motivators, and breaks down what you need to know to make them work for you. We'll talk about cash collections, corporate fundraising, individual giving, donor care, Kickstarter and crowdfunding, grant applications, direct mail, e-mail, telephone fundraising, and much, much more.

Simon shares resources and guides to make your job easier, and brings years of experience and tried and tested methods to this course. He'll also talk about 'the first 100 days': what should your priorities be and how should you spend your valuable time.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Understanding the principles of fundraising: what works and what doesn't
Knowledge of lifetime value and return on investment
How to manage your board, ceo, co-workers, staff and volunteers
Understanding of the different methods of fundraising available
Knowledge of how to maximise fundraising and crowdfunding from individuals and companies

Tips and tricks to use in on-line fundraising, including kickstarter and gofundme
How to gather stories and convey them in a manner that motivates donors to give
Knowledge of the practicalities of fundraising, including donation processing and database management
How to manage your time
Develop fundraising strategies, plot supporter journeys and be confident of what to do next

Understanding the principles of fundraising: what works and what doesn't
Knowledge of lifetime value and return on investment
How to manage your board, ceo, co-workers, staff and volunteers
Understanding of the different methods of fundraising available
Knowledge of how to maximise fundraising and crowdfunding from individuals and companies
Tips and tricks to use in on-line fundraising, including kickstarter and gofundme
How to gather stories and convey them in a manner that motivates donors to give
Knowledge of the practicalities of fundraising, including donation processing and database management
How to manage your time
Develop fundraising strategies, plot supporter journeys and be confident of what to do next

Syllabus

Introduction

Introduction - How To Use This Course

The Basic Principles Of Fundraising - You HAVE To Get Your Head Around These

Everything I Know About Fundraising

Here you go...

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores various fundraising mediums, methods, and motivators, providing a comprehensive overview for those new to the field or looking to expand their knowledge

Shares methods that can be put into practice immediately, offering a practical guide rather than a theoretical document, which is useful for those seeking quick results

Teaches how to gather stories and convey them in a manner that motivates donors to give, which is a core skill for effective fundraising and donor engagement

Covers donor care, donor love, and stewardship, emphasizing the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with supporters, which is key to long-term fundraising success

Discusses online fundraising, including Kickstarter and GoFundMe, which helps learners understand how to leverage these platforms for crowdfunding and online donations

Addresses the practicalities of fundraising, including donation processing and database management, which are essential for efficient and compliant fundraising operations

Reviews summary

Comprehensive guide to fundraising essentials

According to learners, this course offers a very comprehensive and practical guide for anyone starting out in fundraising or looking to refresh their skills. Students consistently praise the instructor, Simon, for his extensive experience and ability to explain concepts clearly, providing actionable strategies that can be immediately applied. The course covers a wide range of fundraising methods, from grants and corporate giving to crowdfunding and donor care, providing a solid foundation. While primarily focused on foundational principles and methods, some reviewers suggest that more advanced techniques or case studies might enhance the depth for experienced fundraisers. Overall, the course is seen as a highly valuable resource for developing core fundraising competencies.

Excellent starting point for new fundraisers.

"As someone brand new to fundraising, this course was exactly what I needed to get started and build a basic understanding."

"If you're learning the ropes, this course provides a clear, step-by-step approach that isn't overwhelming."

"It's a perfect introduction to the principles and practice of fundraising for novices."

"Felt much more confident approaching fundraising after taking this course as a beginner."

Instructor's experience makes content clear and relatable.

"Simon clearly knows his stuff. His years of experience shine through, making the content highly credible and easy to understand."

"The instructor is very knowledgeable and explains complex concepts in a straightforward manner."

"His insights from real-world fundraising are invaluable and make the lessons very relatable."

"I trust the advice given because it's coming from someone with deep experience in the field."

Covers a broad range of fundraising methods thoroughly.

"This guide covers pretty much everything you need to know to get fundraising off the ground. Very comprehensive!"

"I was impressed by the breadth of topics covered, from grants to individual giving and crowdfunding. It's a great overview."

"It provides a solid foundation across various fundraising channels, helping me understand how they all fit together."

"A complete guide as advertised, touching on many different income streams for charities."

Offers practical strategies ready for immediate use.

"The course provides practical advice and methods that I can put into practice straight away for my non-profit."

"I appreciated the focus on practical takeaways; it wasn't just theory but concrete steps I could apply to my fundraising efforts."

"Learned practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."

"It gave me the confidence and practical steps needed to start building our fundraising plan effectively."

May be too basic for experienced professionals.

"While comprehensive for beginners, I found some sections a bit basic given my prior experience in fundraising."

"Could use more in-depth coverage on advanced techniques or specific strategies for scaling."

"Felt like a good refresh, but didn't necessarily learn many brand new concepts as an experienced fundraiser."

"Best suited for those just starting; experienced pros might find parts redundant."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Fundraising From Scratch: A Complete Guide To Growing Income with these activities:

Review 'The Nonprofit Fundraising Handbook'

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Gain a broader understanding of fundraising strategies and best practices by reviewing a comprehensive handbook.

View Melania on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'The Nonprofit Fundraising Handbook'.
Read the sections relevant to your organization's needs.
Take notes on key strategies and tactics.
Identify areas for improvement in your current fundraising efforts.

Review Basic Marketing Principles

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Strengthen your understanding of marketing principles, which are essential for effective fundraising.

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Review introductory marketing materials online.
Focus on the 4 Ps of marketing: Product, Price, Place, Promotion.
Consider how these principles apply to fundraising.

Develop a Fundraising Strategy Outline

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Apply the course concepts by creating a strategic fundraising plan for your organization.

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Define your organization's mission and goals.
Identify potential funding sources.
Outline specific fundraising activities.
Set measurable goals and timelines.

Four other activities

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Craft a Compelling Fundraising Story

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Practice storytelling techniques by developing a narrative that resonates with potential donors.

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Identify a beneficiary of your organization's work.
Describe the problem they face and the solution your organization provides.
Write a story that evokes emotion and inspires action.
Get feedback on your story and revise as needed.

Practice 'The Ask' Scenarios

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Improve your confidence and effectiveness in soliciting donations through role-playing exercises.

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Find a partner to practice with.
Develop different scenarios for asking for donations.
Role-play each scenario, taking turns as the fundraiser and the donor.
Provide constructive feedback to each other.

Design a Donor Stewardship Plan

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Solidify your understanding of donor relations by creating a plan to cultivate and retain donors.

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Identify different levels of donors.
Develop specific strategies for each level.
Outline communication methods and timelines.
Include ways to show appreciation and recognize donors' contributions.

Review 'Fundraising for Dummies'

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Get a foundational understanding of fundraising principles and techniques from a beginner-friendly guide.

View Fundraising For Dummies on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Fundraising for Dummies'.
Read the chapters that cover the fundraising methods you're interested in.
Identify key takeaways and action items.

Career center

Learners who complete Fundraising From Scratch: A Complete Guide To Growing Income will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Fundraising Manager

A Fundraising Manager oversees an organization's fundraising efforts by developing strategies, managing campaigns, and cultivating donor relationships. This course is tailored to the fundamentals of fundraising, and it helps you gain an understanding of the different methods available to you. Learning how to manage boards, staff and volunteers is another critical element for being an effective Fundraising Manager, and this course explores those topics. It also provides insight into online fundraising, grant applications, and corporate partnerships, which are all essential to the role of a Fundraising Manager. Understanding how to apply the principles of fundraising and create effective strategies will help you succeed as a Fundraising Manager. The course stresses the importance of donor journeys to understand how to cultivate lasting relationships with supporters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fundraising Manager

Development Officer

A Development Officer is responsible for securing financial support for an organization through various fundraising activities. This role involves identifying potential donors, building relationships, and managing fundraising campaigns. A course teaching about fundraising from scratch directly aligns with the core duties of a Development Officer. The course teaches an understanding of donor journeys and stewardship, crucial skills for a Development Officer who must cultivate lasting relationships with donors. It also covers practicalities such as donation processing and database management. The course covers several fundraising methods, such as individual giving, crowdfunding, and corporate partnerships that a Development Officer needs to understand to succeed in their role. For a Development Officer who is managing their time and developing their own strategic plan, this course will prove to be extremely helpful.

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Nonprofit Program Director

A Nonprofit Program Director is in charge of overseeing the development and implementation of an organization's programs, often including fundraising activities. This course’s systematic approach to fundraising helps a Program Director understand how to grow their organization's income. This role requires an understanding of the different fundraising methods, including online and community fundraising, which are covered in this course. This course also covers time management, a crucial skill for a Program Director. A Nonprofit Program Director will benefit from learning how to build a story bank, create problem and solution stories, and pitch to corporate partners, all of which is covered by this course and helps in securing funds for the program.

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Donor Relations Coordinator

A Donor Relations Coordinator focuses on building and maintaining strong relationships with donors to encourage continued support for an organization. A course focused on fundraising provides a strong foundation for a Donor Relations Coordinator. This course highlights the importance of donor care, stewardship, and creating positive supporter journeys, all of which are essential for this role. Understanding how to manage donor databases and appeals will be useful for a Donor Relations Coordinator. This course includes building effective messaging, and the importance of cultivating relationships with individual donors, which are key skills that a Donor Relations Coordinator needs in their work.

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Fundraising Consultant

A Fundraising Consultant advises organizations on developing and implementing effective fundraising strategies to grow their income. This course covers a wide range of fundraising methods and principles, making it highly relevant for someone looking to become a Fundraising Consultant. For a consultant, understanding the best methods for diverse fundraising avenues, such as individual giving, corporate partnerships, and crowdfunding is crucial. This course will help you learn how to craft effective messages, manage donor relationships, and build internal marketing plans. The course discusses strategic planning and setting priorities, valuable skills for an effective Fundraising Consultant. It will also help a consultant understand how to leverage donor journeys to retain donors.

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Grant Writer

A Grant Writer is responsible for preparing grant proposals to secure funding from foundations and other grant-making organizations. While this course may not be exclusively about grant writing, it covers critical aspects that are important for a Grant Writer. The course provides an understanding of fundraising principles and the development of fundraising strategies that form the backdrop for effective grant writing. Learning the art of storytelling and how to convey your organization's work in a compelling manner is very helpful to a Grant Writer. Understanding the importance of internal marketing will help you communicate effectively with internal stakeholders. This course is an ideal starting point for a Grant Writer to develop their understanding of the fundraising ecosystem.

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Community Engagement Coordinator

A Community Engagement Coordinator focuses on building relationships with the community to promote an organization's mission and goals, often including running community fundraising events. This course will be helpful for a Community Engagement Coordinator by understanding how to maximize community fundraising through events. The course highlights the importance of storytelling, which a Community Engagement Coordinator can leverage to engage potential donors and stakeholders. This course teaches you how to organize fundraising campaigns, which is often a task required of a Community Engagement Coordinator. The course also teaches how to establish and maintain relationships with a community, an essential skill for this role. This course covers online tools and engagement, which will be useful to the Community Engagement Coordinator.

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Marketing Specialist

A Marketing Specialist develops and implements marketing strategies to promote an organization's cause, products, or services, which can often support fundraising efforts. This course explores internal marketing, which will help a Marketing Specialist understand how to engage their colleagues. The course provides insights into online fundraising methods, such as social media and email marketing which a Marketing Specialist needs to master. A Marketing Specialist can also use the techniques of storytelling, which are taught in this course, in order to craft a compelling message. Additionally, understanding donor journeys can help a Marketing Specialist develop targeted campaigns to increase engagement and grow a supporter base. This course may be helpful to someone working in marketing.

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Corporate Partnerships Manager

A Corporate Partnerships Manager is responsible for identifying and cultivating relationships with corporate partners to secure funding and other forms of support. This course includes modules on fundraising from companies and organizations, making it a helpful starting point for a Corporate Partnerships Manager. The course covers topics on identifying corporate partners and effective pitching and presentation skills, all very important for a Corporate Partnerships Manager. The course covers the importance of building a storybank and how to create problem and solution stories that helps a Corporate Partnerships Manager convey a compelling message to potential partners. This course may be useful for a Corporate Partnership Manager who wants to better understand the overall fundraising landscape.

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Event Coordinator

An Event Coordinator plans and executes various events, including fundraising events, to support an organization's goals. This course may help an Event Coordinator gain a better understanding of the role of events in an overall fundraising strategy. This course covers community fundraising and events, which will provide a basis for the Event Coordinator. It may also help the Event Coordinator understand more about donor journeys and stewardship. This course may be helpful for an Event Coordinator looking to expand their understanding of the nonprofit ecosystem and fundraising.

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Volunteer Coordinator

A Volunteer Coordinator recruits, trains, and manages volunteers to support an organization's programs and activities. Although this course is primarily about fundraising, it explores how to manage and work effectively with volunteers. Many nonprofits rely on volunteers for fundraising, and this course may help a Volunteer Coordinator better understand the challenges faced by fundraisers. For a Volunteer Coordinator who must manage their time effectively and is looking to build a strong team, this course may be helpful. This course may help a Volunteer Coordinator be more effective in their role.

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Communications Coordinator

A Communications Coordinator develops and implements communication strategies to promote an organization's mission and activities. Aspects of this course, such as storytelling and creating a compelling message, are relevant to a Communications Coordinator, because they create content that engages potential donors and stakeholders. The course covers online presence and networking, which are also helpful to promoting an organization's cause. While this course is not specifically focused on communications, elements of it may help a Communications Coordinator understand the role of communications in fundraising.

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Social Media Manager

A Social Media Manager creates and manages content on social media platforms to engage with an audience and promote an organization's activities. Because this course discusses online fundraising including Facebook, it may provide insights for a Social Media Manager. The course also teaches you how to craft a message that motivates donors, which will be useful to a Social Media Manager. This course may help broaden the perspective of a Social Media Manager working in the nonprofit sector.

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Public Relations Specialist

A Public Relations Specialist manages the organization's reputation and relationships with the public. This course may help a Public Relations Specialist who wants to better understand how to leverage the organization's work to attract donors. The course discusses how to tell stories, which is a critical skill for a Public Relations Specialist. The course covers aspects of online fundraising which may be useful in public relations. This course may be helpful for a Public Relations Specialist looking to learn more about the nonprofit sector.

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Administrative Assistant

An Administrative Assistant provides administrative support to an organization. While this course is not directly related to the administrative function, understanding the organization's overall fundraising strategy may be helpful. Because this course explores time management and project planning, an Administrative Assistant may find some value in the course. This course may be useful to an Administrative Assistant who wants to learn more about the operations of a nonprofit organization.

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Fundraising From Scratch

A Complete Guide To Growing Income

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Comprehensive guide to fundraising essentials

Activities

Career center

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