This certificate provides 30 hours of training and helps executives, program directors and other nonprofit professionals increase their funding, improve program planning and measure organizational outcomes more effectively. This program's seven workshops are supplemented by individual coaching on proposal writing. Whether you are just starting out in development or you are a seasoned fundraiser wanting to sharpen your skills, this program delivers:

RESULTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• Receive three free hours of expert proposal critique, a $450 value
• Write proposals with a higher likelihood of success
• Raise more money with more confidence
  
• Diversify your funding base
  
• Integrate development into your organizational plan
• Actively involve your board in fundraising
  
• Add a great new credential to your resume

HOW DO YOU GET A CERTIFICATE?

Take a total of seven workshops (descriptions below) within a one and a half year period and receive a Certificate of Completion. This certificate program comprises 30 hours of training. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive 3 CEUs (click here for CEU criteria).

• Writing Winning Grant Proposals (0.6 CEUs)
  
• Budgeting for Grant Proposals (0.6 CEUs)
  
• Meaningful Outcome Measurement (0.6 CEUs)
• The Board's Role in Fundraising (0.3 CEUs)
• Prospecting for Individual Donors (0.3 CEUs)
• Stewardship (0.3 CEUs)
  

AND:

• Capital Campaigns (0.3 CEUs)
or
• An Introduction to Corporate Philanthropy (0.3 CEUs)
or
• Major Gifts Fundraising (0.3 CEUs)

• Trends, Tools, Tips and Tricks: An Introduction to Raising Money Online (0.3 CEUs)

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

There is an additional one-time enrollment fee of $99.

Use the chart to determine the entire cost of the Fundraising Certificate program.

Agency Budget under $200,000 and unaffiliated individuals: $480 + $99 = $579
Agency Budget $200,000 to $999,999: $770 + $99 = $869
Agency Budget $1 million to under $5 million: $1,060 + $99 = $1,159
Agency Budget $5 million or more: $1,240 + $99 = $1,339

The entire cost includes registration fees for all five workshops plus the enrollment fee.

HOW DO YOU REGISTER?

Email Jamie Canton at jamie@supportcenteronline.org or call 212-924-6744, ext. 314.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

Writing Winning Grant Proposals
While nonprofits complain about the difficulty of obtaining funding from foundations, foundations complain about the scarcity of really good proposals. In this workshop, we will discuss what makes a project compelling to a funder, and how you can get the right information, in the right order, to paint a vibrant picture through the limited format of a typical proposal. While proposal writing is not the answer to an immediate fiscal crisis, it can be an important component of a diversified fundraising plan. By attending this session, you will learn:

• The language of proposal writing

• The eleven basic components of a proposal

• How to “attack” the RFP

• How to develop strong program objectives

Budgeting for Grant Proposals
Many good grant proposals fail to get funded as a result of incomplete or poorly constructed budgets. A well-formed budget can both increase your chances of success and help you design your project in more concrete terms. In this workshop we will focus on some of the questions that can perplex even seasoned proposal writers:

• What numbers should you include?
• Where do you get them?
• What do they mean?

By attending this session you will:

• Learn the language of proposal budgeting
• Use examples and exercises to practice techniques that can be immediately applied to your organization's proposals
  

Meaningful Outcome Measurement
Foundations and corporations are more likely to invest in agencies that have a proven success record. Outcome measurement is a valuable tool to demonstrate how your organization has contributed to discernable changes for your clients. This workshop describes what outcome measurement is and what it is not, as well as providing an overview of its benefits. You will learn how to:

• Use a structured logic model as a framework for identifying and measuring the outcomes of your programs and services
• Differentiate and see the relationship between outcomes and activities
• Develop meaningful and appropriate measures for your outcomes

The Board's Role in Fundraising
This workshop is designed for those who are leading and/or supporting fundraising in their organization. This hands-on workshop will help you:

• Increase your board's willingness to help you raise money
• Increase your ability to help your board play a fundraising role
• Increase your organization's funding opportunities

Tools, tips and techniques will be shared to help you get your board actively engaged in establishing new funding relationships and deepening those that exist.

Prospecting for Individual Donors
Are you experiencing funding cuts? Are you looking to expand your donor base? Do you want to find the “millionaires next door” in your database? This session will present you with the nuts and bolts of prospect research and introduce you to strategies for implementing effective research techniques in your own organization.

Stewardship
Securing gifts from new donors is hard enough. Donors who give repeatedly and in larger amounts are key to a successful fundraising program. In this workshop you will identify and explore:

• Ways to thank and recognize individual donors, foundations and corporations
• Creative ways to keep donors involved in your organization
• Stewardship tracking systems to ensure that your funders receive updates on how their contribution is making an impact

Capital Campaigns
Capital Campaigns represent the best way for many organizations to raise significant capital funds. These campaigns can be successful if planned and executed thoughtfully and effectively, and they should leave organizations stronger after a campaign than they were before. This workshop will guide you through the process that has worked for many organizations and will focus on:

• The need for thoughtful planning
• The importance of a persuasive case for support
• The importance of doing a feasibility study
• The necessity for lead gifts
• A recommended process for conducting the campaign

An Introduction to Corporate Philanthropy
Is corporate fundraising for you? In this workshop we will talk about why corporations provide philanthropy. You will learn how to knock on many different corporate doors and how to:

• Conduct corporate research
• Identify good corporate prospects
• Develop a solicitation strategy before approaching corporations

In addition, you will learn different styles for writing corporate vs. foundation proposals, and how to build a successful corporate/nonprofit partnership.

Major Gifts Fundraising
Success in securing individual major gifts is critical to an organization's growth and longevity. Solicitation of major gifts requires a different way of thinking and, for most organizations, a much different way of operating. We will explore how you can make these changes and how to tap into what is clearly one of the most important sources of philanthropic funds. In this workshop you will:

• Learn the essentials of developing a major gifts program
• Learn how to use the resources of your organization to identify, cultivate, and solicit your best prospects
• Learn techniques of major gift cultivation and solicitation
• Learn how to develop a management system to shape your program and track your activity