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How to Fundraise: A Guide to Fundraising for Non-Fundraisers

Get a practical guide to fundraising and learn tips on everything from preparing your fundraising story to processing donations.

12,131 enrolled on this course

How to Fundraise: A Guide to Fundraising for Non-Fundraisers

12,131 enrolled on this course

  • 3 weeks

  • 4 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

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  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    4 hours
  • 100% online

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Design a fundraising strategy to help your group or charity take the next step

On this course, you’ll get practical advice on how to fundraise whether you work for a non-profit or charity, or you volunteer in a community organisation.

Using evidence-based fundraising research, you’ll learn who gives, how they do it, and why they do so.

As you explore the fundraising process, you’ll build skills in fundraising management and learn how to create a fundraising strategy that works for your organisation.

The course will help you to take the next step in raising the money and support that your cause, charity, group, or non-profit organisation needs to thrive.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 17 seconds Hello and welcome to this course. On understanding fundraising. I am Dr Leslie Albright and I’m a researcher here at the Center for Philanthropy at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. I research gifting practices and fundraising in the not for profit sector and the charitable world. I also teach on our Arts and Science, a fundraising module that is part of our master’s in philanthropic studies. The aim of this course is to take the understanding and learning that we have gained about giving practices and fundraising here at the center of Philanthropy through a decade of research and engagement with charities worldwide, and help you develop your own unique fundraising plan that is suited to you and your organization.

Skip to 0 minutes and 55 seconds Whilst much of what we will discuss here has a uniquely British flavor, you will be encouraged to reflect on how the UK context mirrors your own situation. We will do our best to provide as many international resources and examples as possible, but we also urge you to share your own experiences through the forums and the opportunities to share. Over the next three weeks, you will be guided through a series of giving and asking and how to apply these to developing your own fundraising plan by the experts here in the Center for Philanthropy, as well as experienced practitioners in the field.

Skip to 1 minute and 27 seconds We will provide a range of resources that will help you hone your fundraising skills whilst you develop your own fundraising story and plan. You will be invited to share feedback and discuss your ideas and experiences at regular intervals. So please be assured that you won’t just be subject to us talking to you. But most importantly, we hope that you enjoy this course and that you are provided with the confidence to develop your own successful fundraising journey.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Who do you ask and in what way?

    • Sunrise over water

      Introduction

      In this activity we begin with a short introduction to the course and your team of educators.

    • Post-It notes with suggested topics for a day's sessions at a fundraising conference

      The fundraising mix

      This activity introduces the concept of the fundraising mix and explores what types of formal groups and organisations give to charity and non-profit organisations. Image by Howard Lake, CC BY-SA 2.0.

    • Group of five people jumping for joy

      The individuals who give and why

      In this activity we will look at the many reasons why individuals give to charity. Understanding how they make their decisions may help you choose how to fundraise from them. Image: 'Group Jump' by Paolo Dala, CC BY-SA 2.0

    • 'Family of Man' sculpture (in Calgary) with figures holding hands ; statues first built by Mario Hubert Armengol for Britain's Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal

      Your potential supporters

      Who you ask for support from will be depend on many factors. In this section, we consider how you might go about determining which funding sources are suitable for your cause or group.

  • Week 2

    What are you asking for and who does the asking?

    • Brightly coloured puppet show in Amer Fort, Rajasthan, India

      Finding your fundraising stories

      In this activity we introduce the concept of fundraising as social and emotional labour. Understanding this can help to develop your case for support. Image: 'Puppet show at Amer Fort' by Kirithiga Ramalingam, CC BY-SA 2.0.

    • Chalkboard with 'roadmap': "Step 1) Collect Projects + People; Step 2) ?; Step 3) HURRAH!"

      What and who do you need to tell your story?

      This activity focuses on who else within a charity helps make for effective fundraising, and the possible roles that these individuals may play. Image: 'Crowd Sourcing Like Tom Sawyer' by Dave O, CC BY-SA 2.0.

    • Hot air balloon

      Your fundraising story

      In the final activity for Week 2 you'll be writing and testing your own fundraising story.

  • Week 3

    What is your unique fundraising plan?

    • A gift of flowers in a vase

      Reciprocity and developing loyal donors

      Here we introduce the concept of reciprocity and explore what role it plays, as well as the forms it takes within the fundraising process. Image: 'Happy May Day' by Shannon Hillinger (Flickr), CC BY-NC 2.0.

    • Ladder leading down from quayside into a sunlit sea

      The practical stuff

      In this activity we will look at some of the practical tools and ethics involved in fundraising. We will also briefly consider the role of fundraising regulation in the UK. Image: 'Ladder' by 'synx508' (Flickr), CC BY-NC 2.0.

    • Rock formations: double arches

      Your fundraising plan

      This activity will guide you through the development of your fundraising strategy and plan, so that you are ready to fundraise. Image: 'P1070131_arches_9' by Simone Pittaluga (Flickr), CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

    • Bright paper windmills at an end of term fete

      Summary

      We've now reached the end of our course on How to Fundraise. Here we round things off with a brief summary and thoughts about next steps. Image: 'End of term fête' by Crawley College (Flickr), CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify why and how people and groups would want to give to your cause or organisation.
  • Assess which methods of asking people to give are most suited to your organisation.
  • Explore how to be emotionally and socially skilled facilitators of giving to your organisation.
  • Develop your organisation’s stories in a way that will motivate people and groups to become loyal supporters.
  • Investigate how to sensitively and effectively manage the fundraising process including processing donations and managing data.
  • Design a fundraising strategy and plan that works for your organisation and be confident about what to do next.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone who would like to learn how to fundraise more effectively.

The course will be particularly useful for leaders and members of small charities or non-profit organisations, local branches of larger charities, volunteer-led groups and community organisations, as well as inexperienced or new fundraisers.

Who will you learn with?

Ali  Body

Ali is Director of Studies for the MA in Philanthropic Studies at the Centre for Philanthropy. Her research focuses on voluntary action, donor socialisation and children's charities.

Beth Breeze

Beth worked as a fundraiser and charity manager for a decade before co-founding the Centre for Philanthropy in 2008 where she now leads a team conducting research and teaching courses on philanthropy.

Stuart Chell

Stuart is a fundraising consultant specialising in high-value giving (trusts, major donors and corporates) and faith based charities, and a current MA student at Kent University.

Who developed the course?

The University of Kent logo

The University of Kent

The University of Kent, the UK’s European university, is one of the country’s most dynamic universities. Established in 1965, it now has 19,850 students studying at its various campuses.

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Develop skills to further your career

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  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$54/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 26 Feb 2025

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

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Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

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