Fundraising Fundamentals

Master the basics of fundraising, identify your needs, and create a plan for success.

What you'll learn
Understand Key Concepts of Fundraising: Learn the purpose, impact, and ethical practices of fundraising, and essential terms.
Clarify your fundraising goal, assess organisational needs, and set priorities to build a strong foundation for funding success.
Explore Types of Funding and Income Diversification: Gain insight into main funding sources and understand the importance of diversifying income streams.
Create a step-by-step fundraising strategy with goals, targets, timelines, and competitor analysis for long-term sustainability.

Requirements
This course is for you if you have a not-for-profit idea or organisation, want to learn the basics of fundraising, and need practical strategies to secure funding and grow your impact.

Description
This course is designed for anyone starting or running a not-for-profit, including charities, social enterprises, or community groups. Whether you're new to fundraising or looking to strengthen your current efforts, this course will guide you through the essential steps to secure funding and build a sustainable fundraising strategy.You will start by understanding the basics of fundraising, including key concepts such as restricted vs. unrestricted funds, diversified income, and the core principles of fundraising. From there, we’ll explore how to identify and prioritize your funding needs, ensuring you have a clear vision of what exactly you need funding for and how much it will cost.The course then takes you through the main types of funding available for not-for-profits, from grants and donations to sponsorships and earned income. You’ll learn how to diversify your income streams to ensure stability and growth and explore best-fit funding sources for your organisation.A key part of the course is helping you find the right funders by teaching you how to conduct prospect research, build a pipeline, and shortlist potential funders. You’ll also learn how to build a strong case for support, including storytelling, defining your project’s outputs, outcomes, and impact.Finally, you’ll develop a simple and sustainable fundraising strategy with step-by-step guidance on setting goals, targets, and timescales. By the end of the course, you'll have a clear plan to move forward with fundraising and take your organisation’s mission to the next level.

This course is for anyone starting or running a not-for-profit, including charities, social enterprises, and community groups. It’s ideal for new fundraisers and leaders seeking to build a sustainable fundraising strategy.