In fundraising, building relationships is an art form. You need a pragmatic mindset and ample preparation to succeed at identifying, approaching, and cultivating donor relationships. In this course, the Fundraising Academy teaches you how to prospect, manage prospect information, prepare for your first meeting with a potential donor, make a lasting first impression, and more. First, learn prospecting techniques, from securing leads to crowdfunding. Next, explore tactics to optimize the visibility of your organization’s professional social media presence to garner gifts. Uncover ways to conduct phone calls successfully and manage events to build excitement around your organization’s cause. Finally, review examples of discovery conversations and ways to improve your listening skills. Developing long-lasting and committed donors takes time, and every step along the way is important toward making a successful ask.

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Relationships are part of our daily lives, and focusing on them is a proven method for successful communication. To raise funds successfully, you need to aim for long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. This starts by understanding the exponential growth of the nonprofit world’s impact on donors. This course from Fundraising Academy explains how donor’s mindsets have changed with the development of watchdog organizations. Learn to embrace your selling persona and improve prospective and donor relationships with the Cause Selling Cycle. Explore ways to remain ethical in the gray areas, as well as the time management, organizational, and communication skills that you will need as prospective donors decide to partner with you and your cause.

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Fundraisers are an integral part of building a nonprofit organization. Your organization’s values, mission, and services don’t sell themselves. That’s why successful fundraisers must build, manage, and maintain strong relationships with their donors. In this course, learn how to leverage Cause Selling to open doors for your organization. Find out how to use this relationship-driven fundraising model to identify and acquire prospective donors, construct an effective presentation that highlights your organization, handle objections, and make a successful ask. Dive into donor giving motivations and learn how to build lasting relationships with your donors to ensure the success of your organization for years to come.

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Hearing no is a part of any negotiation, but if you can distinguish the difference between a hard no and a stalling tactic, it will help you reach your fundraising goals. In this course, the Fundraising Academy walks you through valuable insights on navigating the level of interest that a prospective donor demonstrates when they present objections, excuses, and questions. This course coaches you through a common technique for handling frustrations and helps you to identify the importance of timing as you help potential donors to make a decision. After this course, you won’t be unsettled by donor objections, but instead will be able to see them as an opportunity for raising funds for your cause.

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Successful fundraising depends on a fundraiser’s ability to communicate knowledge about the organization effectively to current and prospective donors. In this course, the Fundraising Academy at National University offers you a wide variety of tips to incorporate into your fundraising presentation, including how to leverage technology and analyze data to develop a plan that will motivate your donors to invest. Dive into the six pillars of fundraising and how to use these pillars to set and achieve ambitious goals for your organization. Learn about the difference between your organization’s mission and positioning statement, and then explore how to focus on the future goals of your organization and incorporate those goals into your presentation.

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Modality: Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 5 hours

Prerequisite(s): This course will serve as a prerequisite to the others.

Description: Cause Selling is a relationship-centered, collaborative approach to professional fundraising that integrates valuable systems from the for-profit realm, with a focus on building long-term connections benefiting donors and organizations. In this course, we introduce the concept of Cause Selling and basic fundraising career concepts, aiming to meaningfully connect with donors to advance your mission. This course will lay the foundation for a Cause Selling Certificate which could lead to a lasting fundraising career, covering crucial aspects such as understanding fundraising, efficient daily management, effective communication, and motivating factors for giving.

Modality: Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 10 hours

Prerequisite(s): FUN600 (included free with purchase)

Description: Elevate your fundraising prowess with the comprehensive ‘Fundraising Foundations’ course. Unlock foundational skills required to excel in the art of fundraising, as you delve into the core principles that underpin successful pitches. Gain a deep understanding of the intricate web of internal and external donor motivations and master the ASADA Donation Decision Process to seamlessly guide prospective investors through the journey of giving. Explore the hidden forces of subliminal psychology and sociocultural dynamics that shape donor decisions and learn to avoid common communication barriers that can impede favorable outcomes.

Modality: Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 10 hours

Prerequisite(s): FUN600 (included free with purchase)

Description: Master the art of effective communication by understanding and adapting to various social styles to facilitate impactful interactions with stakeholders. Understand the importance of ethics and learn to cultivate relationships with transparency, fairness, and accountability, using a structured approach to ethical decision-making. Gain insights into an organization’s code of conduct and its role in aligning business development efforts with ethical standards. By course completion, you’ll be well-equipped to build relationships, make ethical choices, and contribute effectively to your Cause Selling endeavors while maintaining the highest levels of integrity.

Modality:  Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 10 hours

Prerequisite(s): FUN600 (included free with purchase)

Description:  In this course, you will identify the Pillars of Success and equip yourself to thrive in a Cause Selling career. After successfully completing this course, you will be able to articulate your positioning statement and competitive advantage in your industry. Harness the power of data analytics to establish a strategic fund development strategy and inform meaningful donor outreach and cultivation. Apply proven time management methods to separate priorities from the noise and optimize your effectiveness as a Cause Selling professional. Through a dynamic blend of theory and practical application, this course empowers you to excel in fundraising and make a profound impact on your cause.

Modality: Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 10 hours

Prerequisite(s): FUN600 (included free with purchase)

Description: In an era defined by relentless competition, discover the pivotal role of prospecting in identifying your like-minded champions within the industry landscape. Unveil the most powerful prospecting tool at your disposal—referrals—while mastering the art of leveraging Centers of Influence to open doors to new potential investors. Leverage the M.A.D.D.E.N. prospecting qualification approach to streamline your focus and resources for maximum impact. Gain knowledge to curate the necessary information to further qualify your prospects and set yourself up for a successful first impression. Utilizing the six-step telephone track, build rapport with your prospect’s gatekeepers, navigate your first conversation, and secure your first meeting with confidence.

Modality: Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 15 hours

Prerequisite(s): FUN600 (included free with purchase)

Description: Learn the secrets to crafting a compelling first impression that paves the way for meaningful connections. Master the art of effective questioning techniques to discern prospects’ needs and interests. Enhance trust-building skills through advanced listening strategies and incorporate key presentation elements that captivate audiences and amplify your organization’s cause. Deliver compelling presentations that not only convey your organization’s impact but also align seamlessly with your prospects’ philanthropic aspirations. By the end of this course, you’ll possess the skills to successfully approach your donor, cultivate a relationship that builds trust, and present your cause with confidence.

Modality: Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 10 hours

Prerequisite(s): FUN600 (included free with purchase)

Description: In this course, we will focus on the skills needed to successfully confirm the gift, an important component of the relationship-driven Cause Selling Cycle. Before you make an ask, you must first uncover any concerns or questions that would prevent the investor from saying yes. In this course, you will learn to navigate your investor’s objections and concerns with confidence with a step-by-step Handling Objections roadmap. Additionally, you will develop the necessary attitudes and techniques for successful asks, recognizing donor signals and understanding the crucial function of the ask in the Cause Selling Cycle. By mastering these skills, you will enhance your ability to secure funding for your important cause and create opportunities to foster donor loyalty.

Modality: Self-Paced

Estimated Learning Time: 10 hours

Prerequisite(s): FUN600 (included free with purchase)

Description: Understand the pivotal role of stewardship in retaining donors and uncover the core factors behind donor attrition. Gain insights into the keys to donor loyalty, learning to segment, engage, and personalize communication effectively. Develop strategies to maximize current donors and re-engage lapsed ones, while crafting comprehensive stewardship plans that inspire continued donor investment. Through discussions and real-world case studies, you’ll emerge with the practical skills needed to ensure sustained support for your cause by fostering lasting donor connections.

Modality: Async/Sync Facilitated (upcoming course: March 30–April 24, 2026)

Estimated Learning Time: 45 hours (about 2 days)

Prerequisite(s): FUN 600, FUN 610, FUN 620, FUN 630, FUN 640, FUN 650, FUN 660, FUN 670

Description: In this capstone course, students will synthesize components of each course from both the Fundraising Fundamentals and the Cause Selling Cycle course sequences in a culminating experience that leads to the Cause Selling Certificate.  This course gives students the opportunity to create a Fundraising Action Plan and a unique, persuasive pitch. As you progress, you will skillfully formulate pertinent questions and key planning steps, shaping the blueprint for your very own Fundraising Action Plan. Finally, you will harness your newly acquired insights to synthesize a captivating pitch that stands as the cornerstone of your fundraising success, poised to resonate with donors and investors alike.