Whether you are a professional or just starting off, a course or two to get you on track – or back on track – is never a bad idea. With the changing times, the fundraising environment also changes, and to be able to stay up to date with newer ideas, taking a course on the topic after every few months could help keep your nonprofit running sustainably.
Fundraising is an art that many organizations struggle with, despite their efforts. It would be best if you had a solid strategy in place to overcome the challenges. Luckily, the online environment makes it easier for us to do so.
There are some things to keep in mind when selecting online fundraising courses since this is something you will be spending time and money on. It is important to look at how much of your time the course is going to take up. Check whether or not the course is providing you with the knowledge you are seeking in terms of fundraising skills. You must also look at the certification that the course offers upon completion and how this will help you in your fundraising career.
Here are some of the best fundraising courses online.
Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership
This is a department of the Susanne M Glasscock School at Rice University. The mission of this school is to educate nonprofit leaders of the future and provide resources to current nonprofits. There are several courses being offered at this school. These courses include topics like ‘how to maintain strong donor relationships,’ ‘how to use data analytics to analyze and improve the efficiency of your fundraising,’ and ‘how to manage, organize and report the data of your previous fundraising efforts.’ The courses are a bit costly, so they may only be best for larger nonprofits, or for people who have the option to incur more substantial expenses.
Nonprofit Ready
This education-based organization has been developed by nonprofits and experts in the field of e-learning to help professionals in the nonprofit sector deliver on their missions. Nonprofit Ready offers many courses on many issues, such as finding grants, the basics of fundraising, guides to online fundraising, and more.
The Nonprofit Center Fundraising Certificate
A department of La Salle University’s School of Business, there are almost fifty classes and courses being held that revolve around nonprofit fundraising and management. This is a paid online course that covers all the significant elements of philanthropic fundraising efforts, such as gift campaigns, sponsorships, seeking grants, and managing them, as well as topics more specific to fundraising, like how to hold events, setting up giving programs and using fundraising tools. The course also dives into the fundamentals of fundraising.
Association of Fundraising Professionals
The AFP is an organization that is almost decades old and dedicated to educating professionals working in the nonprofit sector. The organization helps raise money for charities around the world and provides courses for all parts of philanthropic work, such as principles in fundraising. It will help you learn skills and theories that are meant to boost your fundraising abilities, advance your career, and prepare you for the leadership role in fundraising and nonprofits.
Ashraf Samhouri