In this first week we begin our exploration of fundraising by studying the sector that is typically the focus of our activity, reviewing definitions of the nonprofit sector, distinguishing it from the public and private sectors and examining its primary sources of income. The goal is to set the scene for the balance of the course.

The course will also introduce the notion of relationship fundraising and how best to deliver longer term and more profitable and rewarding relationships with supporters. The course will close with a detailed examination of the fundraising mix and how to get the most out of a fundraising database to help you maximize your revenue.

Each week you’ll have some reading to complete and 1-3 tutorials to watch presented by the course team. There will be a short self-test of knowledge in the form of a quiz at the end of each week.

At the end of the 8 weeks there will also be a multiple choice test of your knowledge and if you gain 50% or more you will be deemed to have achieved the Fundraising Standard and receive a Certificate to that effect.

Dr. Matt Beem chairs the advisory board of the Hartsook Centre for Sustainable Philanthropy at Plymouth University in Plymouth, United Kingdom and is a senior fellow of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s (UMKC) Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership. He served on the board of trustees of Avila University in Kansas City from 2015-2017 and on the board of trustees of Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa from 2008-2014.

Jay Love is a Co-Founder and current Chief Relationship Officer at Bloomerang. He is past Chairman of the AFP Ethics Committee. He was the Founding Chairman of NPower Indiana, Founding Member of TechPoint Foundation and Founding Member of the AFP Business Member Council. He is still an active board member of Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, The Butler University Innovation Fund, The United Methodist Foundation of Indiana, TechPoint Foundation for Youth, and The Fundraising Effectiveness Project.

Kishshana Palmer is a national speaker, trainer, and coach with a 17 year background in fundraising, marketing, and talent management. She is the CEO of Kishshana & Co, – a boutique leadership consulting firm and The Social Good Life – a social good lifestyle brand. Kishshana is an adjunct professor at Baruch College and Long Island University, Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer (CGT) and an AFP Master Trainer. When an organization wants to grow, find and retain people on their team, raise money, and more she is the philanthropic fairy godmother they have on speed dial. Her work isn’t limited to organizations, she also coaches social good professionals.

Herman “Art” Taylor is president and chief executive officer of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, the organization formed by the merger in early 2001 of the National Charities Information Bureau and the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Foundation, which housed the Philanthropic Advisory Service program. As head of the Alliance, he oversees all aspects of the organization’s work, which includes setting standards for soliciting organizations, evaluating charities in relation to these standards, publishing the Wise Giving Guide, assisting local Better Business Bureau charity review programs, promoting charity accountability and providing a variety of materials on informed giving to individual, institutional and business donors.

Roger Craver is a fundraising pioneer who’s helped launch and build organizations like Common Cause, the National Organization for Women, the ACLU, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and dozens of others both in the U.S. and Europe. Roger is the author of Retention Fundraising: The Art and Science of Keeping Your Donors for Life. Now he’s the editor-in-chief of the fundraising blog The Agitator and founder of DonorTrends, which provides fundraising analytics.

Rachel Muir has worked every side of the Rubik’s cube that is the nonprofit sector. When she was 26 Rachel Muir launched Girlstart, a non-profit empowering girls in math, science, engineering and technology in the living room of her apartment with $500 and a credit card.  Several years later she had raised over 10 million and was featured on Oprah, CNN, and the Today show.  Today Rachel delivers keynotes, custom trainings and board retreats that transform people into confident, successful fundraisers.

Bob Eichinger is a senior philanthropic advisor with The Chicago Community Trust. Bob, who joined the Trust in 2008, is responsible for directing efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward relationships with advisors of donor advised funds, as well as group funds and affiliates. He brings with him more than 30 years of nonprofit administration and management experience in the fields of human service and education.