New to fundraising and wanting some help?
The Standard is a 40 hour program of online learning designed to give participants a thorough introduction to the process of fundraising and get them started on their first fundraising campaign. It provides an introduction to the nonprofit sector and its associated fundraising ethics, before taking the lid off what we know about giving (who gives and why). You'll also receive a thorough grounding in the science and practice of communication design and how to raise substantively more money simply by avoiding common errors that nonprofits typically make and focusing on donor satisfaction and wellbeing.
The fundraising standard is a service of the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy. The Institute is a nonprofit whose goal is to grow philanthropy around the world, by enhancing the quality of the donor experience. We do that through a combination of survey and experimental research with our charity clients and through a series of education programs for the professional fundraising community. These include the Fundraising Standard and a range of fundraising Certificates; a Certificate in Philanthropic Psychology, a Certificate in Fundraising Copywriting and a Certificate in Bequest Fundraising. You can find out more about our work here
The Institute works extensively with nonprofits in the USA, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
But the Fundraising Standard is designed exclusively with the needs of U.S. based nonprofits as its focus.
World-class faculty.
Meaningful curriculum over eight weeks.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
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.
CFRE credits.
Peer support.
Meet our expert team



All for less than the cost of the typical
conference
- all 8 sessions
- access to peer forum
- can be donated if not used within 18 months
- discount available for organizations enrolling multiple employees
Working at the highest level
for our students

Emma Bryant

Lindsay Cecil

Beth Adams
Contact Us:
fundraisingstandard@philanthropy-institute.org.uk
The Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy is a charitable incorporated organisation (CE01581) registered in England and Wales with the Charity Commission, charity number 1181003. Registered office address: 41-43 Market Place, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3HR. VAT registration number: 345 9034 92