Start Date and Duration

,

6 sessions each
Tues 1/17 - 3/7: 5-7 pm (PST)
(no meeting on 1/31)
Weds 1/18 - 3/8: 2-4 pm (PST) (no meeting on 2/1)

Times

Each session is 2 hours

Location and Format

Online

Scope

2 CEUs

Non-Credit

Cost

Early Bird/Alumni/Western Employee Rate (ends 12/16): $1,099
Regular Rate: $1,299

Scholarship Opportunity

Program Details

Corporate giving is a type of fundraising where the donation comes from a business, not an individual. It's different from other areas, such as annual giving or grant writing, in that the skill set needed to be successful requires an ability to engage in a conversation with a businessperson about alignment of business objectives for a mutual gain. The business benefits through improved brand reputation at minimum, while the non-profit gains support in employee volunteering and funds.

The six-week course is an interactive and comprehensive study of corporate fundraising, and how non-profits can increase their revenue streams by including financial support from the for-profit sector into their fundraising plan. Five distinct components are examined, (see below) along with a class dedicated to the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in the role of generating revenue from the business sector. 

Upon successful completion of this course, you’ll receive a certificate of completion from Western Washington University and 2 Continuing Education Units.

  1. Corporate Philanthropy 
  2. Sponsorships
  3. Workplace Giving
  4. Employee Volunteerism
  5. Cause-Related Marketing

Technology Requirements:

  • Webcam and Zoom for online meetings

Reinvent Your Career

Designed for individuals who want to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to successfully pursue funds from corporate donors. As you progress through the course, you’ll become familiar with how to intellectually engage corporate funders and ask for financial support with easy and certainty. If you’re currently serving on a board, you’ll be equipped to support the efforts of development and leadership teams, and you’ll understand the importance of introducing your business connections to non-profit staff.

    What
    You'll Learn

    Insights on all aspects of corporate giving, current trends in business and how they relate to giving, and skills needed to find, engage and retain corporate funders in face-to-face or virtual meetings, to ensure further support.

    Week 1: Introduction  

    • Understanding past giving trends and how it all started
    • Current corporate giving spend, trends, causes they support
    • Terms, definitions and business jargon
    • Determining if a non-profit is ready for corporate support
    • Introduction to the corporate fundraising plan

    Week 2: Corporate Philanthropy                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

    • Prospecting for corporate donors
    • Corporate foundations and company grants
    • Cash gifts versus goods-in-kind
    • Accepting property, art and other valuables
    • Best way to thank your donor

    Week 3: Sponsorship 

    • Creating an asset list
    • How to determine the value of the benefits offered
    • What should be included in a proposal
    • Details you should include in the fulfillment letter

    Week 4: Employee Volunteerism and Workplace Giving

    • Creating a volunteering program
    • How to leverage peer-to-peer fundraising
    • Importance of having company representatives on the board
    • Employee resource groups – definition and how to cultivate for financial support
    • Review of workplace giving programs (i.e., Benevity, YourCause)

    Week 5: Cause-Related Marketing  

    • Overview and examples
    • How to execute a campaign
    • Timeline and project plan
    • Potential prospects  
    • Legal considerations

    Week 6: Skills 

    • How to approach prospects
    • Overcoming the fear of cold calling
    • Creating proposals and presentation tips
    • Overcoming objections and getting to a ‘yes’
    • Stewardship 
    • Networking

    Instructor:

    Joy Stephens is the founder and CEO of the Corporate Giving Network (CGN), a niche consulting company that connects the nonprofit community to for-profit entities. Over the last eight years, Joy has trained nonprofits how to successfully secure support from the business community during monthly Learning@Lunch sessions and at the firm’s Corporate Giving Conference, held annually on the second Thursday in March. Joy is a member of AFP Advancement Northwest, Washington Nonprofits, Puget Sound Grantwriters Association and 501 Commons groups. As an advocate of continuous learning, she recently completed a course on Corporate Social Responsibility at Pepperdine University.
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