This course actively engages students in mastering the concepts and tools needed to help nonprofit organizations achieve their mission and objectives through well-established fundraising techniques. Students will learn how to assess an organization’s fundraising capabilities, conduct prospect research, conduct an annual fund drive, solicit grants from corporations and foundations, cultivate and secure major gifts, design planned giving instruments to meet the needs of donors, carry out a capital campaign, and set up information technologies to track fundraising efforts and assist with the stewardship of gifts. The course emphasizes applications, and students will complete a fundraising plan during the semester for a specific organization of their choosing.
After completing this course, you should be able to:
CO 1 Demonstrate familiarity with the principles and techniques of fundraising as well as the current fundraising climate.
CO 2 Compose a written case statement and use it to build other documents such as a letter of inquiry, a direct mail letter, and a grant proposal.
CO 3 Assess the gift capability, interests, and networks of prospective donors through research.
CO 4 Explain the various fundraising vehicles and evaluate when to use each.
CO 5 Distinguish the roles played by board members, volunteers, and staff in fundraising.
CO 6 Identify the necessary steps to prepare for a capital campaign.
CO 7 Explain the impact of ethics on resource development.
CO 8 Analyze the most effective methods for managing resources and information.
CO 9 Apply fundraising planning and strategy tools to a particular nonprofit organization.
You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. Please visit the following website to purchase course materials: University's textbook supplier
ISBN-13: 978-1119289326
Fundraising for Nonprofits is a 3-credit, online course consisting of 4 modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 1, CO 2, CO 5, CO 9.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 3, CO 4, CO 8, CO 9.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 3, CO 4, CO 6, CO 9.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 7, CO 8.
You are required to participate in the following for formal work in the course:
See below for details.
Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.
One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in this Plagiarism Detection Tool Google document.
You are required to complete 4 discussion forums. The discussion forums are on a variety of topics based on the course modules.
Communication and collaboration among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses.
You will be evaluated both on the quality of your responses (i.e., your understanding of readings, concepts, and practices as demonstrated by well-articulated, critical thinking) and the quantity of your participation (i.e., the number of times you participate meaningfully in the assigned forums). Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.
Meaningful participation in online discussions is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement.
Located within the Evaluation Rubrics folder of the course website is the online discussion forum rubric used to aid in the grading of all online discussions.
You are required to complete 14 organization assignments. The organization assignments are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. In the organization assignments, you will be analyzing the nonprofit organization that you select for study in the first module of the course. You will also be applying course concepts to your chosen organization.
You are required to complete 3 written assignments. The written assignments are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. Written assignments are additional assessments of your learning that are not specifically linked to your chosen nonprofit.
Your final project is a fundraising plan (10 to 12 pages in length; approximately 2500 to 3300 words) that will allow you to demonstrate your synthesis of fundraising tactics, strategies, and processes. See the Final Project area of the course website for further details.
Your fundraising project may either provide fundraising strategies (options, tools) for your organization or it may present the actual development plan for your organization. If you choose the first option, you should explain why certain elements of a fundraising plan are not required or appropriate at this time. The final project has two parts:
The final project draws on concepts and knowledge gained from the entire course. To allow yourself sufficient time to complete an exemplary report, consider beginning the project soon after you start Module 3.
Located within the Evaluation Rubrics folder of the course website are the rubrics for Final Project: PowerPoint and for Final Project: Paper, which will be used to aid in the grading of the final project.
Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:
All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:
To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings).
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:
Consider the following study tips for success:
TESU's Academic Code of Conduct permits student AI use in support of their writing and research process—not as a replacement for original writing.
Document AI use with an acknowledgment statement at the end of each assignment, noting the tools and prompts used. Cite any AI-generated content on the References page.
Please review Using AI Ethically: A Guide for TESU Students for more detailed information.
Thomas Edison State University recognizes, values, and relies upon the diversity of our community. We strive to provide equitable, inclusive learning experiences that embrace our students’ backgrounds, identities, experiences, abilities, and expertise.
Thomas Edison State University adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990 and ADAAA, 2008) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) oversees requests for academic accommodations related to disabilities, including:
Information can be found on the Office of Student Accessibility Services webpage.
Questions can be sent to ADA@tesu.edu.
Familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies, including those related to the following list, to ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University:
For more, see:
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