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Workshop Topics


Cause Effective leads over 40 workshops a year to help both newcomers and old hands sharpen their fundraising and governance practices.  Here are a few sample workshop topics - check here for current offerings.

 

Overcoming Fundraising Complacency on Long-Standing Boards of Directors

Rekindle the spirit of fundraising among board members, including adding new fundraising enthusiasts and losing the fundraising-shy “old guard” without losing friends. Learn how to assess the board’s fundraising strengths and weaknesses, and dramatically shift its fundraising culture. Even on a board that has gone years without embracing fundraising, with the right strategies board members can be brought to raise their sights and boost their ability to enthusiastically turn friends into year-round supporters.

 

Turbocharged Fundraising for New Executive Directors

New executive directors need to hit the ground running to raise more money.  Participants will learn to build relationships with supporters, unearth friends in unexpected places, activate the board as allies, get staff to join in fundraising, and form an organization-wide culture of philanthropy.

 

More than a Party: Milestone Anniversaries to Take Your Organization to the Next Level

Thinking about a big anniversary bash? Think even bigger. Why not celebrate and reap the benefits of an anniversary all year long? Anniversary campaigns can boost an organization’s visibility, and resources well beyond what can be achieved in a single night. Attendees will learn how to use a milestone anniversary to dramatically raise their organization's profile, build its reputation, increase the number of supporters, and raise more money - not just in one night, but for years to come.

 

Your Board Members Can Raise Money: Empowering Board Members to be Successful Askers

How can we motivate board members ask more people for more donations? This session helps participants make their own customized board fundraising plan to set goals that stimulate and measure progress; sharpen their case for support; identify priority targets for personal attention; and figure out who should be the asker.  Participants learn how to make a face-to-face ask, and leave with actionable next steps to move their boards into greater fundraising engagement.

 


“Through our participation in Cause Effective’s Resource Development Institute, we learned strategies that we now use throughout the year: we cultivate more donors through increased regular contact, make specific and direct asks, and ask for more rather than less.”

– Lisa Silverstone, Executive Director, Safe Harbors of the Hudson