Professional development has big benefits for employees and nonprofits. Employees can avoid burnout, advance in their careers, learn about the latest innovations, and improve leadership skills. And better trained leaders run organizations more effectively, leading to bigger community impact. However, when budgets are tight it can be difficult to fund professional development.
How can nonprofit organizations utilize fundraising opportunities to offer their staff professional development? Keep reading for a few creative ideas to fund nonprofit professional development on a budget.
Share goals with donors
Start fundraising where you’re comfortable - with donors. Donors are drawn to your organization’s mission and want to support your cause. However, they may not be aware of your team’s professional development goals and how professional development can improve your organization’s impact. Send personalized messages to donors and discuss your interest in offering additional training for your team. Tell donors about specific courses or training, what skills they will help your staff develop, and the positive effect these skills will have on your organization’s programs and services. After the training, follow up and let them know how their support helped your staff grow and how that growth positively impacted your organization and community.
Reach out to peers at other organizations
Connect with your community! Ask colleagues at other organizations for fundraising ideas and resources. Schedule a call with a mentor to learn more about their professional development journey. Seek out people in your network for advice on how they fund professional development, what type of training they offer, and if they know of any unexpected funding opportunities that would fit your organization.
Professional learning grants
Many organizations offer specific grants for continuing professional development. They are typically intended for learning development courses including workshops, seminars, conferences, and training. Utilize tools like GrantStation to find grants and resources. Nonprofit Learning Lab members get access to GrantStation membership for only $95.
Find Free Training and Resources
Take advantage of free resources!
NXUnite is a top provider of nonprofit training resources. They partner with leading experts and influencers to host free informative webinars on topics like fundraising, operations, hiring, donor relationships, and more.
Podcasts are a great (and free!) way to gain valuable knowledge. Try Mission: Impact, a podcast for progressive nonprofit leaders looking for insight on making their organization more effective and innovative.
To improve your fundraising skills, Fundraising Academy offers a number of free webinars designed for nonprofit professionals. Their webinars cover fundraising topics like donor relations in communities of color, donor retention, strategic selling, and using your CRM in fundraising.
The Nonprofit Learning Lab offers free webinars on a variety of topics including facilitation, fundraising, strategic planning, communications, and volunteer management. Each workshop is presented by a leader in their field.