You have fundraising on your plate. But you were never trained to do it.
You have
fundraising
on your plate.
But you were
never trained
to do it.
You're learning, and that’s okay!
You became a nonprofit leader to create change—not to spend your days worrying about donor asks, grant deadlines, and whether you're "doing fundraising right."
But here you are. The pressure to raise funds is real, and you're expected to just... figure it out.
The problem isn't that you can't do this. It's that you were never taught how.
You don't need to become a different person to fundraise well. You need someone who can help you build the skills and confidence to lead this part of your role without constant anxiety.
That's what coaching does.
We help you find your own authentic fundraising voice, make decisions with clarity, and stop second-guessing every ask. You learn by doing—with expert support when you're stuck.
Here's what working with a fundraising coach actually looks like
Month 1, Session 1: You walk through your current fundraising reality. What's working, what's not, what keeps you up at night. Your coach asks questions you hadn't thought to ask yourself. By the end of the hour, you have clarity on the real problem—not just the symptoms. You leave with one specific action to take before your next session.
Month 1, Session 2: You tried the action. It didn't go perfectly, but you learned something. Your coach helps you understand why it worked (or didn't), adjusts the approach, and gives you the next step. You're building a system, not just checking boxes.
Month 3: You're prepping for your first major donor meeting. You're nervous. You send your coach the donor's background and your talking points. Within 24 hours, you get specific feedback: "Lead with this story instead. Here's how to pivot if they say no. Remember, you're inviting them into partnership—not begging." You go into the meeting feeling confident.
Month 6: You're not questioning every decision anymore. When a board member asks "what's our fundraising strategy?", you can answer clearly. When a grant opportunity comes up, you know how to evaluate if it's worth your time. You've built the muscle.
How we work together
What you do:
During coaching:
Bi-weekly 1-hour coaching sessions (virtual)
Short, practical homework between sessions—things you can actually fit into your schedule
Email your coach when you're stuck on a decision or need quick input
Rewatch recorded sessions so you can revisit strategies when needed
That's it. No extensive prep work, no massive time commitment beyond the sessions themselves.
What we do:
First Session: Assess & Clarify
Understand your current fundraising situation, capacity, and challenges
Identify what's blocking your progress (often not what you think it is)
Uncover fundraising strengths you might not recognize
Co-create specific, achievable goals for our time together.
Ongoing: Build Skills & Confidence
Work on real fundraising challenges you're facing right now - major gift asks, board activation, grant strategy, etc
Develop your authentic approach to donor conversations and relationship building
Explore how to transition from donor-centric to community-centric fundraising
Learn to manage a fundraising team (if applicable)
Get specific feedback on your messaging, strategy, and tactics
Troubleshoot when things don't go as planned
Keep accountability and momentum
Provide templates, resources, and tools tailored to your situation
The investment
Coaching is $900/month for bi-weekly sessions (2 hours of coaching per month).
Most coaching engagements run 3-6 months depending on your goals and how quickly you want to build capacity.
That includes:
✅ Bi-weekly 1-hour coaching sessions
✅ Email support between sessions
✅ Session recordings for reference
✅ Templates, tools, and resources tailored to your needs
✅ Accountability and feedback on your fundraising work
One-off options:
Single coaching session: $450/hour
Board training workshop: $450/hour (weekday), $650/hour (weekend)
Custom team training: Quoted based on scope
Here's how to know if we're your people
This is probably a good fit if:
✅ You're an Executive Director, Development Director, or team lead responsible for fundraising
✅ You have time to implement what you learn (even just 5-10 hours/week)
✅ You want to build your own skills, not outsource the work
✅ You're willing to try new approaches and practice between sessions
✅ You need ongoing support and accountability over several months
✅ You believe (or want to believe) that fundraising can align with your values around equity and justice.
This probably isn't the right fit if:
❌ You need a complete fundraising strategy built from scratch (→ consider Fundraising Plan service)
❌You have zero time to implement—you need someone to do it for you (→ consider Fractional Fundraising)
❌ You're in crisis mode needing immediate revenue (→ address crisis first, then build capacity)
❌ You're not ready to change your approach—you just want validation for what you're already doing
Still not sure? That's what the discovery call is for. We'll be honest about whether this will work for your situation. You can book a call with our team here.
Not ready for coaching?
Here's what to do instead.
If you need someone to do the work, not teach you: Consider our Fractional Fundraising service. We do strategy AND implementation with you. $5,500/month for 12 months.
If you need a complete fundraising strategy first: Consider a Fundraising Plan. We analyze your data, interview stakeholders, and give you a 12-month roadmap. $15,000.
If you want a one-time training: Reach out to our team through our Contact Us form. Perfect for specific topics like major gifts, board activation, or CCF principles. Starting at $450/hour.
If you're just not sure yet: Listen to episodes of The Small Nonprofit Podcast where we share practical fundraising advice. When you're ready, we'll be here.
Looking for training?
Here are our current workshop offerings:
Who Holds the Mic? Storytelling Ethics in the Nonprofit World
Navigating transparency, consent, and power dynamics in storytelling. Through a Community-Centric Fundraising lens, we'll discuss how to create ethical, trust-building narratives that benefit both your organization and those you serve.
How to Tell Your Story of Impact
We'll work through the difference between results and impact, identify who already believes in your "why," and build a Unique Value Proposition that speaks directly to them. You'll leave with a draft case statement you can put to work immediately.
CCF vs Donor-Centric Fundraising
We'll challenge the status quo of donor-centric practices and explore what it looks like to center your entire community instead. You'll leave with a concrete action plan to start shifting your organization toward a more equitable and just fundraising model.
Talking to Donors About White Supremacy, Systemic Racism, and Wealth Hoarding
This session equips nonprofit leaders to have meaningful, transformative conversations with donors about social justice issues. Learn strategies for building mutual understanding and engaging donors as partners in social change.
How to Boost Donations by 400%
Learn about the 5 Pillars of Great Fundraising and how to strategically boost your fundraising efforts by challenging common misconceptions. Practical insights on securing sustainable funding and scaling your organization's impact.
Community-Centric Fundraising in Practice
This workshop explores how to embed equity and social justice into fundraising. Grounded in CCF principles, it will provide you with tools to critically audit your practices and make meaningful shifts toward a more community-centric model.
The Future of Nonprofit Work
Using a trend-and-prediction framework, we'll map the five structural forces reshaping nonprofits by 2035 — workforce shifts, funding concentration, AI, government volatility, and DEI backlash. You'll leave knowing where your organization is vulnerable and where it can adapt.
Fundraising for Boards
This workshop dismantles five limiting beliefs about fundraising and replaces them with a reframe that actually holds up: fundraising is matchmaking. You'll leave with a clearer sense of your role as a board member and one concrete action to take this week.
Doable Donor Stewardship
Practical, low-cost strategies that work for solo fundraisers and small teams. Walk away with tools to build real relationships with your donors, strengthen retention, and grow your giving program without burning out.
How to Write Stories that Raise Money Ethically
Learn how to create powerful, ethical fundraising appeals that resonate with donors. We'll cover the elements of successful appeals, from personalization to cognitive biases, and how to humanize your mission without exploiting your beneficiaries.
Wielding the Power of the Pen Responsibly
Learn how to gather and tell stories that honor the experiences of your service users without falling into exploitative or sensational narratives. This session uses 10 Dignified Storytelling Questions to guide your process.
Funding Artist Oriented Spaces: A CCF Approach
Using a Community-Centric Fundraising framework, we'll work through the tension at the heart of running artist spaces — how do you keep paying rent while keeping artists at the center? We'll move through reframing your costs and writing a fundable space narrative.