2024 Fundraising & Development Certificate Program


Intensive Online Training

January 11 - June 27, 2024


Are you looking to gain the confidence, knowledge, and skills necessary to strengthen your organization’s development program?


This intensive online program will demystify fundraising and give you the knowledge and tools needed to fundraise successfully for your organization.


During the program, you will:


✔ Create (or update) a strategic Fundraising and Development Plan for your organization.

✔ Receive hands-on training and activities to learn the nuts and bolts of raising funds for a small to mid-sized nonprofit.

✔ Get individualized coaching and feedback from our expert trainer and coach.

✔ Network with nonprofit professionals.

Who Should Apply?


The Development and Fundraising Certificate Program is designed for nonprofit leaders, development staff members, and key volunteers representing small to mid-sized development teams in VT or New England. 



Questions? Email [email protected].




2024 Program Details


You will learn in a collaborative and hands-on learning environment consisting of interactive trainings, cohort learning groups, & individualized coaching.


This program includes...


6 live interactive online training days including hands-on activities and guest speakers. These happen one Thursday a month, usually from 9 am - 2 pm or 2:30 pm. Interactive Training Sessions will take place on January 11th, February 8th, March 14th, April 11th, May 9th, and June 27th.


6 peer-learning sessions occurring once per session for 1 hour and 15 minutes (as part of your training day).


Independent reading/videos and assignments, which will take you approximately 4-5 hours per month.


1 customized one-on-one coaching session with our lead trainer.


What will you learn?


The course will be conducted over five months of online instruction including peer learning groups and an individualized coaching session with the instructor. The training sessions (usually from 9 am - 2 pm, including one hour for peer learning) will cover the following topics:

Fundraising Appeals & Communications: How can you use storytelling in your print and e-appeals? We will learn best practices for personalization of your appeals that speak directly to your donors.

Donor Relations/Stewardship & Giving Societies: How can you include your donors in the important work of your organization? We will work together to learn to communicate effectively to engage your donors and will explore multiple points of engagement, including the creation of leadership giving societies and planned giving.

Proposal Writing and Grant Writing: What makes a good proposal? We will learn time tested tools of the trade to learn to write proposals that get funded.

Databases/Managing/Reporting: How can you manage your database so it is efficient and provides what you need? We will review best practices in managing your data and reporting to meet your organization and donor needs.

Solicitation/Asking & Campaigns: How to engage with your donors as partners in your organization’s work. What is the process involved in asking face-to-face for contributions and how do board members fit into this practice? Together we will go over the format of an asking conversation and practice an intentional gift conversation using the Connecting Conversations model. We will also dive into what makes an effective campaign.

During May and June... Work on your development plan and share with our expert trainer for her feedback.

And on the last day... Join together with the cohort team to share your development plan.



What you leave with...


✔ Your own customized development plan

✔ A peer network of nonprofit professionals

✔ Templates, checklists, and samples to guide your continued work

✔ Your Strategic Development Planning Guidebook and Your Strategic Development Plan Template - to help streamline your work throughout the training and peer group sessions

✔ And the tools, skills and confidence to put your plan into action!

✔ Plus, 19 points towards Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) International certification and/or recertification.







About the Lead Trainer: Jenn Hayslett

Jenn Hayslett brings 25 years of leadership experience as a successful fundraiser, manager, facilitator and trainer to her work as a coach and nonprofit consultant. Her engaging presentation style makes her a highly-rated trainer and presenter.

Jenn has direct experience in all areas of fundraising and marketing for small to mid-sized nonprofits including annual funds, major gift solicitation and stewardship, capital campaigns, grant writing, community organizing, and volunteer management. Her specialty is in building and improving relationship-based fundraising programs.
Jenn Hayslett is a certified trainer and facilitator and received her coach training through Coaches Training Institute (CTI). She has a consulting certificate in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging from the Institute of Nonprofit Practice. 

You are welcome to visit Jenn Hayslett Coaching & Consulting for more information about Jenn and her work.


2024 Tuition & Funding Opportunities


The Certificate is designed to support the success and professional development of nonprofit leaders and their organizations. At $2700, it is a valuable investment in building your personal and organizational capacity in fundraising and development. Past participants have found funding opportunities to cover the program fee through:

The program fee is due in full by December 28, 2023.







Program Testimonials:




"Common Good’s Development Certificate Program is a must do, whether you are just starting out or have been in the Development world for years. Through this program I built my confidence, developed a cohort of trusted colleagues, and walked away with a plan to help move Lund’s fundraising forward. Ultimately, this course provided me the gift of time and space to focus on the “why” behind Lund’s work, which has informed our entire Development strategy. As I actualize our new plan, I feel prepared, supported, and have a new found belief in myself. I have already seen how this course has impacted my work and has helped increase Lund’s fundraising capacity."

Sharon Lifschutz
Director of Development
Lund

"I am not a development professional but someone who recently undertook fundraising in addition to my programmatic duties. This course was a life-saver! I began with very little knowledge of or experience with strategic development planning. Six months later, I leave with a wealth of resources and samples, a strong working draft development plan, a network of similarly motivated colleagues, and the knowledge I need to run my program with confidence (or, at least, to feign confidence!). I’m meeting with two of my classmates later this month to carry forward our collaboration, with more opportunities to come, I’m sure. Huge thanks to Jenn and Common Good Vermont for welcoming a development newbie and helping me jumpstart this next stage of my career!"


Jill Martin Diaz
Lead Attorney and Assistant Professor
Vermont Immigrant Assistance at Vermont Law and Graduate School

"The certificate has given me a foundation in development and fundraising, which has provided me with the confidence and knowledge for making decisions on strategy, activities, and offering recommendations."

Hali Issente
Director of Communications and Development
The Family Place

"At the beginning of the program, I had three goals: draft a strategic development plan, acquire more skills to welcome and nurture donors, and grow my professional network. After eight months, all three goals were not only accomplished, but slam-dunked. If you're thinking of making an investment in your organization's development efforts, look no further. In addition to fostering solid relationships with peers in neighboring organizations, this course provides the knowledge, skills, and confidence to deliver real results. This year, our donor engagement is strong, our Development Committee membership has doubled, and contributions are already up 50%."


Arianne Arnold
Development Director
Upper Valley Waldorf School

"This [certificate program] gave me the confidence to believe in my good ideas, treat my challenges as learning experiences, and to use my unique skills to enhance the work I do."

Lissa Harris
Director of Development
Food Connects

About Common Good Vermont




Common Good Vermont is the only statewide organization in Vermont dedicated to uniting and strengthening all mission-driven organizations that serve the Green Mountain State. Common Good Vermont serves as the “go to” resource for our peers to share resources, gain skills, and build partnerships.



Common Good Vermont is a state-wide program of United Way of Northwest VT and a nonprofit ally member of the National Council of Nonprofits.




Learn more at www.commongoodvt.org.


This program has been made possible by generous support from the Vermont Community Foundation.