About this course
Proficiency Area: Resource Generating.
The donor cultivation capacity considers an organization's ability to identify, cultivate, and ask individuals for donations.
In the first lesson toward your bronze Merit badge, you'll explore:
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What donor cultivation is, and is not.
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The four aspects of unconscious thought at play in every donor interaction: motivation, identity, goal style, and decision-making approach.
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The three phases of donor cultivation.
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How beliefs, emotions, and action tendencies (or “BEATs”) affect every donor’s motivation to give.
Course curriculum
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What you can expect in this lesson
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Before we begin...
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Start Your Workbook
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What is donor cultivation?
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Why does donor cultivation matter?
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Check your learning
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Check Out Workbook
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About this course
- 7 lessons
The "What is Donor Cultivation?" course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of cultivating relationships with potential and current donors in a nonprofit organization. The course introduces four aspects of unconscious thought: motivation, identity, goal style, and decision-making approach, which play a critical role in every donor interaction. It emphasizes that donor cultivation is about building and maintaining genuine connections rather than just persuading donors to give. This course is an excellent introduction to the complex and rewarding capacity of donor cultivation.
The course focuses on the three phases of donor cultivation: prospecting, engagement, and stewardship. Prospecting involves identifying potential donors and assessing their interest, engagement includes building a relationship with the donor through communication, storytelling, and impact reporting, while stewardship involves maintaining the relationship through continued communication, recognition, and appreciation.
The course also explores how beliefs, emotions, and action tendencies (BEATs) affect every donor's motivation to give. Beliefs refer to a donor's understanding and perception of the organization and its mission, emotions refer to the feelings evoked by the organization's work, and action tendencies refer to the donor's inclination to take action based on their beliefs and emotions.
By the end of the course, participants will gain a solid understanding of how to cultivate meaningful relationships with donors, inspire their philanthropy, and achieve sustainable funding for their organization. The course underscores the importance of understanding the motivations, values, and preferences of donors, and how to tailor communication and engagement strategies to strengthen the relationship.