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The Charities Institute Ireland Academy has been working with Adrian Sargeant PhD to develop a rigorous, accessible and relevant education programme for the Irish charity sector. The Diploma has been designed to advance your strategic fundraising and management skills and expand your knowledge in all key aspects of fundraising. Graduates will become more effective and confident fundraising leaders and be equipped to manage the sustainable development and growth of your charities fundraising income.
Who is this qualification for?
This qualification contains significant elements of management and strategy and is directed at individuals whose roles are concerned with these areas. As a guide you should have a minimum of three years fundraising experience either in a paid or voluntary capacity and have management experience.
What are the benefits to you and your organisation?
You will become a more successful, confident and strategic fundraising manager and leader. In addition to consolidating your existing fundraising knowledge you will learn and understand how to apply proven techniques to enhance your own and your team's performance and development. These skills will enable you to manage the sustainable development and growth of your organisation's fundraising income.
What will you learn?
Direct Response Fundraising: In this unit you will study the direct marketing media traditionally used for donor recruitment in Ireland. You will look at best practice in relation to direct mail, press advertising, direct response television, inserts, radio and direct dialogue (including both face-to-face and door-to-door). The course will provide a framework for acquisition planning and examine how to select appropriate media, messages and creative treatments. This module also covers the topic of digital fundraising, detailing a digital communications mix that may be used for online donor acquisition and ongoing donor development. This module concludes by examining the critical topic of donor retention and how supporter journeys can be planned to keep donors loyal to the organisation over time.
High Value Individuals Fundraising: This unit is divided into two components with the first focusing on major gift fundraising. We begin by exploring research about the philanthropy of major donors, why they give, the factors that influence their decision making and what we know about their behaviour. We’ll then look at a process that may be used to research major donors, prioritise prospects, develop interest in the organisation and eventually solicit and steward their gifts. The second component of the unit looks specifically at legacies. We begin again by examining the latest research on legacy giving and go on to compare the recommendations of this work with current professional practice. We’ll also examine successful legacy creative strategy, appropriate stewardship of this category of donor and the difficult realm of legacy metrics.
Institutional Fundraising: In our work on corporate giving we will examine trends in corporate giving, donor motivation, categories of corporate support and what we presently know about best practice in relation to each. The approach will mirror that of other units in that academic research will be blended with the best of professional practice to stimulate debate about how this category of giving may be expanded. We will then move on to explore grant writing and the solicitation of gifts from trust, foundation and statutory funders. We will study research on what trusts currently think of our fundraising and the key mistakes that fundraisers make when completing applications. We will also outline a five stage solicitation process for this category of gift and examine how to maximise the chances of securing grant funding.
Fundraising Management: The course concludes by exploring topical issues in fundraising management. We will look at both the management of paid employees and volunteers, examining motivation at work, internal communication and marketing, conflict identification and resolution, leadership, performance appraisal and the management of group dynamics. Course sessions will be highly interactive involving group work and tutor led discussions encouraging participants to reflect on their own professional practice and how this might be improved. A wide range of theoretical frameworks and practical tools with be introduced. The unit concludes with a specific consideration of the additional complexities of managing teams of volunteers and examines best practice in relation to both the recruitment and development of this category of supporter.
Assessment
You will need to complete a series of four work based and case study assignments including a pitch presentation. All students will have access to an online platform which will host handouts, and administer assignments digitally. This platform will also include a chat function, providing ongoing advice on the assignments, amongst other relevant information.
Course format
The Diploma course will start in May 2025.
What level of commitment is needed?
You are expected to attend every session and actively engage with your class and tutor. If you fail to attend and/or engage you will disrupt your own learning experience and the shared learning experience of your group.
You are also expected to study in your own time. On average the length of time needed to complete the Diploma in Fundraising Management is approximately six months. You are expected to commit approximately 6-8 hours a week until the completion of the programme. This amounts to approximately 300 hours of individual study.
To ensure you are not placed at a disadvantage when studying for the Diploma you should have a good command of written and spoken English to complete assignments to the required standard.
The 2024 Student Course Handbook includes all of the above plus information on assessments and reading materials. You will need to purchase the course textbook – Sargeant, A. and Jay, E. (2014) Fundraising Management: Analysis Planning and Practice (Third edition), Routledge, London – as it is not included in your course fees.
Course Fees include:
Commitment:
Approx. 6-8 hours per week for eight months, this includes time for possible face-to-face learning.
Experience:
3+ years paid or voluntary, with management experience (guide only)
Fee:
Cii Members: €2250
Non-members: €2800
Please note that a 20% Deposit will be required to secure your place on this course.
If you have any questions regarding the Diploma in Fundraising Management please contact annelies@charitiesinstituteireland.ie
