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Curriculum
This section is intended to provide potential clients
with more data on the course content, to help you decide on using the
FunFun learning system.
This approach is not a generalized introduction
for an ill-defined level of awareness about fundraising; rather,
it is an intense hands-on program to develop, practice and master
the complex skills needed to secure funding in the competition for
donor resources. |
Our objective
Develop the capacities of key personnel to plan fundraising
strategies and prepare winning grant proposals that increase your agencies'
resources, diversify your funding base, and secure your long-term financial
viability.
Approach
- Our methodology deals with all aspects of grant-based fundraising,
from project design and donor relationships to the production of polished
proposals
- With internet support, it overcomes the principal limitations of
stand-alone training: without follow-up, participants are often unable
to develop competence for significantly improved performance.
- FunFun identifies participants' needs, provides tailored training
to participants' skill levels, then
- supports participants by internet as they master these skills and
techniques
- participants come with a proposal or project concept they hope to
develop, and work on their own proposals during the workshop
- they directly apply new concepts to their real-life funding situations
under facilitators' tutelage and collegial encouragement.
Our approach is holistic. The knowledge, skill and attitudes for successful
grantseekers are both technical and personal
 |
Proposal writing is only one step in the
grantseeking process, which works best if there is good communications
with the grantmaker. FunFun uses a relationship model of grantseeking. |
- build working relationships with donors
- develop competencies for effective teamwork like active listening
use of feedback
- learn ways to take care of yourself under the pressures of fundraising
- practice work planning and organization techniques such as delegation
FunFun's methods
- brief lectures with peer discussions
- small group exercises
- brainstorming and facilitated interactions
- role-play and simulated situations
- critique of participants' current proposals
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It is possible to arrive at FunFun on Monday
with a well-conceived project idea, and leave Friday with the
outline of a proposal that is substantially completed. |
humor to create a relaxed, learner-centered atmosphere that encourages
risk-taking and rewards innovation
- no 'home work' as such; however, participants who use their evening
hours to apply new learning advance more quickly and get further on
their own proposals
Elements of the FunFun system
Pre-workshop diagnosis and preparation
- assess current fundraising strategies and recent proposals of participants
- advice on selection of FunFun participants from your agency
- participatory assessment of your capacities, skill levels and learning
needs
- on-site interviews with course participants, prior to the workshop
ideally, or during the first workshop day
- introductory letter to participants, so they come informed and prepared
Five-day intensive workshops, daily workshop structure
presented below.
Post-workshop technical assistance
- internet support for one year to help analyze participants' program
designs
- critique of concept papers and proposals
- sharing ideas and experiences in fundraising
 Basic
workshop structure
Monday: building relationships
- introductions, expectations, ground rules, discussion of adult learning
and FunFun participatory pedagogy, to establish a temporary learning
community
- an imaginary trip to Grantsland, with its special customs, vocabulary
and way of organizing ideas into proposal presentations
- where to find donors, research them and then keep track of them with
a donor database
- examination of the grantseeker to grantmaker relationship: who sets
the agenda and how to maintain one's direction and dignity in the fundraising
process
- enter the mindset of donors in an exercise that obliges participants
to become donors and make decisions on letters of inquiry for funding
from applicants
- create your public image through logo, publications, website, and
use of media
- practice active listening and non-verbal communication for effective
team work
 Tuesday:
project design basics
- identification and analysis of the problems, with a brainstorm exercise
- problem selection and presentation in the problem statement
- choosing a solution to the problem ,with the project goal and objective
(purpose)
- how you plan to achieve your purpose, with the project components
and activities
- explore these concepts through design of a case study project; this
continues all week
- personal skills; giving and taking feedback
Wednesday: measuring and planning
- setting targets or indicators, and their means of verification; the
basis of a monitoring and evaluation plan
- identification of assumptions, factors beyond the project's control,
and their presentation as acceptable risks
-
 logical
framework (logframe), a planning tool and frequent donor requirement,
induced from the design elements of our case study project
- implementation plan or action plan and timeline, prepared in detail
for our case project
- personal skills: stress hardiness for grantseekers
- developing your proposals: participants in small groups apply design
concepts to their own draft proposals, which continues throughout the
week
Thursday: budgets, proposal formats and powerful prose
- introduction to budgeting concepts and discussion of all the usual
budget line items, including indirect costs or overhead
- construct an actual project budget and budget justification notes
for the case study proposal
- powerful prose for proposal writing to convey ideas with brevity
and clarity
- editing one's own and others' writing to clear up confusion and make
it flow smoothly
- personal skills: delegation, efficient sharing of tasks within a
team
- generic proposal formats, from cover letter to annexes; how all the
parts fit together
- donor-required special sections such as gender analysis, environmental
impact assessment or description of beneficiaries
 Friday:
strategies, special cases and next steps
- fundraising strategy with exercise to develop practical plans for
securing resources
- request for proposals and other kinds of donor-defined proposal solicitation;
analysis and response to these opportunities
- special issues in approaching corporations and corporate foundations
for funding
- get what you need from a donor interview, a role play
- next steps for participants, as they take new learning back to their
work environment
- how to use the year of internet tutorial support provided with this
learning system
- a critical tool for self-assessment of a draft proposal
- general review of the grantseeking process, with focus on particular
issues that were identified during the week
- final written evaluation, which complements the five daily evaluations
- a graduation ceremony at which certificates of achievement are awarded.
 Final
thoughts
- five days of intensive interaction often produce trusting relationships,
which may result in new inter-agency partnerships
- a session on collaboration in fundraising is possible, if there is
a demand for this topic
- other special sessions can be arranged in advance, such as discussion
of the distinct issues in preparing research proposals
- when all participants share the same field of activity, like peacebuilding
or HIV/AIDS prevention, the course can be tailored to the particular
project design and grantseeking concerns of that field
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