Corporate Leaders
Helping Corporate Leaders Become Effective Board Partners in Transformational Giving
Excelling as a Non-Profit Board Leader: The Unsuspecting Fundraiser — It’s Not Just About The Asking!
“I did then what I knew how to do.
Now that I know better, I do better “
—Maya Angelou
Bold Asking® is a dynamic, interactive training and coaching program customized for volunteer board members, non-profit executive leaders and development staff. Simply put, we demystify fundraising by giving leaders and staff the tools they need to become better, more effective, and comfortable fundraising partners who together create a relationship-based philanthropic culture that thrives, not just for today’s dollars but for truly bold investments well into the future.
We will come to your company, in-person or virtually, to host a series of interactive “Lunch ‘n Learn” workshops for corporate associates engaged in non-profit and philanthropic work. VPG can also provide small group or personalized coaching services to ensure your employees are well-prepared to contribute to the non-profits they serve. Our goal is to help your employees be the best high-performing non-profit fundraising leaders our communities and the world need. We hope you will join us by hosting a series for your company.
Much of corporate America takes its role in helping build and support good, strong communities in which they live and work very seriously. Building new business relationships and deepening connections in the community and in their markets are critical to a thriving company. One of the many ways companies accomplish both is by encouraging their employees to get involved in the local, regional, and even national or global non-profits where they do business. It makes good business, personal, community, and social sense.
Well-intended, passionate, and mission-driven individuals and high performers in their professions may be joining boards without the knowledge, experience, confidence, and tools they need to be highly effective fundraising partners with their non-profit colleagues. When it comes to partnering in major gift fundraising where transformational and life-changing differences occur they might be even less well equipped.
It is at this nexus linking the corporate world to the non-profit sector where Vision Philanthropy Group brings training and coaching resources to help existing and future Board volunteers maximize their greatest volunteer potential in truly meaningful non-profit fund development.
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VPG will work with you to assess the interest in helping employees be successful volunteers and will determine the training they need most.
We will guide you in exploring the interest in training and coaching for current employees who serve on boards.
With VPG’s guidance, we will help you select a series of interactive Lunch ‘n Learn workshops to meet your team’s needs.
An example of curated workshops, many of which include role-playing, are listed below.
Each workshop series includes a pre-assessment of the participants’ experiences, needs and skill levels in fundraising and the non-profit world.
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We’ll help customize the Lunch ‘n Learn program(s) that is best suited for your team and your company’s culture and objectives in the non-profit marketplace. All sessions are highly interactive and include practical tips and actionable toolkits. Role-playing is frequently utilized to practice and learn new skills.
Workshops include topics such as:
Your role in leading a thriving philanthropic culture and why it is always the place to start!
“Fundraising Toolkit 101”: What happens when I’m asked to speak with a prospect and don’t know where to start – The psychology of giving, and creating comfortable, confident, and meaningful donor conversations that work. And what doesn’t work and why. Including scripts, group exercises and role-playing
“I joined a board and we’re in a Campaign! What now?” - Cultivation and Solicitation Training for strategic, big vision giving.
“Partnering with Executive Leaders and Staff to Create Powerful Partnerships that raise Big, Bold Gifts”: Relationship-based major gift fundraising, the major gift cycle, and practical approaches and tools to become a highly effective volunteer fundraiser.
“What Does a Successful Volunteer Board Look Like?” – The attributes, and high-performance practices of a successful Board, steps for achieving excellence, and how the Board members’ role in the philanthropy program helps shape excellence.
“They want me to chair a special event – What do I do now?” The role of event fundraising in creating transformational gifts. Helping the organization move from transactional giving to transformation and your simple role.
“My organization is hiring a new chief development officer: what are the attributes of high performers that will define and secure our future?”
“What do I look for when evaluating a board opportunity. . . then how do I get involved”
“Developing effective staff-volunteer fundraising partnerships: Working together to achieve bold missions.”
Specialized training and coaching are also available for C-Suite level employees.
The art of Bold Asking® training program was never more important as our non-profits serving deserving communities and the common good are stretched beyond their limits. Bold Asking® training will build new knowledge and skills, provide practical yet impactful tools and comfortably shape each team member’s distinct, powerful, and even joyful role in their organization’s noble cause and the communities where you do business.
“VPG breaks through the uncertainty and intimidation of asking for philanthropic contributions. In our training, Susan provided clear, straightforward advice and specific language to empower our board and staff. She laid out a framework, but also provided room to tailor the conversation to fit each person’s individual style. Within the first thirty minutes of our training, I went from feeling awkward about asking for contributions to our non-profit organization to being confident about telling our story and excited to share my passion. I highly recommend VPG’s “Bold Asking” coaching to anyone involved in development as a board member, fundraiser, or non-profit professional.”
Suzannah Gill, Esq., Our House, Board member
Contact us
Susan Holt, President and Senior Consultant
401 Bowling Avenue Unit 1
Nashville, TN 37205
615-423-0675
susan@visionphilanthropy.com
Christy Passmore, Senior Advisor
