The Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF) is a four-day intensive course with a practical application project. It provides the research, tools, and customized training to meet the growing needs of leaders in religious communities and fundraisers of faith-based organizations. The focus of the ECRF is on the cultural, organizational, and philanthropic practices unique to religious institutions. These practices in turn enable donors motivated by spiritual and religious values to experience the joy of generous giving.
The ECRF is made up of the following four (4) one-day seminars, selected readings, and a final project.
- Seminar one: Nurturing Generous Congregations & Organizations
This foundational seminar surveys the changing landscape of religious giving with a focus on the organizational readiness of an institution to engage in effective fundraising. The seminar gives particular attention to the social dynamics and practices nurturing generosity.
In this seminar you will . . .
- Be presented with the tools to assess the level of generosity in your institution.
- Discover the keys to building an organizational structure nurturing generous giving.
- Learn how to institutionalize generosity: the role of values, beliefs, vision, mission, and storytelling.
- Seminar two: Nurturing Generous Donors
An experiential seminar in which participants first explore their own giving story and philosophy. The seminar then focuses on the art of donor care through highlighting research on donor profiles and motivations for giving.
In this seminar you will . . .
- Assess your personal giving history and money autobiography.
- Explore the relationship between spiritual values and generous giving.
- Examine the role of donor care as an extension of the practice of pastoral care.
- Learn how to walk in the donor’s world.
- Seminar three: Fundraising as Ministry
The spirituality of fundraising lays the foundation for this practical seminar with an emphasis on fundraising principles, practices, tools, and techniques.
In this seminar you will . . .
- Awaken a spiritual way of looking at fundraising.
- Examine the metrics used to measure philanthropy.
- Act on your personal assurance of God’s abundance in soliciting gifts.
- Incorporate your theological tradition in a personalized approach to fundraising.
- Seminar four: Shaping a Theology of Money
The capstone seminar will explore how the faith community talks about money, generosity, and the faithful use of possessions. In this seminar, participants are encouraged to develop a theology of money reflective of their faith tradition.
In this seminar you will . . .
- Learn how to talk about faith, money, and giving with theological integrity.
- Explore various theologies of money and giving.
- Discover what your own theological tradition has to say on this subject.
- Craft a personal theology of faith, money, and giving.
