Introducing the Fundraising Academy
On Wednesday, I shared some big news about what’s next for me. If you missed it, here’s the post.
Today I want to tell you about something I wish existed when I started in fundraising.
Twenty years ago, I was drowning.
I didn’t know how to write an appeal. I didn’t know how to ask for a major gift without feeling like a telemarketer. I didn’t know that most of what I was doing was actually pushing donors away.
I learned through a lot of trial and error, but mostly error.
I read books, attended conferences, and watched webinars. And most of it was either too theoretical to be useful or too generic to apply to my specific situation.
What I really needed was someone to look at my actual appeal letters and tell me what was wrong with them and what was right. Someone to walk me through my actual donor portfolio. Someone to answer the question I was too embarrassed to ask in a conference session. Someone I could debrief with after a conversation with a major donor.
In the last 20 years, a lot has changed. And a lot hasn’t.
Today, a lot of that tactical knowledge is available. You can ask AI how to write a thank-you letter or structure a major gift ask.
The information isn’t scarce anymore.
But AI can’t give you a room full of people who’ve been in your shoes. A coach who knows your situation. Accountability. Encouragement when you’re burned out. Or someone who looks at your appeal and says, “This is good, but move paragraph three to the top.”
That’s why we’re leaning hard into community and why the Fundraising Academy exists.
It’s the mentorship and community I wish I’d had. It’s an ongoing room where fundraisers show up, get better, and help each other.
It’s not another course you take and forget.
The special sauce is the intersection of four things: coaching, content, courses, and community.
Any one is helpful on it’s own. But when you combine them… when you learn something in a training, then get coached on how to apply it, then have a community cheering you on… that’s when transformation happens.
I’ve sat through enough conferences to know that inspiration without implementation is just entertainment.
The Fundraising Academy is built different.
We believe every single training should leave you with something you can use that day. Not so much, “10 trends reshaping philanthropy.” but more like, “Here’s exactly how to write a thank-you call script that doesn’t feel awkward.“
And the best part? I get to do it alongsideMike Duerksen 👋 andCaitlin Padanyi.
If you know Mike, you know his brain works differently. He’s one of the sharpest fundraising minds I’ve ever encountered, and his heart for the people doing this work is genuine. Getting to build something with him feels like a gift.
And Caitlin? She’s poured herself into bringing The Fundraising Academy to life. So much of what you’ll experience when you step into this community exists because of her.
So what do members actually get?
- Quarterly training on what actually moves the needle
- A community where you can post your work and get real feedback
- Templates and examples so you’re not starting from scratch
- Coaching from mentors with deep expertise in major gifts, direct response, monthly giving, donor stewardship, and beyond
Who’s it for?
The Fundraising Academy is for the executive director who ended up doing fundraising because someone had to. The donor comms person who’s responsible for all of the email, direct mail, and social media. The frontline fundraiser. The development director wearing twelve hats. The major gift officer who wants to sharpen their skills.
Who’s already in the room?
Right now, we’re serving a growing mix of executive directors, development directors, donor comms pros, and major gift officers. They’re smart, humble, and they’re getting better every month together.
If you’ve ever felt alone in this work, or if you’ve ever wished you had a fundraising mentor you could reach out to any time you have a question, I’d love for you to check it out atfundraisingacademy.com.
Thanks for being here, and keep up the good work!
-Michael
