Right now, within your database, your best donors are slipping through your fingers...

They're your most loyal donors; your untapped gold mine...

Do you know who they are?

Do you understand their giving potential?

Do you know when they stop giving to you?

Are you nurturing them through a strategic, effective process?

The Donor Management Blueprint

This 4-module, multi-media course, guides you step-by-step as you create a simple segmentation system to manage, retain, and grow your donorbase.

You'll learn how to...

  • Understand your donor data - and use it to illuminate the big picture of your entire donorbase.
  • Create a strategic segmentation plan - and understand why this is critical.
  • Increase gift amounts from your individual donors.
  • Identify and nurture your most valuable donors - from potential donor to major donor.
  • Get the most out of your current donor database software - and use it to proactively raise more money!

Here's what you'll get:

  • Four Self-paced, Multi-media Modules

    Each in-depth module is divided into multiple classes. You work on YOUR time schedule - not ours. When you're ready, we'll guide you through the process.

  • Live Office Hours


  • Database Walkthrough Demos

    We show you how to set up the Donor Management Blueprint System in your own donor database. We teach you how to use your software to its full potential.

  • 5 Hands-on Workshops

    We won't just tell you the concepts and leave you to figure it out on your own. We'll walk you through each step, with video demos, worksheets & templates. You'll take action and get results.

  • Companion PDF Workbook

    Prefer text-based guides? You'll get a PDF guide and workbook where you can follow along with the video tutorials and workshops.

  • 5 Pre-designed, Downloadable Templates

    Plug in your info into our pre-designed reports and tools. Then customize to fit your needs.

Course Syllabus


Module 1: Fundamental Concepts of Donor Management

Class 1: Course Overview Just like the first day of school, we'll talk about exactly what to expect and get ready to start.

Class 2: Fundamentals of Donor Management & Segmentation We'll make sure you've got all the basic concepts under your belt before we get down to business.

Class 3: Introducing the Donor Segmentation System The big reveal! We'll walk through the Donor Segmentation System and demonstrate what your end result will look like.


Module 2: Implementing The Donor Segmentation System

Class 1: The Four Components of Segmentation We'll take a closer look at each component of the Donor Segmentation System and prepare to implement.

Class 2: Defining Your Parameters Workshop How do you define when a donor is lapsed? What is a mid-range gift? How long do we keep trying to recruit a prospect? You'll establish firm, data-driven parameters that make sense for your organization.

Class 3: Setting up Your Database to Use the Donor Segmentation System Using several popular database software systems, we'll walk through setting up your database following the Donor Segmentation System.


Module 3: Inventorying and Analyzing Your Donor Database 

Class 1: Understanding Your Donorbase Before we dig in to the donor inventory process, this class summarizes what information you'll need from your database and what to do with it.

Class 2: Donor Inventory Workshop This is meat and potatoes of the course. Here we'll determine who falls into each segment, get actual counts, and assign segments to each donor record within your database.

Class 3: Key Donor Metrics Workshop You'll define exactly what you should measure each year, set up a reporting system, and calculate your current metrics.  We've gathered all the math and formulas you'll need and we'll walk you through all the calculations.



Module 4: Managing and Communicating by Segment

Class 1: Overview of The Donor Communications Plan Once you've segmented your donors, you need a plan to nurture them. Here, we'll introduce the Donor Communications Plan that aligns with the Donor Segmentation System. We'll share our recommendations for exactly what segments should get what communications and when.

Class 2: Communications Assessment Workshop In this hands-on workshop, you'll think through your current communication strategy. What are you already doing well?  What do you need to add?  You'll decide what your budget will allow right now now and what gets put on hold.

Class 3: Developing Your Segmented Communications Plan In this workshop, you'll finalize your plan and put it on paper using our handy template to make it easier.

  • My board would ask me how many donors we have. While it seemed like a simple question, I never had a confident, accurate answer.

    Now I know exactly how many active, current donors we have. I know which of our best donors lapsed last year. I know which donors I need to focus on and I have a plan now to make sure they get my attention!

Fall 2018 Course Registration Opens Soon. Get on the list!


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the course?

There course consists of 4 modules, each containing 3-4 video-based classes and workshops that run between 6-17 minutes each.  The classes are in-depth, "everything-you-need-to-know" content, but intentionally broken into smaller chunks so that they can be easily digested.

How is the course delivered?

The course is delivered through video screencast, with downloadable worksheets and report templates (PDF and Excel) that you'll follow as we move throughout the course exercises. The course materials include a companion PDF guide and workbook to supplement the course video classes and help you apply the material.

Will the course be helpful for people using my specific donor management software program?

Yes!  I specifically designed this system to be relevant no matter which donor management software your organization uses.  We've had course participants using Raiser's Edge, eTapestry, Salesforce, Kindful, and many other donor software systems.

What if I find out that the course isn't for me?

If within the first 15 days you find the course just isn't what you expected, simply send an email with your feedback and reason why you've requested a refund. We'll refund 100% of your money right away.  

How is this course unique?

There's a lot of great information on the art of crafting effective donor communications. But that's only one piece of the puzzle. This course is different. It's about establishing a system to manage those communications. You need to know exactly which segments to target, establish rules for which donors are in each segment, track each donor's progression along the donor funnel, and measure whether your communications are getting the job done. 

  • I never realized we had so many donors who'd been giving mid-range gifts for over 5 years. But because they never hit major gifts, we were totally ignoring them!

Who should enroll in this course?

Who is this course for?

  • Development Managers, Executive Directors, Annual Fund Coordinators, and Database Administrators of small to mid-sized nonprofits who are ready to grow their annual fundraising and tap into the potential within their donor database.
  • This course will be most helpful for groups with an established list of donors - even a small list - and who are currently using a donor database software system.
  • If you aren't quite ready to commit to a new system (or aren't sure if you are or aren't) but want some in-depth information on the concept of managing your donors and donor segmentation, this course is for you, too!


Enroll Now!