Program Information and Requirements | 2021 East Metro Cohort

Below, read more about the Campaign Institute, including information about the program and what participating nonprofits will gain, and requirements based on organization size, geography, and what is expected of participants.

The application period for this cohort is now closed.

This information is also available as a PDF.

Go back to the Applications homepage.

About the Campaign Institute

Since 2015, GiveMN staff have researched the ability for small- and medium-sized nonprofits to build sustainable culture, strategies, and infrastructure around their overall fundraising needs. We surveyed hundreds of Minnesota nonprofits, finding 40% of organizations relied on volunteers alone to fundraise and an additional 32% had only one staff member responsible for raising money. Overall, 69% of respondents said they were not confident that their current fundraising strategy met the demands of their mission.

The Campaign Institute is not a one-size-fits-all program; instead, the Campaign Institute assists nonprofits in building their overall capacity for fundraising, building sustainable individual giving infrastructure based on the specific needs of each organization. We strive to give each nonprofit we work with a bespoke coaching experience, fully focused on the issues they bring forward throughout our work together.

We operate on a set of three core principles:

• Organizations are the experts on their work and their people: We start every relationship from scratch, taking a deeply collaborative approach that co-creates solutions uniquely tailored to your work, your capacity, and your audience.

• We coach and teach fundraising that centers on the well-being of your staff, board and volunteers: We focus on fundraising that is deeply honest, authentic, transparent, and relational; fundraising that builds a donor base to which you want to be accountable; and fundraising that mobilizes the resources you need for your work without compromising your values.

• We coach for sustainability: Our goal is to build your organization’s internal fundraising expertise, so you can replicate your success long after our partnership is over. We leave participants with more knowledge, added skills, stronger fundraising infrastructure, and deeper donor relationships.

The Campaign Institute partnership results in an individual giving campaign, co-created by each organization and their coach, that allows participants to use new skills, strategies, and tools with the guidance of RaiseMN, and this campaign is eligible for a challenge grant of up to $5,000.

Institute Selection Process

Selection of organizations for the RaiseMN Campaign Institute: East Metro 2021 Cohort will take place in five distinct phases:

1. Application: Applications will be open to all eligible organizations beginning on August 9 and must be submitted to RaiseMN by September 10, 2021, at 5:00 pm CDT.

2. Follow up period: Some organizations may be invited to take part in short follow up conversations with RaiseMN between October 4-15.

3. Finalist Notification: During the week of October 18, RaiseMN will notify up to 14 finalists that will take part in the assessment and coaching period.

4. Assessment and coaching period: Beginning in early November, 14 finalists will take part in three months of expert fundraising assessment and coaching from RaiseMN. In late January/early February 2022, RaiseMN will select the final seven organizations to take part in the second half of the RaiseMN Campaign Institute.

5. RaiseMN Campaign Institute: Seven organizations will continue to receive coaching and campaign execution assistance through April 29, 2022 and will be eligible for a challenge grant of up to $5,000.

Benefits to Participating Organizations

Working directly with their coach, participants in the RaiseMN Campaign Institute will build the fundraising capacity of their organization and will increase their overall fundraising knowledge, infrastructure, and culture.

Fourteen finalists will receive three months of initial assessment and coaching with RaiseMN to identify areas of strength, processes which could be improved, and leave with a framework for future fundraising.

After this capacity assessment is conducted, seven selected organizations will continue to attend coaching sessions approximately twice per month to develop their fundraising. Plans will be individualized to the strengths and needs of each organization.

In addition to individualized planning, participating organizations will also participate in group training opportunities tailored to fit the needs of the participating organizations.

Organizations selected for the full Campaign Institute will have the opportunity to take part in the following:

• Develop strategies and infrastructure that will have lasting impact, improving overall fundraising strategies while reducing reliance on institutional funding.

• Participate in several coaching sessions over the course of three to six months in one-on-one sessions and in groups. The trainings will focus on increasing the fundraising abilities of your organization. Topics covered could include: Fundamentals of fundraising campaigns; Board involvement in fundraising activities; Pros and cons of special campaigns; An examination of how your organization uses its fundraising time; A deep dive into your organization’s donor data; How to approach and cultivate donors; Donor stewardship, including recognition and retention

• You will receive support for the duration of the Institute from a designated fundraising coach.

• You will participate in assessing the fundraising capacity of your organization.

• If your organization is selected to take part in the second half of the Campaign Institute, you will create a plan to implement a new campaign or improve an existing campaign, with a target of raising up to $5,000 from new or increased donations.

• You will be a part of a cohort that will engage and share mutual issues and interests, resulting in the emergence of new views, ideas, and strategies for fundraising.

Minimal Cost to Selected Participants

• Each organization’s application must identify the three participants who are committed to attending all sessions and meetings for the duration of the program.
  o  Because RaiseMN seeks to transform the organization's overall fundraising knowledge, infrastructure, and culture, the Institute requires three people, representing both board and staff, to be involved in all coaching meetings.
  o  Staff participants should be in leadership and fundraising roles in the organization. One participant must be a board member, not staff. If your organization only has one paid staff member, two of the participants may be board members.
  o  We will ask your three-person team to find a time bi-weekly (every other week) that you could meet for one hour with your RaiseMN coach. These meetings may be held virtually via Zoom video conferencing or over the phone.

• Must be able and willing to commit organizational resources of time and funding to the fundraising plan.

• Must be committed to improving the organization’s overall individual giving strategies and capacity.

• Institute organizations must complete the following to receive a challenge grant of up to $5,000:
  o  Make a 6-month commitment to the Institute.
  o  Must be willing to try new things, and be vulnerable and open to new ideas.
  o  Meet approximately twice per month with designated coach.
  o  Attend RaiseMN learning sessions with other Institute participants. The schedule of these sessions will be announced later, and they may take place either virtually or in-person.
  o  Create an annual development plan for your upcoming fiscal year that includes learnings from your Institute-designed fundraising campaign.
  o  Active participation: RaiseMN staff and coaches will be accountable and responsive to you, and we expect participants to be accountable and responsive to us. Your team must have the capacity to fully participate in this program.
  o  Participate in a RaiseMN fundraising capacity assessment.
  o  Meet Institute program deadlines to be established with individual organizations.
  o  Raise at least $5,000 from new or increased donations through a fundraising campaign to meet the challenge grant offering. Must be able to provide proper documentation to RaiseMN of new or increased donations to receive challenge grant.
  o  Active participation in ongoing Institute program evaluation by completing surveys in a timely manner.
  o Create an annual development plan for your upcoming fiscal year that includes learnings from your Institute-designed fundraising campaign.
  o  Hold two meetings of the full board of directors: an introduction and a conclusion to the Institute to inform and encourage board members to participate in the Institute alongside staff.

Go back to the Applications homepage.