The Foraker Group

Foraker is piloting our first ever Fund Development Planning cohort in Anchorage this summer. This is a cost-effective way for your organization to put a fund development plan into place with a group of peers and experts on hand.

Apply today!

With the Fund Development Planning (FDP) cohort you’ll find a safe space where you can discover new tools and resources to help you write and implement your fund development plan – with a group of peers going through the same experience. During your FDP cohort, you will craft a gift chart that is real for your organization, learn how to launch or strengthen your board’s fund development committee, develop your organization’s philosophy of philanthropy, write fund development goals and objectives that are realistic for the next 1-3 years, practice donor recognition, acquire tactical tools to implement your plan in the immediate future, and share your experience alongside a network of peers.

Why join the FDP cohort?

Accountability: Fund development planning is a critical piece of every nonprofit’s long-term success, yet many nonprofit leaders find it difficult to prioritize this process. This cohort experience will provide you with the framework to complete different parts of your plan during and between each class.

Tools: Over the course of this program, you will receive many examples of tools that you can use for writing, implementing and presenting your fund development plan.

Community: You will meet fellow executive directors, board leaders, and fund development staff who are committed to creating a supportive environment as you all focus on writing your fund development plan and learn how to foster a culture of philanthropy to make your nonprofits more successful.

Office hours: Your organization will have access to 1 hour of individualized consultation during the course.

Results: By the end of the class, your organization will have a customized fund development plan to guide you for 2-3 years, as well as a short-term tactical plan to set it in motion.

Who is the FDP cohort for?

The first FDP cohort will be for executive directors of small/mid-sized nonprofits who are ready to take the next step in planning for your nonprofit’s financial future. The executive director must be accompanied by a board member who will attend at least 3 specific sessions which are identified in the schedule, although they are welcome to participate in all sessions. Ideally, the board member is the board chair, or the head of the board’s fund development  committee. One additional person – who is a development staff person or a member of the board’s fund development committee – may participate in the cohort.

The FDP cohort is meant for nonprofit organizations who have:

• Commitment from your board to undergo this process (through a letter of support)
• Support from a board member (preferably the board chair or head of the board’s fund development committee) to participate in at least 3 meetings to support you and the whole board in this planning process
• Organizational willingness to form or strengthen a fund development committee
• Interest in creating a tactical version of the plan that outlines how each goal will be achieved
• Interest in engaging with a peer network to share your fund development planning goals
• A commitment to growing individual philanthropy
• Individual donors, or a desire to have them
• Willingness to write a narrative fund development plan summarizing key decisions
• Ability to make the financial and time commitments to complete the program

* Please note that this is the first time Foraker has offered Fund Development Planning as a cohort, or group, class and we are piloting it in Anchorage to test the program and get feedback in person. We hope to offer an opportunity for statewide and distance-learning in the near future.

How often will we meet?

The cohort meets for six 3.5-hour sessions from June through September – see the schedule below for more detail. We are meeting in the summer to ready your organization for the year-end giving cycle.

This cohort will be in-person and will meet at the Foraker offices in Anchorage. Light snacks will be provided.

Depending on interest, we will offer subsequent cohorts via distance learning. Please contact the Foraker office if you are interested in a future distance-learning option.

What about donor privacy?

Throughout the course your financial and donor data will be treated as confidential, and you will not be required or expected to share any sensitive data with either The Foraker Group, instructors, or class participants.

What is the cost for the FDP cohort?

The fee is $2,350, or $1,950 for Foraker Partners. Travel and accommodations are not included in the cost of tuition.  Full tuition must be paid by the first day of the program. Payment plans are available as needed.

Are scholarships available?

We are unable to provide travel scholarships. Please contact the Foraker office if you are interested in a Fund Development Planning Cohort option offered via distance learning in the near future.

When is the next FDP cohort?

Subsequent FDP cohorts will be planned based on demand. Please contact us to let us know you are interested.

How does my organization apply?

The application period is open and will run until May 10! You can apply today. Please contact Amalie Couvillion or Emily Groves, Foraker Fund Development Consultants, with any questions and contact Kate Rose for an application:

Amalie Couvillion, acouvillion@forakergroup.org, (907) 351-8346 mobile

Emily Groves, egroves@forakergroup.org, (973) 818-5000 mobile

Kate Rose, krose@forakergroup.org, (907) 743-1201 office

If you would prefer individual fund development planning consultation, please click here for more information and contact us. If you are interested in applying for the next FDP program, please contact us.

2019 Schedule