Melanie Hamburger joined nearly 20 animated, engaged students from the Continuing Education program of College of Marin (COM) this spring, from March-May, 7:00-8:30pm. The online class provided an overview on:
- Nonprofit organizations and how that differ from for-profit companies
- Institutional fundraising and researching foundations
- Individual fundraising and major donors
- Where to find fundraising jobs
- How to bring your lived experience to a rewarding careers in the nonprofit sector
Students brought their rich, diverse experiences to weekly discussions on fundraising careers in the nonprofit sector, sharing examples, and brainstorming career paths with Melanie and each other.
Students
This course was open to all. Students came with a range of experiences, from nonprofit founders to board members, soon-to-be-retirees, and those seeing something new and interesting for work or volunteering. By the end, participants understood how nonprofits operate, researched a real funder, and (if they chose to do the assignments) wrote a grant proposal.
One student has been working with Community Grantwriters as a paid intern and our clients benefit from her previous experience as a documentary filmmaker and entrepreneur, which translated beautifully to how-to videos, funder research and training new interns! Interested in how your experience may fit a fundraising career? Meet with Melanie and find out what kinds of jobs may be a good fit for your skills and interests.
This Class
Ever wondered what it’s like to work for a nonprofit, what jobs tend to be most in demand and are the highest paying, and where to find them? One thing that all nonprofits need is donations, and staff to help get them. If you can talk or write, you can be a successful fundraiser.
You may be surprised at how easy it can be – all it takes is a little research, the ability to tell a story, the curiosity to talk to people about things they care about, good listening skills, and timely follow up. Fundraising is a well-paid and rewarding career, and a great way to give back to the community. So why does being asked to “fundraise” for a nonprofit organization strike terror in most people? Their loss is your gain – nonprofits are always looking to hire a good fundraiser!
Curriculum
To see the curriculum, visit the Fundraising Careers page.
