Do you want the “secret sauce” for raising more money? According to our colleague Heather Yandow at Third Space Studio, it’s not really a secret. She just released the fourth annual Individual Donor Benchmark Report, which you can get here. Heather compiled fundraising data from 87 grassroots organizations across North America, each … [Read more...]
Co-Training – How To Work Effectively With Another Facilitator
As a trainer or facilitator, do you ever share the stage with a colleague or two? It’s worth considering for the following reasons. Two people – assuming they’re the right two people – are smarter and savvier than either one individually. Under some circumstance, a third person can make you even smarter. Having a diversity of … [Read more...]
Three Ways to Get Students Talking and One Way to Shut Them Up
Have you ever been afraid to raise your hand and speak up? Perhaps you weren’t afraid exactly, but you wondered if you might look foolish or ask a dumb question. If you’re like me, anxieties like that can keep you from speaking out. A great trainer works in many ways to encourage everyone to participate – both the naturally talkative … [Read more...]
An exercise that raises money while you do it
Is your board afraid of fundraising? You’re not alone. Most boards find the whole subject taboo. Here’s a real-world example. Imagine that your nonprofit faced the following challenges: Most of your board members are both unskilled at fundraising and anxious about doing it. (Sounds familiar, right?) You board gathers only twice … [Read more...]
The Learning Room: How to Set Up Your Training Space
Here’s a joke I’ve used for years – I train for free, but I get paid to move furniture. Pretty much every time I show up for a workshop, the tables and chairs are arranged badly. So I push them around, trying to create a better learning space. It’s not unusual for me to break a sweat even before the class begins. This is known as … [Read more...]
Five Steps to Success: A Simple Strategy to Help You Become a Great Trainer
If you’ve been reading our blog, you know that the most effective trainers use activities, rather than lectures, to draw out the wisdom and expertise of the people being trained, People learn more when they build on their own experiences, rather than listen to you talk about yours. Yes, it’s possible to take this approach too far. … [Read more...]
Benchmarking Bad: Three Common Trainer Mistakes – and How to Avoid Them
Lately, I’ve started train-the-trainer workshops with the following question: “Has anyone ever attended a bad class, a bad workshop, or had a bad learning experience?” When everybody stops laughing – because who hasn’t? – I ask them to gather in small groups and list “the benchmarks of bad.” It’s always a lively conversation, … [Read more...]
How I Led A Successful Training in a Language I Don’t Speak
Last month, I traveled to Quebec City to facilitate a fundraising workshop for the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. The event was organized by my colleagues at the Institute for Conservation Leadership. Nearly everyone in the room – except me – had French as their first language, with a varying range of … [Read more...]
Icebreakers: Eight Questions to Jumpstart (or Revive) Your Fundraising Workshop
Every trainer knows the moment: Your first minute in front of the room, all eyes on you, everyone waiting expectantly. You want to get off to a good start. You want to grab everyone’s attention. The way you start will set the tone for the rest of the training. Option 1: Have them talk to the person sitting next to them Choose one … [Read more...]
Intuitive Training: Knowing When to Abandon Your Agenda
Imagine a continuum... At one end are people who prepare thoroughly for everything, especially work. As trainers, they create detailed agendas timed to the minute. Their training materials are well-organized, well-designed, and well-thought-out. Their attention to detail makes them strong trainers, but can also cause problems. If … [Read more...]