The Go Far Fundraising Group

Being a Development Director in a small shop can be so hard, especially when you’re new in the role.

You know you’re smart, motivated, and capable but you struggle to focus. There's so little time, the pressure is on to “get the money,” and nobody else in the office seems to understand what you do or how to help you.

Ugh! If only you had mentor in your corner, a group of fellow fundraisers who “get it,” and proven strategies and templates to work from…

Enter the Go Far Fundraising Group

It’s what I wished I had when I was a new Development Director. The name is inspired by the saying “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” And I would argue that’s what we want as fundraisers – we want to go far. We want to work in such a way that we can sustain our pace, honor our values, and deepen donors’ connections to our causes over the long term. The group harnesses a powerful blend of coaching, mentoring and peer support.

  • As a certified professional coach, I’ll guide you through exercises to build your clarity, confidence, and effectiveness. In our group, you’ll tap into your own wisdom, values, and motivators so that you can break through in the areas where you get stuck — whether that’s picking up the phone to call donors or finally figuring out that database report.

  • As a mentor, I’ll draw on my 16 years of fundraising expertise to guide you and answer the many questions — big and small — that come up in the course of your work. I’ll connect you with tools, resources, best practices and emerging trends and I’ll leverage my own network to support you when I can.

  • You’ll join an intimate group of up to five other Development Directors who understand your struggles and who have both empathy and wisdom to share. You’ll have the chance to unpack your toughest challenges and gain new perspectives and insights from your peers.

As part of the group, you’ll receive:

  • Biweekly Zoom meetings, twice monthly, with an agenda roughly as follows:

    • Check in and accountability report back

    • Coaching Corner - Vanessa leads exploration of a coaching topic  

    • Fund Development 101 - Vanessa leads exploration of a fundraising topic  

    • Group Mastermind - workshop challenges brought by group members

    • Intention setting and closing

  • Unlimited “quick questions” to Vanessa and/or the group via voice memo and/or messaging

  • Access to Vanessa’s templates and sample documents 

Fund Development Topics which will build your fundraising skills and confidence include:

  • How to launch a recurring giving program

  • How to make major gift solicitations 

  • How to host an effective fundraising house party

  • How to shape corporate sponsorships

  • How to research individual donors and foundations

  • How to engage board members in fundraising

Coaching Corner Topics which will enhance your effectiveness and relieve your stress include:

  • Focusing on what matters most in your work

  • Leading and fundraising from your values

  • Navigating challenging power dynamics

  • Moving beyond a scarcity mindset

  • Shifting your perspective when you feel stuck

  • Intercepting and softening negative self-talk

This program is for you if… 

  • You’re in your first 1-3 years as a Development Manager or Development Director with a $500K - $4 million organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

  • You’re smart, motivated and capable. but you find that you get overwhelmed. There are so many areas of development – from events to direct mail appeals and from grant writing to board member wrangling – and you’re not sure where to focus. 

  • You have great ideas and passion for your nonprofit’s mission and yet you’re spending a lot of time second guessing yourself for fear of “getting it wrong.” You just need someone in your corner to say “YES! That’s a great idea! You’re headed in the right direction.”

This program is also for you if… 

  • You see the transformative potential in fundraising and you want to do it in a way that’s aligned with your values – a way where you can truly connect with donors as people and do right by your organization’s constituents.  

  • You are energized by the idea of unpacking the challenges you face, examining the way you work internally, and stepping up with courage to make intentional changes.

  • You want to both offer and receive support as part of a group of peers who are caring, creative, and fun

What Fellow Fundraisers Say

“You do not need to feel alone as the one fundraiser at your organization! Vanessa brings a wealth of experience, empathy, and helpful resources to support you in this work. Beyond that, having a cohort of other development professionals who are doing similar work in other contexts brings a helpful and healthy variety of perspectives to what can feel like siloed work. I’m happy to say my Development Toolkit is fuller than when I started, and I’m looking forward to trying out some of the tools and skills I’ve learned.”

- Calliope Desenberg, Director of Development, Foodwise

Claire headshot

“When I came to coaching, it was the middle of the pandemic and I was on the brink of a major career change. Working with Vanessa helped me show up with the leadership presence I wanted in my new job, and navigate more fluidly in relationships with people at work who think very differently than I do. I would say coaching with Vanessa is essential professional development on par with any formal training opportunities that I’ve had.” 

- Claire McMurtry, Development Manager, LandPaths

Ready For Some Game-Changing Support?

The Spring/Summer 2023 session of the Go Far Fundraising Group is closed, but I’ll be offering a new session in Fall 2023. Contact me today to join the waitlist and be first to know when registration launches!

Note: To create an intimate setting and to ensure that you get the feedback you need, there will be a maximum of six participants in the group. Group members’ interest will drive the final selection of fund development and coaching topics, as well as the final selection of a time to meet.