Learn how to write compelling fundraising appeals that raise money inside
The Fundraising Writing Workshop
Writing fundraising appeals or emails is probably just one of many tasks on your to-do list.
And—no judgment here—no one has probably taught you how to write for fundraising.
Yet writing for fundraising is its own wonky genre of writing. What works on social media doesn’t necessarily work in a fundraising email. What works in a grant application doesn’t necessarily work in a direct mail letter. And what works in your annual report definitely doesn’t work for fundraising.
Add to that the often challenging mental game of writing. Many of us often doubt our ability to write well and our inner critic starts to chip away at our self-confidence, so what started out feeling like a challenge is now starting to feel impossible.
The good news is that writing for fundraising is a learnable skill! When you know the rules of writing for fundraising you can quickly improve the effectiveness of your fundraising appeals.
The Fundraising Writing Workshop is a 10-lesson online workshop designed to help fundraisers, communications professionals, and executive directors learn how to write copy that raises money.
Every day you will receive a short video lesson (5 to 15 minutes long) along with a worksheet, checklist, or resource to help you apply what you are learning to your next appeal.
In The Fundraising Writing Workshop you will learn:
- 5 five elements of effective fundraising copywriting that will make your writing more compelling than ever before
- How to be your own best editor for your work because editing is where the magic happens!
- Leaving the jargon in the dust with conversational writing that connects with donors
- How to transform your copy from “meh” to “WOW” with vivid and gripping language
- Sourcing inspiration to write. . . and more!
When you sign up for the Fundraising Writing Workshop, you'll have access to our private online classroom that includes a supportive peer community and interactive online discussion forum. You'll have lifetime access to the online classroom and course materials.
The Fundraising Writing Workshop begins as soon as you sign up. The lessons are available to you on demand.
The Fundraising Writing Workshop gave me the skills to improve my writing and communication with donors. It helped me learn how to use more inclusive and donor-centric statements. In just ten lessons, I have seen significant progress in how donors respond to my messages. I recommend this course to anyone seeking to improve their fundraising writing skills.
Since taking the course, I have the tools to use my writing to build stronger relationships with my constituents. This has led to better fundraising outcomes.
Ashley Green
Major Gifts Officer | University of Michigan
Hey there!
I’m Vanessa Chase Lockshin, a seasoned non-profit fundraising copywriter who’s raised over $16 million dollars. My words have helped organizations like Variety BC, Amplio, BC Women’s Health Foundation, YMCA of Greater Toronto, and many others reach their fundraising goals.
For 14 years I’ve been passionate about helping non-profits find the right words, the right turn of phrase, and the right stories that engage donors in their campaigns.
But more than that, I’m passionate about helping other non-profit professionals learn the skill of writing for fundraising. My #1 belief is that anyone can learn to do this kind of writing. I believe you can write amazing appeals that raise a lot of money and surprise yourself in the process. Let me show you how inside the Fundraising Writing Workshop.
The Fundraising Writing Workshop was fun, informative, and engaging. I learned so many tips and strategies that I can implement immediately in my writing. I feel more confident writing fundraising appeals that connect with my audience and connect them to my organization and its mission. Vanessa is very responsive and constantly offers support and insight.
AyAna Curtis
Development Associate
This was a rewarding workshop. As a Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, I am always looking for new ways—and smarter ways—to approach my writing. The Fundraising Writing Workshop gave me fresh ideas I could use right away.
Linda Whitmore
Marketing & Comms Manager
Got questions? We’ve got answers!
When does the Fundraising Writing Workshop begin and end?
The Fundraising Writing Workshop is a self-paced 10-lesson course that can start as soon as you complete your purchase or whenever you’re ready.
Is this class self-paced or do I need to be available at a specific time for the class materials?
You can go through the material at a pace that makes sense for your schedule. When you sign up for the Fundraising Writing Workshop, you'll receive an email each day for two weeks that introduces you to the lessons and reminds you to check out the lesson in the online classroom.
I read that this is an online course. How does that work?
The Fundraising Writing Workshop is delivered through our online learning hub hosted in Ruzuku. Each day for 10 days you'll receive a lesson that will be 5 to 15 minutes in length. The lesson is a video and also includes a worksheet, checklist, or resource to supplement what is discussed in the video lesson. While the course is paced for 2 weeks, you can also work through the material at your own pace.
Is this really $99?
Yes! I know that not every organization can afford to hire a copywriter. But if they have a staff member who wants to write, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to get great training. I priced this training at $99 to make it as accessible as possible.
Your next fundraising appeal is only as good as its writing so let’s make it great!