B8251 - Fundraising Techniques Laboratory

Learning outcomes

The goal of the course is to provide students with the basic knowledge and the main tools of fundraising for nonprofit organizations. At the end of the course, students will be able to: - understand and apply fundraising strategies, sources, tools, methodologies, and management; - analyze and use different techniques to ensure the economic, organizational, and strategic sustainability of nonprofit organizations; - understand and apply the concept of fundraising ethics.

Course contents

Fundraising Techniques Laboratory

The Fundraising Techniques Laboratory is a core course within the Master's Degree in Social Economy at the University of Bologna – Forlì Campus.

No specific prerequisites are required. A basic knowledge of the nonprofit sector is helpful, although the essential concepts are introduced during the first class. The course is designed as a laboratory rather than a traditional lecture-based course. Classes are taught by the course instructor and include two guest lectures delivered by Elisa Castellucci and Stefano Malfatti, who will address specific fundraising topics.

Each class lasts three hours. The first two hours are devoted to the theoretical content and fundraising techniques covered in the course materials. During the third hour, student groups work on the nonprofit organization assigned to them, while the instructor moves among the groups, providing guidance, feedback and corrections in real time. The final two classes are entirely dedicated to the presentation of the students' fundraising plans.

The course is based on four real nonprofit organizations, selected and provided by the instructor. Students are divided into groups of up to four members, and each group is assigned one organization. If the number of enrolled students exceeds sixteen, two groups work on the same organization, creating a direct comparison between their fundraising plans.

Throughout the course, each group develops the 2027 Annual Fundraising Plan for its assigned organization. The plan includes the annual fundraising goal, donor segments to cultivate, fundraising strategies and tools, budget, and implementation timeline. Research, analysis and writing are carried out independently between classes, while classroom time is used to discuss progress, review the work and refine strategic decisions.

The course concludes with the final presentations. Each group presents its fundraising plan to the class, which acts as the organization's Board of Directors. Working with a real nonprofit organization also provides students with the opportunity to develop key transferable skills, including teamwork, communication with a real client, time management, and the ability to justify and defend strategic decisions before an audience.

Tentative Course ScheduleWeek 1

Class 1 – Introduction and Assignment of the Organizations

Introduction to the annual fundraising plan, the three pillars of fundraising, and how to read the financial statements of a nonprofit organization. Assignment of the four nonprofit organizations to the student groups. In-class activity: Initial analysis of the assigned organization's documentation.

Class 2 – Building the Case for Support

How to develop an effective case for support and assess, when necessary, improve an organization's mission statement. In-class activity: Drafting the case for support for the assigned organization.

Week 2

Class 3 – Regular Donors

Why regular donors are more valuable than they may appear and the importance of donor retention. In-class activity: Analysis of the organization's current donor base.

Class 4 – Direct Mail

From traditional fundraising letters to integrated multichannel strategies: what works and what does not. In-class activity: Drafting a fundraising letter for the assigned organization.

Week 3

Class 5 – Digital Fundraising and Social Media

Social media campaigns, email marketing and crowdfunding.

Guest speaker: Elisa Castellucci.

In-class activity: Developing a digital fundraising campaign for the assigned organization.

Class 6 – Major Donors and Legacy Giving

Major donor fundraising, the donor pyramid and charitable bequests.

Guest speaker: Stefano Malfatti.

In-class activity: Identifying potential major donors for the assigned organization.

Week 4

Class 7 – Corporate Fundraising

How to engage companies through partnerships, sponsorships and CSR initiatives. In-class activity: Drafting a corporate partnership proposal for the assigned organization.

Class 8 – Budget and Gift Chart

How to build a gift chart by determining the number and size of donations required to achieve the annual fundraising target. In-class activity: Preparing the gift chart for the fundraising plan.

Week 5

Class 9 – Final Presentations (Part I)

Half of the student groups present their 2027 fundraising plans to the class, which acts as the organization's Board of Directors. Each presentation is followed by a question-and-answer session.

Class 10 – Final Presentations (Part II)

The remaining groups present their fundraising plans. Where two groups have worked on the same nonprofit organization, they present their strategies in direct comparison before the class. The course concludes with a final discussion and the communication of the assessment results.

Readings/Bibliography

Required reading (for both attending and non-attending students): Melandri, V. (2023). Fundraising per la tua causa. Mondadori.

• Non-attending students: the entire book is required.
• Attending students: only the chapters assigned during the course, according to the topics covered in class.

Recommended reading: Melandri, V. (2023). Fare Fundraising. Maggioli.

Supporting materials, including lecture slides, workshop guidelines, and documentation relating to the four nonprofit organizations assigned during the laboratory, will be made available through the University's Virtuale e-learning platform.

Teaching methods

The course is delivered in person, with the only possible exception being online participation by guest speakers should circumstances require it.

The teaching methods include lectures, group work based on a real nonprofit case, guided classroom exercises, in-class discussion and real-time feedback on each group's work, and final presentations simulating a meeting of the organization's Board of Directors.

The course is taught by the instructor, with two guest lectures delivered by Elisa Castellucci and Stefano Malfatti, each focusing on specific topics outlined in the course schedule.

Assessment methods

Attending Students

The final assessment is expressed on a 30-point scale, with the possibility of honours (30 cum laude), and is based on two components.

Written Annual Fundraising Plan (two-thirds of the final grade)

Student groups are required to submit a written annual fundraising plan by the deadline set at the end of the course, prior to the final presentations. The plan includes the analysis of the assigned nonprofit organization, the case for support, fundraising strategies for different donor segments, the gift chart, and the fundraising budget.

No in-class written examinations are scheduled. The fundraising plan is a take-home assignment completed throughout the duration of the course.

Final Presentation (one-third of the final grade)

Each group presents its fundraising plan during Class 9 or Class 10 to the rest of the class, which acts as the organization's Board of Directors. Each presentation is followed by a question-and-answer session.

The discussion also serves as an individual oral assessment, during which each group member may be asked specific questions concerning both the fundraising plan and their personal contribution to the project.

No graded mid-term assessments are scheduled. However, students receive continuous feedback throughout the laboratory sessions as they develop their fundraising plans.

The written fundraising plan will be assessed on a 30-point scale according to five evaluation criteria, which will be presented and discussed during the course. These criteria include the quality of the organizational analysis, the effectiveness of the fundraising strategies, the development of the fundraising budget, the overall coherence and feasibility of the plan, and the quality of the written document.

Non-attending Students

Students who do not attend the course are required to take an oral examination based on the entire textbook Fundraising per la tua causa.

Non-attending students are not required to submit the fundraising plan or participate in the final presentations.

During the oral examination, students may not use the textbook, notes, or any other supporting materials.

The grading criteria for the oral examination are as follows:

• 18–22: Adequate preparation on a limited number of topics, with generally correct use of language.
• 23–26: Good preparation covering most of the course topics, with the ability to connect concepts and communicate them clearly.
• 27–29: Broad preparation, independent critical analysis, and confident use of appropriate fundraising terminology.
• 30–30 cum laude: Comprehensive preparation, excellent analytical and argumentative skills, ability to support answers with original examples, and full command of the subject-specific terminology.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence tools is not permitted for assessments completed outside a controlled examination environment, particularly the written fundraising plan prepared by student groups outside the classroom.

The authenticity of each group's work will be verified during the final presentation through discussion of the submitted plan and individual questions addressed to each group member.

Examination Registration and Students with Disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders

Students must register for the examination through AlmaEsami within the deadlines established in the University's academic calendar.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities are invited to contact the University's dedicated support services well in advance. Any agreed accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor for approval at least 15 days before the examination.

Teaching tools

Students are encouraged to use Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides) to support collaborative work within their groups.

Course materials, including lecture slides, workshop guidelines, and information about the assigned nonprofit organizations, will be made available through the University's Virtuale e-learning platform.

Artificial intelligence tools may be used to support individual study—for example, to summarize textbook chapters or for self-assessment and revision. However, as stated above, the use of AI is not permitted in the preparation of the written fundraising plan.

Links to further information

https://www.valeriomelandri.it/

Office hours

See the website of Valerio Melandri