Fundraising Academy | Cause Selling Education

What Fundraising Academy | Cause Selling Education does

Fundraising Academy, the signature program of the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy, is a non-profit fundraising education initiative housed within Sanford Learning at National University (founded 1971). Founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Diego, California, it trains nonprofit fundraising professionals and development teams through a structured curriculum anchored by the proprietary 'Cause Selling' 8-step methodology (Prospecting, Pre-Approach, Approach, Need Discovery, Presentation, Handling Objections, The Ask, Stewardship). The offering spans a 9-course asynchronous certificate program (FUN600–FUN680 Capstone, awarding 125 CFRE education points), two curated bundles (Fundraising Fundamentals and Cause Selling: Relationship-Driven Fundraising), free monthly webinars and an Online Learning Portal (mylearningportal.org), customized cohort training for organizations and boards, and five courses distributed via LinkedIn Learning under a partnership with National University.

The technology stack is a proprietary Learning Management System delivering self-paced modules, live webinars, and interactive workshops, with content authored by certified CFRE trainers. Distribution operates through three channels: a direct-to-learner digital portal (free + paid via National University's academies.nu.edu catalog), a direct organizational sales motion for customized cohorts of 2–50 team members priced on agenda-based hourly rates, and a global marketplace channel via LinkedIn Learning. The business model combines freemium lead generation (no-cost portal and webinars) with one-time certificate/bundle purchases at a $999 promotional price (down from $2,500), supplemented by higher-margin customized professional services for nonprofit organizations and boards. Geographic scope is primarily the United States for paid certificates, with LinkedIn Learning providing limited international reach; partnerships with Bloomerang (exclusive webinar sponsor), PNC Bank (San Diego Fundraising Conference), and National University (institutional infrastructure) anchor the go-to-market. Since 2014, the program reports having prepared thousands of nonprofit professionals across the United States.

Name

Fundraising Academy | Cause Selling Education

Legal name

Sanford Institute of Philanthropy

Website

https://fundraising-academy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Fundraising Training and Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB), Advancement Services & Donor Operations (CRM, Gift Processing, Stewardship) (EDALAOAD)

Keywords

• Nonprofit fundraising training
• Fundraising certificate programs
• Donor relationship management
• Cause selling methodology
• Nonprofit professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Certificate and Course Sales: Fundraising Academy generates revenue from paid certificate programs (Fundraising Essentials Certificate at $999) and individual course purchases (FUN610 through FUN680, each requiring FUN600 as a prerequisite). Two course bundles are available: Fundraising Fundamentals (Bundle 1) and Cause Selling: Relationship-Driven Fundraising (Bundle 2). Revenue is one-time per enrollment, with organizational license pricing available for teams.
2. Customized Cohort / Organizational Training: Tailored training packages for nonprofit teams (2–50 members) delivered virtually or in-person by Sanford Institute trainers. Pricing is agenda-based hourly rates, with cohort duration ranging from one week to four months. Board training is also offered as a specialized offering with a 10% early-bird discount.
3. No-Cost Portal and Webinars (Lead Generation): The Online Learning Portal and monthly no-cost webinars serve as the primary demand-generation and community-building channels. They attract nonprofit professionals into the funnel for paid certificate and cohort programs, functioning as a freemium lead-generation motion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fundraising Academy by Sanford Institute of Philanthropy is an educational platform that delivers fundraising training to nonprofit professionals and organizations through self-paced online courses, certificate programs, webinars, and customized cohort training. Its signature offering is the proprietary Cause Selling Cycle, an 8-step relationship-driven fundraising methodology taught through a 9-course certificate program (FUN600 through FUN680) and supporting bundles. Paid certificates/courses plus customized team and board training are delivered virtually or in-person to individual professionals and nonprofit organizations primarily in the United States.

Product overview

Fundraising Academy by Sanford Institute of Philanthropy is an educational platform offering a comprehensive portfolio of fundraising training programs for nonprofit professionals. The core offering is the Fundraising Essentials Certificate, a self-paced program containing nine individual courses (FUN600 through FUN680) covering Cause Selling methodology. These courses are also available in two curated bundles: Fundraising Fundamentals (covering basics, donor personas, ethics, and tools) and Cause Selling: Relationship-Driven Fundraising (covering the full eight-step Cause Selling Cycle). The platform provides free access to an Online Learning Portal with on-demand webinars and supplemental resources, alongside paid offerings including monthly webinars, live workshops, and customized organizational training. A LinkedIn Learning partnership offers additional courses. All programs award CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) education points for professional certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fundraising Essentials Certificate A comprehensive self-paced fundraising certificate program combining all nine courses (FUN600–FUN680) that teaches fundraising basics and essentials from crafting donor personas to perfecting pitch skills; participants earn 125 CFRE education points upon completion.
• Bundle 1: Fundraising Fundamentals A foundational course bundle for early-career professionals covering basics of fundraising including Cause Selling, donor personas, ethics, and effective time management; contains FUN600, FUN610, FUN620, and FUN630 courses (approximately 35 hours, eligible for 35 CFRE education points).
• Bundle 2: Cause Selling: Relationship-Driven Fundraising A comprehensive bundle walking through the eight-step Cause Selling Cycle from prospecting to stewardship, helping build meaningful donor relationships grounded in trust and shared values; contains FUN600, FUN640, FUN650, FUN660, and FUN670 courses (approximately 45 hours, eligible for 45 CFRE education points).
• FUN600: An Introduction to Cause Selling Introductory course that introduces Cause Selling principles and basic fundraising career concepts, laying the foundation for the Cause Selling Certificate; covers fundraising fundamentals, time management, effective communication, and donor motivation. Offered at no cost as the prerequisite for all other programs.
• FUN610: Fundraising Foundations Foundational course exploring donor motivations, the ASADA Donation Decision Process, and communication strategies that support meaningful donor relationships.
• FUN620: Fundraising Basics – Crafting Donor Personas & Ethics Course covering social styles communication, ethics, and organizational code of conduct to guide ethical fundraising and business development.
• FUN630: Fundraising Essentials – Six Powerful Fundraising Tools, Time Management Course on the Pillars of Success, competitive advantage positioning, data analytics for donor strategy, and time management techniques for Cause Selling professionals.
• FUN640: Prospecting – Converting Leads into Qualified Donors Course on prospecting techniques, using Centers of Influence, the M.A.D.D.E.N. prospecting qualification approach, and the six-step telephone track to secure donor meetings.
• FUN650: Donor Cultivation – Approach, Need Discovery, Presentation Course teaching effective questioning techniques, trust-building through active listening, and presentation elements that align organizational cause with donor aspirations.
• FUN660: The Ask – Confirming the Gift, Handling Objections Course focusing on skills to successfully confirm gifts, including a step-by-step Handling Objections roadmap and techniques for recognizing donor signals.
• FUN670: Stewardship – Fostering Donor Loyalty Course on donor retention, keys to donor loyalty, segmentation, engagement strategies, and creating comprehensive stewardship plans for lasting donor connections.
• FUN680: Capstone – Perfecting Your Pitch, Fundraising Action Plan Capstone course synthesizing components from the Fundraising Fundamentals and Cause Selling Cycle course sequences, leading to a Fundraising Action Plan and persuasive pitch creation.
• Online Learning Portal A no-cost, on-demand training portal providing access to the 8-step Cause Selling Cycle, upcoming and archived monthly webinars, supplemental tools, daily tips, blogs, and donor conversation resources; accessible via free account registration.
• Webinars and Live Workshops Monthly no-cost webinars and interactive live workshops led by expert trainers covering topics including planned giving, donor stewardship, digital philanthropy, Black philanthropy, and the stewardship pipeline; CFRE credits available, sponsored by Bloomerang.
• Customized Organizational Training Tailored training packages for nonprofit teams (2–50 members) delivered virtually or in-person by expert Sanford Institute trainers; cohort duration ranges from one week to four months with agenda-based hourly pricing, including CFRE credit-eligible content and organizational license options.
• Customized Board Training Specialized training program designed to shift nonprofit board members from passive to enthusiastic fundraising partners, led by expert trainers; offered with a 10% early-bird discount for scheduling by August 31.
• LinkedIn Learning Courses Professional training courses developed by Dr. David Lill and Jennifer Lill-Brown in partnership with National University, offered through the LinkedIn Learning platform; includes courses on Cause Selling, beginner nonprofit fundraising, relationship-driven growth, donor objection handling, and general fundraising tips, available globally to LinkedIn's professional user base.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500% revenue growth (from $50,000 to over $250,000 annually) for a client organization's fundraising event over nine years through Cause Selling-aligned event redesign
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• BloomerangcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBloomerang serves as the exclusive sponsor for Fundraising Academy's monthly webinar series. This partnership enables Fundraising Academy to deliver expert-led, no-cost monthly webinars on relationship-driven fundraising topics. Bloomerang, a cloud-based Giving Platform for nonprofits, also collaborates on research (e.g., the Mission Retainable donor retention study) referenced across Fundraising Academy's content.
• LinkedIn LearningcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFundraising Academy courses are developed in partnership with National University and distributed through LinkedIn Learning's global platform under instructor account 2168252. Five courses (Cause Selling fundamentals, beginner nonprofit fundraising, relationship-driven growth, donor objection handling, and general fundraising tips) are available to LinkedIn's worldwide professional users. LinkedIn Learning handles platform hosting, billing, and distribution while Fundraising Academy provides content.
• PNC Bank (San Diego Fundraising Conference)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFundraising Academy is a Conference Partner at the San Diego Fundraising Conference presented by PNC Bank (September 9–10). This is a marketing partnership in which Fundraising Academy supports the conference to strengthen its brand presence in the nonprofit community and drive awareness of its training programs among San Diego-area nonprofits.
• National UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFundraising Academy is the signature program of the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy, which is part of Sanford Learning at National University. National University (founded 1971) provides institutional infrastructure, accreditation, administrative support, and the academies.nu.edu catalog platform for course delivery. This is the core parent relationship enabling all Fundraising Academy operations.
• Blue Star FamiliesminorOthersBlue Star Families received customized training from Fundraising Academy for their fellowship program. The organization is featured as a partner organization on the Customized Training page, with Director of Community Impact Carlandra 'CT' Moss providing a testimonial about the program's impact.
• Brilliant CornersminorOthersBrilliant Corners (an affordable housing nonprofit) is featured as a partner organization that received customized training from Fundraising Academy, with training photos from their engagement included on the Customized Training page.
• Centering Healthcare InstituteminorOthersCentering Healthcare Institute is featured as a partner organization that received Fundraising Academy training. Senior Vice President Lisa M. Stratton provided a testimonial praising the expert-led sessions for expanding understanding of philanthropy and elevating donor engagement.
• The Distinguished Flying Cross SocietyminorOthersThe Distinguished Flying Cross Society is featured as a partner organization that received customized board and individual training from Fundraising Academy. President/CEO John Whiddon reported strengthened donor relationships, improved fundraising communications, and deeper appreciation for stewardship.
• National University (Sanford Houses)minorOthersSanford Houses is listed as a partner organization that has received customized training from Fundraising Academy. Featured with a logo on the Customized Training page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aspiration Tech: Nonprofit that provides software and capacity-building training for social-change organizations. Comparable as a nonprofit-capacity-building peer serving the same audience (nonprofit staff, fundraisers, leaders) with overlapping training, events, and learning content.
• CharityHowTo: Online training company providing webinars, courses, and conferences for nonprofit professionals on fundraising, marketing, and board development. Comparable as a digital-first fundraising training peer with overlapping webinar series and certificate-style products.
• NonprofitReady: Free online learning platform offering self-paced courses in fundraising, governance, and nonprofit management. Directly comparable as an online, asynchronous fundraising-training alternative, with overlapping curriculum topics and a similar free-portal-plus-certificate structure.
• CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: Bay Area-based nonprofit that delivers fundraising, leadership, and management training to nonprofit professionals and boards. Comparable as a direct nonprofit-training peer with similar audience (development staff, EDs, boards) and similar custom cohort plus public workshop delivery model.
• The Fund Raising School (Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy): Indiana University's flagship fundraising certificate program, offering The Fund Raising Certificate and executive courses in fundraising management. Directly comparable as a university-anchored nonprofit fundraising education provider, though focused on in-person/traditional formats rather than Fundraising Academy's self-paced online model.

Broad incumbents

• Blackbaud: Enterprise software incumbent for the nonprofit sector (CRM, fundraising, financial management). Comparable as a broad sector player whose customers are the same development professionals Fundraising Academy trains; it offers its own educational resources (Blackbaud Institute) competing for audience attention.
• Network for Good: Donor-management and fundraising software platform that bundles educational resources and donor-retention research into its offering. Comparable as a fundraising-domain incumbent that overlaps with Fundraising Academy's content topics (retention, stewardship) while operating a software-led revenue model.
• Bloomerang: Cloud donor-management software provider that also produces educational content (blog, webinars, research) for the nonprofit sector. Comparable as both a webinar/content peer and a GTM partner (Bloomerang sponsors Fundraising Academy's monthly webinar series), while serving the same nonprofit audience with a software-led business model.
• Kindsight (formerly Pursuant): Fundraising research, advisory, and training provider serving large nonprofit clients. Comparable as a fundraising-strategy peer with similar B2B cohort/consulting model aimed at nonprofit development teams, though oriented to enterprise engagements and research rather than self-paced certificates.

Regional players

• Philanthropy Northwest: Regional association serving nonprofits and funders across the Pacific Northwest with training, advocacy, and peer-learning programs. Comparable as a capacity-building/training peer for nonprofit professionals, but with a regional geographic footprint distinct from Fundraising Academy's national (U.S.-only) paid reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CauseSellingEd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0CTINifyQPir6imiRcCWTQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/CauseSellingEd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundraising-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/causesellinged

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fundraising Academy | Cause Selling Education