Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Explore scripture and the perspective of Christian leaders on the topics of marketing and fundraising.

• Explain why a biblical worldview on marketing differs from a secular worldview.

• Frame clarity, connection, and credibility as three pillars to effective non-profit marketing.

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 1 Resource Orientation Video:  For nonprofit organizations, marketing and fundraising are complex areas. Nicole Johansson orients us to the resources assigned to this module.

• The Spirituality of Fundraising

• Understanding and Applying Biblical Principles for Stewardship and Fundraising

• The Science of What Makes People Care

• The Power of Persuasion

• The Arts and Ethics of Fundraising

• Fundraising Ethics - Part 1

• Fundraising Ethics - Part 2

• Conversation with Dale Berkey Video: Nicole Johansson interviews Dale Berkey concerning fundraising and marketing in the Christian world. 

Think About It

While consuming this module's learning resources, use this worksheet to compare and contrast secular and biblical approaches to the ethics involved in marketing.

Apply It

From the reading this week and your own personal history, learning, and experience, reflect on and respond to the following questions: 

• What does the Bible say about helping people who have a financial need (whether this results from poverty [financial hardship] or mission [gospel mission often involves financial needs that the people doing the mission are not able to meet themselves])? 

• How should financial need be voiced by those who have financial need? To answer this question, you may use the following questions to spur your thoughts: 

  • • Should someone with a financial need in a Christian community feel ashamed to ask for financial help? 

    • How long should someone with a financial need in a Christian community wait before asking for help? 

    • What are the reasons someone with a financial need in a Christian community might not ask for help? 

    • What are ways a Christian community can minimize abuse in this area? 

• How should members of the community address the financial need when it is voiced? To answer this question, you may use the following questions to spur your thoughts: 

  • • How should members of a Christian community feel about helping those who voice financial needs? 

    • In your experience, how do members of your community with the means to help feel about helping? 

• How do you feel about asking for financial help? How should you feel? 

• How do you feel about giving financial help? How should you feel?

Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Identify the key elements of a brand.

• Explain why branding matters.

• Explain the benefits of a brand narrative.

• Develop a personal brand narrative.

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 2 Resource Orientation Video

• The Brand Report Card

• The Role of Brand in the Non-Profit Sector

• Eight Building Blocks of Strong Nonprofit Brands

Think About It

Drawing from this week’s resources on signature stories, use this worksheet to draft a one-page guide that you can use in a not-for-profit context to introduce the concept of “signature story” to a colleague or group.

Apply It

Using this worksheet, assess the brand of your ministry or church (or select a church or ministry of interest to you) using the criteria from Kevin Keller’s “The Brand Report Card”. From the ten criteria, select 3 that are strongest for your selected brand and 3 that could use improvement. Describe the strengths and how they might be further leveraged. Describe the weaknesses and how you might engage in improving them.

Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Define and evaluate the concept of marketing ROI in nonprofit contexts.

• Identify the unique challenges and strategic opportunities in nonprofit marketing.

• Analyze the customer journey and how digital tools influence donor or participant engagement.

• Assess how a nonprofit organization uses brand and digital strategy to engage supporters across platforms.

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 3 Resource Orientation

• A Refresher on Marketing ROI

• The Art of Digital Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Creating Strategic, Targeted and Measurable Online Campaigns

• 10 Realities of Nonprofit Marketing

• The New Customer Path

Think About It

Explore the Charity Water brand via their website and their social media, then complete this worksheet: Charity Water. Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube.

Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Explain the role of empathy in nonprofit marketing and fundraising.

• Identify key strategies for understanding and segmenting target audiences.

• Explore the connection between storytelling and audience engagement.

• Develop a sample persona to clarify messaging and guide communication strategy.

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 4 Resource Orientation Video

• Empathy Map Video

• Make a Memorable Case

• Your Idea Is Only as Good as Its Story

• Define Your Community: Who Do You Want to Reach?

• Insights That Guide Marketing Decisions

Apply It

Creating personas is a complex and lengthy process that leverages constituent interviews, demographic and psychographic data, and other methods to achieve a common understanding of audiences. In this worksheet, you will use a fictional understanding of what you know about one of your audiences to create personas.

Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Identify the elements of a strong signature story in nonprofit contexts

• Explain how storytelling fosters connection, trust, and strategic alignment

• Analyze the impact of narrative advertising in digital and nonprofit environments

• Apply insights from expert storytellers to enhance your own marketing and fundraising strategies

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 5 Resource Orientation Video

• What Makes a Signature Story Strong

• The Impact of Storytelling in Creating Firm and Customer Connections in Online Environments

• Why Narrative Ads Work: An Integrated Process Explanation

• Telling a Different Story: How Nonprofit Organizations Reveal Strategic Purpose Through Storytelling

Apply It

Use this worksheet to capture 2-3 quotations or concepts from each of the six TED Talk videos that you can apply to your marketing and fundraising work. 

Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Define value development in the context of nonprofit fundraising.

• Compare various nonprofit funding models and their strategic applications.

• Identify best practices for building and sustaining relationships with major donors.

• Evaluate how ministries can align mission and messaging to create long-term donor value.

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 6 Resource Orientation Video

• Module 6 Value Development: Building Relationships with Donors

• Dale Berkey Conversation Podcast

• Ten Nonprofit Funding Models

• Donors Are People Too: Managing Relationships With Your Ministry's Major Contributors

• How to Build Value Development: A White Paper by OneHope

Think About It

Apply It

Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Explore the benefits and limitations of digital marketing for nonprofit organizations.

• Assess how digital marketing can contribute to or detract from a nonprofit’s mission.

• Analyze risks such as ROI concerns, brand dilution, or audience misalignment in digital strategies.

• Apply a critical framework to evaluate digital marketing tactics for a nonprofit of your choice.

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 7 Resource Orientation Video

• A Demographic of One

Apply It

Complete this worksheet by using the table to weigh the pros and cons of using digital marketing for a non-profit of your choice. For pros, list and then describe in 1-2 sentences how digital marketing can add value for this non-profit. For cons, list and describe in 1-2 sentences how digital marketing may (a) expose the non-profit to risk; (b) have a limited or negative return on investment; or (c) contribute to mission drift.

Learning Objectives

In this module, you will:

• Prepare to demonstrate your understanding of nonprofit marketing and fundraising by completing a comprehensive final assessment

Learning Resources

Consume the following learning resources.

• Module 8 Assessment Explainer