Four live sessions. One month. The donor relations fundamentals every professional needs.
Donor relations can feel like learning a new language. From professional terminology and internal partnerships to stewardship strategy, reporting, recognition, and ROI, there is a lot to learn when you're new to the profession.
The Donor Relations Accelerator Bootcamp brings our most essential DRG training into one focused learning experience. You'll build a strong foundation in donor relations, gain practical tools to use immediately, and grow your confidence alongside peers who are also new to the field.
We've distilled decades of consulting, training, and hands-on experience into an 8-hour program focused on the fundamental knowledge and skills every donor relations professional needs to succeed.
Whether you're new to donor relations or onboarding a new team member, this bootcamp provides essential training to build confidence, accelerate learning, and support long-term growth.
Bootcamp Details:
4 live sessions over four weeks
8 hours of expert-led, focused training
8 CFRE Credits
$750 per person
A Better Way to Onboard
Training new donor relations staff takes time—something most managers don't have enough of.
The Accelerator Bootcamp gives new team members a guided, trusted, technology-neutral foundation in donor relations without requiring you to build or implement an onboarding program. Let DRG provide your team with the framework, expertise, and essential knowledge every new donor relations professional needs to succeed.
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By the end of this bootcamp participants will be able to:
✓ Understand donor relations terminology and concepts
✓ Apply the Four Pillars of Donor Relations
✓ Build stronger donor and colleague relationships
✓ Measure and communicate your impact
✓ Create a practical plan for success
✓ Connect with peers building careers in donor relations
What You Will Learn
Session 1: Your Role as a Donor Relations Professional
LYBUNTs and SYBUNTs and endowed funds, oh my! When you're new to donor relations, it can feel like everyone is speaking a foreign language. This first session begins with building a strong foundation by introducing you to the essential concepts, terminology, and standards every donor relations professional needs to know.
You'll learn:
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The history and evolution of donor relations
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The purpose and value of donor relations within fundraising
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Ethics and professional standards
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The donor cycle and where donor relations fits
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Common fundraising terminology and concepts
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Key industry language and jargon
By the end of this session, you'll understand not only what donor relations professionals do, but why our work matters.
Session 2: The Four Pillars of Donor Relations: Your Framework For Success
In this session, we'll introduce you to the Four Pillars of Donor Relations, DRG's proven framework for building and evaluating successful donor relations programs. You'll learn how each pillar contributes to the donor experience, how the pillars work together to support fundraising success, and how they can help you organize and prioritize your work.
You will:
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Explore each of the Four Pillars of Donor Relations
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Learn how the pillars work together
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Understand how successful programs are structured
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Gain a framework for organizing your work and priorities
Think of this as your donor relations game plan—the X's and O's that guide everything we do.
Session 3: Building Relationships & Measuring Success
Success in donor relations depends on strong relationships—with both donors and colleagues. In this session, you'll learn how to work effectively across your organization, communicate with leadership, better understand your donors, and measure the impact of your work. We'll share practical tools and frameworks to help you build credibility, make data-informed decisions, and demonstrate the value of donor relations.
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
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Identify the key internal partners who contribute to donor relations success
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Communicate more effectively with leadership and manage expectations
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Gather and apply donor insights to strengthen donor relationships
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Explain the value and impact of donor relations activities
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Use metrics and data to evaluate programs and inform decision-making
Session 4: Building Your Plan for Success
Knowledge is only valuable if you know how to put it into action. In our final session, we'll help you turn what you've learned into a practical plan for success. You'll finish the program knowing how to prioritize your work, manage projects, build a realistic work plan, and navigate one of the most common requests in donor relations: benchmarking your work against peers.
You'll learn:
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How to build an effective work plan
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Strategies for prioritizing projects and managing resources
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How to conduct and evaluate peer benchmarking studies
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Ways to present recommendations and findings to leadership
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Resources and opportunities for continued professional growth
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How to create a long-term plan for career success in donor relations
The Accelerator Bootcamp consists of four live, two-hour sessions over four consecutive weeks. This month-long program provides 8 hours of expert instruction, practical tools, and foundational knowledge you can immediately apply to your work.
Program Details
The cost of this program is per person. Registration cannot be shared across teams.
Session Dates:
September 10th - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
September 17th - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
September 24th - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
October 1st - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
Your registration includes:
4 live, two-hour training sessions
8 hours of expert instruction
30 days of recording access
*8 CFRE Continuing Education points
Presentation slides and downloadable resources
Accelerator Bootcamp digital badge
Practical templates and examples
DRG Access Discount
We understand the unique challenges small nonprofits face. To support organizations with annual budgets under $2 million, we’re proud to offer the DRG Access Discount—a 50% discount for this bootcamp.
To apply, send a copy of your most recent IRS Form 990 to info@donorrelations.com.
*DRG is a CFRE Approved Provider.
This program has been submitted for CFRE approval and is anticipated to be approved for 8 CFRE Continuing Education points.
FAQs
Will a recording of the presentations be provided?
Yes, attendees will have on-demand access to a recording of the bootcamp for 30 days.
Can I pay via invoice?
Of course! We've been working with nonprofits for over a decade and we know the drill. If you would like to pay via invoice or need approval from another person or department to purchase (but still want to take advantage of the time-sensitive savings and bonus content), no worries. Send us an email at info@donorrelationsguru.com and we'll take care of you!
I've purchased the bootcamp, but didn't get an email. What happened?
Try as we might, occasionally our emails end up in junk/spam/promotions folders or are blocked by an organization's firewall. If you do not receive an email from us within a few minutes of your purchase, please reach out to us right away at info@donorrelations.com.
How do I access the bootcamp?
Your confirmation email will include a link to each of the live Zoom events included in the bootcamp. If you do not receive the confirmation email and event links, please contact us at info@donorrelations.com.
Can I share my registration with others within my team, department, or organization?
Not this time. While we often encourage you to share our content with your entire team, we want to be able to interact with every individual in this bootcamp. Please be sure that anyone else at your organization who wishes to attend registers separately.
I have another question...who do I reach out to?
Just email us at info@donorrelations.com and let us know how we can help!