Fundraising & Financial Sustainability
Effective People Management
COURSE ENGLISH EDITION / SEP 2025
Achieving Financial Sustainability
SYNOPSIS:
This online training is designed to empower CSOs identify and engage donors, and create compelling proposals that resonate with funders. With a focus on practical tools and real-world examples, the training will address common challenges faced by CSOs and provide actionable insights to overcome them.
This training is interactive, with practical exercises, expert insights, and opportunities for peer learning. Whether you are just starting your fundraising journey or looking to refine your approach, this program will equip you with the resources to thrive.
AUDIENCE:
CSO leaders, fundraisers, program managers, and finance officers seeking to improve fundraising strategies and ensure financial sustainability for their organisations.
TRAINER:
Patrice dos Santos is a Principal Consultant at Soup Consulting. He has an academic background in political science in France (Sciences-Po) and holds a master’s degree in governance of organisations for international development, a master’s degree in international economics, and a LL.M. (private law). In over 20 years of professional experience, he worked as a policy analyst at the European Commission (DG Joint Research Centre) where he focused its work on the various dimensions of fairness in the EU and funding opportunities for EU lagging regions, and worked in the French Prime Minister Services.
He has provided consultancy with Stone Soup on more than 30 projects on fundraising, training, impact assessment, and strategic planning. He has recently implemented a training on non-profit fundraising for 15 partners for BirdLife International, as well as for various members of the Union for International Cancer Control, the NGOs Defensoria Ambiental (Chile), Happy Code (Portugal) and Biosfera (Cape Verde). He has worked with organisations such as WWF France, UNICEF, IUCN, Aga Khan Foundation, Water.org, Caritas, the Alliance for Mediterranean Nature & Culture, Mediterranean Alliance for Wetlands, African Movement of Working Children and Youth, EDP Foundation.
In 2022, he supported the EIT Climate KIC with its Skills4thefuture educational programme and co-authored several publications from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. Patrice also delivered training courses on the enhancement of the participation of academia, business, civil society and public actors in regional development in Portugal on behalf of Porto Business School. He currently acts as a senior fundraiser for Razom We Stand, a Ukrainian high-impact climate advocacy organisation.
Patrice is French (based in Porto), and also speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.
THE TRAINER ALSO TEACHES:
- (PT) Angariação de Fundos: Alcançar a sustentabilidade financeira
- (ES) Recaudación de fondos: Lograr la sostenibilidad financiera
- (FR) Collecte de fonds: Atteindre la viabilité financière
- (ES) Planificación estratégica: Navegar hacia el futuro
- (FR) Planification Stratégique: Naviguer vers l'avenir
- (FR) Gestion Financière: Focus sur les organisations de la société civile
CONTENT:
Fundamentals of fundraising and philanthropy
- Key principles of fundraising
- Understanding donor motivations
- Overview of philanthropy types and trends
Diversifying funding streams
- Revenue streams: grants, individual donations, major donors, corporate donors
- Risk management through diversification
- Exploring innovative funding options (e.g., social enterprises)
Strategies for individual and institutional donors
- Tailoring approaches for different donor types
- Researching and targeting institutional donors
- Creating personalized donor journeys for individuals
Writing compelling grant proposals and donor communications
- Key components of a winning proposal
- Storytelling and emotional appeals in donor materials
- Clarity and impact in written communication
Leveraging digital tools and social media for fundraising campaigns and crowdfunding
- Selecting the right platforms and tools
- Tips for running successful crowdfunding campaigns
Financial planning for sustainability
- Budgeting for fundraising activities
- Aligning fundraising goals with organizational strategy
Monitoring and evaluation of fundraising performance
- Setting measurable KPIs
- Analysing return on investment
- Using data to refine strategies
Building long-term donor relationships
- Techniques for donor stewardship
- Creating engagement opportunities
- Recognizing and retaining loyal donors
Check other course editions
We have created this course customised also in other languages
Check all other courses
Hourly Schedule
9th September 2025
- 15 - 18
- Fundraising Made Simple: Session 01
- Achieving Financial Sustainability for CSOs I
-
Speakers:
Patrice Santos
10th September 2025
- 15 - 18
- Fundraising Made Simple: Session 02
- Achieving Financial Sustainability for CSOs II
-
Speakers:
Patrice Santos
