Fundraising Training vs. Fundraising Coaching: Finding the Right Balance for Success
Fundraising is an essential skill for nonprofit professionals, but mastering it requires more than just learning techniques—it also involves shifting mindset, overcoming barriers, and developing confidence. While many fundraisers look for fundraising training to improve their skills, they often overlook the role that fundraising coaching plays in long-term success.
In this article, we explore the key differences between fundraising training and coaching, why both are valuable, and how nonprofit leaders can determine which approach best suits their needs.
What Is Fundraising Training?
Fundraising training focuses on strategy, tools, and techniques that help fundraisers execute their tasks effectively. It provides practical, actionable methods for securing donations and engaging supporters.
Key aspects of fundraising training include:
Learning best practices for donor outreach
Developing scripts for fundraising conversations
Mastering donor research and segmentation
Understanding grant writing and corporate sponsorships
Implementing digital fundraising strategies
Training is structured and tactical—it provides fundraisers with the “how-to” knowledge needed to execute fundraising activities efficiently.
What Is Fundraising Coaching?
Fundraising coaching, on the other hand, focuses on mindset, confidence, and overcoming internal barriers that might be preventing success. As Maryanne Dersch explains in The Influential Nonprofit podcast, coaching is about understanding how you think and feel about fundraising and working through challenges like imposter syndrome, fear of rejection, or discomfort with making big asks.
Fundraising coaching helps with:
Identifying and removing personal mental blocks
Gaining confidence in fundraising conversations
Developing resilience to rejection and setbacks
Strengthening donor relationships through authenticity
Creating a personal leadership style that aligns with fundraising goals
While training provides the tactics, coaching provides the mindset shift that allows fundraisers to fully implement what they’ve learned.
Why Fundraisers Need Both Training and Coaching
Fundraising success isn’t just about knowing what to do—it’s about having the confidence and motivation to do it consistently. That’s why a combination of training and coaching creates the best results.
Maryanne describes this balance as the yin and yang of fundraising:
Training gives you the roadmap—the templates, strategies, and best practices.
Coaching helps you navigate the roadblocks—the fears, self-doubt, and emotional resistance that can hold you back.
If a fundraiser only gets training but struggles with self-doubt, they may hesitate to use what they’ve learned. Conversely, if they only receive coaching but lack fundraising skills, they might feel confident but lack the tools to execute effectively.
How to Determine What You Need: Training vs. Coaching
If you’re a nonprofit professional looking to improve your fundraising effectiveness, consider these questions:
Do you struggle with knowing what to do?
→ If yes, you likely need fundraising training to build your knowledge and skill set.
2. Do you know what to do but hesitate to take action?
→ If yes, you likely need fundraising coaching to overcome mental blocks and boost confidence.
3. Do you feel anxiety or fear around making fundraising asks?
→ If yes, coaching can help you build resilience and learn how to navigate rejection.
4. Do you need a clear strategy to reach fundraising goals?
→ Training will provide the frameworks and best practices you need.
5. Do you struggle with imposter syndrome or feeling “not good enough” in donor conversations?
→ Coaching can help shift your mindset and improve your self-awareness.
For most fundraisers, a combination of both training and coaching is ideal. Training equips you with knowledge, while coaching ensures you implement it confidently.
The Pitfall of Relying Only on Training
Many fundraisers believe that getting more training will solve all their challenges. They think:
“If I just had the perfect script, I wouldn’t feel nervous.”
“If I knew the best donor segmentation strategy, I’d feel more confident asking for money.”
However, strategy alone does not shift mindset. No amount of training can fully eliminate fear, self-doubt, or emotional resistance—only coaching and self-awareness can do that.
For example, Maryanne recalls working with a nonprofit board that believed a three-year strategic plan would fix their trust issues. But in reality, the lack of trust was the real issue, not the absence of a plan. The solution wasn’t a strategy—it was addressing the underlying mindset challenges.
How Coaching Helps Fundraisers Break Through Barriers
Fundraising coaching helps professionals:
Identify limiting beliefs (e.g., “I’m not good at asking for money.”)
Understand how past experiences shape their approach to fundraising
Reframe rejection as part of the process, not a personal failure
Develop a sovereign mindset—taking ownership of their value and skills
As I have said sovereignty in fundraising means:
I am in control of my success.
I decide how good I am at my job, not whether I get a yes or no.
Rejection does not define me; it teaches me.
Coaching empowers fundraisers to stay committed to their goals, even when things don’t go perfectly.
The Best Approach: Training and Coaching Together
To truly excel in fundraising, nonprofit professionals should invest in both training and coaching.
Start with a clear intention: What do you need to learn? What mental barriers do you want to overcome?
Commit to the process: Coaching and training take time—results don’t happen overnight.
Take responsibility for your success: No trainer or coach can do the work for you. You have to implement the strategies and mindset shifts.
By combining tactical training with mindset coaching, fundraisers can become confident, resilient, and highly effective at securing support for their causes.
Invest in Your Growth as a Fundraiser
If you want to become a better fundraiser, ask yourself: Do I need strategy, mindset work, or both?
Training gives you the knowledge. Coaching helps you execute with confidence.
Fundraisers who commit to both see higher donor engagement, greater fundraising success, and less stress in their roles. Whether through self-paced courses, group coaching, or one-on-one support, investing in both training and coaching will maximize your potential.
BOOK A CALL with Maryanne to see if you are the right fit for her coaching program! If you are ready to super charge your fundraising power, she can help!