Achimota, Ghana

Certificate in Resource Mobilisation for Non-Profits

The voluntary sector in Ghana is increasingly facing new challenges. The growing needs and aspirations of beneficiaries and the ever-changing funding environment calls for a need to be more dynamic and innovative.

Presently, a very large number of organisations are dependent on foreign funding agencies or international NGOs for their resources. These agencies concentrate more on projects that are a priority for the funder rather than the organisation. Their continued dependence and sustainability is in question which can be addressed by professionally mobilising resources from the local communities. This would also greatly enhance the organisations’ credibility, accountability and transparency within the communities they work and serve.

In order to address these issues, the Resource Alliance, the Ghana Institute for Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), and the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) are launching the Certificate in Resource Mobilisation for Non-Profits, a course designed to equip participants with the critical knowledge and skills which, when applied in everyday work situations, will result in a significant increase in the effectiveness of an organisation’s fundraising.

Course content

The courses seeks to address critical issues in fundraising, including:

• Role and relationships of state, business and voluntary sector
• Public policy environment within which non-profits operate
• Main sources of non-profit funding and support
• Donor motivations and trends in giving – including individual philanthropy and faith based giving
• Basic principles of fundraising – the fundraising cycle 
• Fundraising techniques – including face to face, mail, internet, events, corporate partnerships, grant seeking, and working with government agencies 
• Generating revenue through business type activities
• Ethics, accountability and transparency
• Effective Communications and resource mobilisation – image, visibility, credibility
• Donor prospecting and research
• Basic introduction to databases
• Mobilising and working with volunteer support
• Planning, budgeting, implementing and analysing resource mobilisation activities
• Strategic planning, including financial planning, monitoring and evaluation
• Managing self (self-awareness, time management, stress management) and others (suppliers, volunteers, staff)

Target Audience

•  People working in resource mobilisation in the non profit sector.  They may be involved full-time or part-time in mobilising resources and may be paid or volunteers
• Trainers or consultants in fundraising and resource mobilisation for the non-profit sector

Entry Requirement

• Applicants with first degree or its equivalent are preferred though completion of other certificate and diploma courses may be sufficient
• Applicants must know how to use email and word processing and simple spreadsheet software  
• Applicants must have a minimum of one year’s experience in mobilising resources

Method of study

The course is classroom based but with a very practical focus with students involved in lots of individual and group exercises. 

Assessment and Evaluation

•  A combination of continuous assessment, exams and project presentation at the end of the course are used to assess students for the award of certificate
• Participants must be regular in class for at least 90% of the course duration to qualify for the award of certificate

Next course date: September 2008

Venue:  GIMPA

Tuition Fees: Details of fees will be confirmed shortly. The course fees will cover charges for lectures, training materials, snack and lunch. Residential Facilities will also be available at an additional cost, subject to availability.

For further information, please contact:

The Assistant Registrar, Business Support & Executive Programs
GIMPA, P. O. Box AH 50, Achimota – Ghana
Tel: 021-42161 or 401681-3 Ext. 1082, 1076.
Email: bsep@gimpa.edu.gh

Application forms are available from the GIMPA website: www.gimpa.edu.gh or direct from the institute.