DALLAS — CPB has awarded Greater Public a $500,000 grant to start an online course to train stations in major-gift fundraising.
CPB President Pat Harrison announced the launch of the Public Media Major Giving Academy Thursday at the annual Public Media Development and Marketing conference.
“Our goal is really to help stations to connect with major donors,” Harrison said. The initiative will help stations create plans tailored “specifically for each unique donor, so we really can start building that culture of major giving at every station,” she said.
The 13-week course for station leaders and development officers is intended to lay a foundation “for transformational success in major giving,” according to a CPB press release.
Greater Public is partnering on the course’s design with the Veritus Group, which has worked with hundreds of nonprofits on development plans and donor analysis. Greater Public and Veritus are also working on a major-giving pilot with WHYY in Philadelphia; Colorado Public Radio; WCMU in Mount Pleasant, Mich.; and a station yet to be announced.
Greater Public CEO Joyce MacDonald said the training will help stations “adopt the proven methods and practices that have led to success for other nonprofit institutions such as symphonies, universities, museums and hospitals.”
The course will begin this fall with 20 participants in two classes.
“The fact is that there is so much untapped potential when it comes to people who really want to contribute — and I’m talking about significant resources — to support your great work,” Harrison said.