Build Lasting Fundraising Capacity

The FundEd Fellowship is a 12-month embedded talent partnership that helps schools and education nonprofits hire, train, and retain high potential fundraising professionals.

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Why the FundEd Fellowship

Many schools and education nonprofits know they need dedicated fundraising talent but struggle to find, train, and retain the right person. Hiring alone is often not enough. Without the right training, systems, and support, new development staff frequently burn out or leave before meaningful results take hold.

The FundEd Fellowship – part of our FundEd Academy service offerings – addresses this challenge by pairing talent placement with structured professional development, helping organizations build lasting fundraising capacity instead of relying on short term fundraising help.

OUTCOMES

What You Can Expect After 12 Months

By the end of the Fellowship, your school or education nonprofit will have built the foundation required for sustainable fundraising growth.

Trained, Retained Talent

A fundraising professional who is skilled, connected, and positioned to grow with your organization long term.

Clear Case for Support

A compelling narrative that resonates with foundations, companies, and individual donors.

Grant and Giving Momentum

Stronger grant writing systems and an individual giving program that begins generating real revenue.

Campaigns in Motion

Fundraising campaigns actively underway including annual fund, year end giving, and major donor outreach.

Active Donor Pipeline

A researched pipeline of major donor prospects with clear cultivation strategies and next steps.

Community and Alumni Network

Ongoing access to a peer community of fundraisers working in schools and education nonprofits.

THE ROI CASE

Why Invest in Fundraising Talent

Industry research suggests a median return of $4.50 for every $1 invested in fundraising. While results vary, the Fellowship is designed to help your organization build toward that level of return over time by building long term capacity rather than providing short term fundraising support.

Marts & Lundy, 2025 Fundraising Investment Study

$3 to $5 raised

for every $1 invested

ONE PROGRAM, TWO PATHWAYS

Choose the Right Fit for Your Organization

Whether you need to hire a new fundraiser or develop someone already on your team, the Fellowship meets schools and education nonprofits where they are.

PLACEMENT PATHWAY

Hire a fundraising professional for your organization

FundEd recruits, vets, and places a Fellow as a full time employee at your school or education nonprofit. You select the Fellow you want to hire.

Includes:

  • Candidate recruitment and vetting

  • Interview support and selection guidance

  • 12 months of training, coaching, and cohort learning

  • AI tools, templates, and resources

ONBOARDING PATHWAY

Develop someone already on your team

Enroll a current employee or recently hired development professional into the Fellowship for structured support during their first year.

Includes:

  • Enrollment for current or recently hired staff

  • Structured first year fundraising training

  • 12 months of training, coaching, and cohort learning

  • AI tools, templates, and resource library

Not Sure Which Pathway Fits Your Organization?

Whether you need to hire a new fundraiser or develop someone already on your team, the Fellowship meets schools and education nonprofits where they are.

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IDEAL FOR

Who The Fellowship Supports

The Fellowship is designed for schools and education nonprofits that:

  • Are ready to support a full-time fundraising role or have recently hired one

  • Have leadership that treats fundraising as a strategic function

  • Have strong executive buy in and a healthy organizational culture

  • Want to grow philanthropic revenue for long term impact

  • Value sustainable fundraising systems rather than short term fixes

WHAT FELLOWS RECEIVE

Mentorship, Training, and Tools from Day One

Fellows receive a comprehensive support system designed specifically for schools and education nonprofits.

Integrity

1 on 1 Coaching

Each Fellow is matched with a dedicated coach who has deep experience in education fundraising. Sessions focus on real work and real challenges.

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Prospect Research Tools

Training on industry tools that help Fellows identify, qualify, and prioritize major donor prospects.

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Cohort Learning

Fellows learn alongside peers from other schools and education nonprofits. The cohort model supports shared problem solving and long term professional relationships.

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Tools, Templates, and AI Workflows

Education specific fundraising materials including grant calendars, solicitation letters, donor reports, and campaign planning templates.

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Structured Curriculum

A sequenced learning track covering grants, major gifts, annual fund, events, and donor stewardship.

Integrity

Expert Network

Access to FundEd's network of education fundraising experts and sector leaders.

LEARN MORE

Ready to Learn More About the Fellowship?

Cohorts are limited and filled on a first come basis. The next program begins August 2026. Complete the interest form for additional information.

Interest Form →

APPLY

Interested in Becoming a Fellow?

Share your background and we will follow up with details about the selection process, timeline, and next steps.

Coming Soon!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. The Fellowship is open to both schools and education nonprofits that want to build dedicated fundraising capacity.

  • Yes. The program is designed for both individual schools and multi-school networks. In some cases, Fellows may support multiple campuses. The Fellowship is structured to help Fellows balance network-wide priorities with individual school fundraising needs.

  • The Onboarding Pathway is designed for that situation. If the person is new to fundraising, FundEd may conduct a brief interview to confirm fit.

  • All Fellows begin together in the August cohort, including those already working at your organization. If you have an existing staff member in a development role, FundEd will vet them and enroll them in the cohort.

  • Fellows are full-time employees focused on day-to-day fundraising work. Fellowship activities average about 2-3 hours per week and include monthly training sessions, community of practice sessions, and one to two coaching sessions per month.

  • Organizations cover the Fellow’s full-time salary and a program fee. The Placement Pathway fee is $23,500 if FundEd recruits and places the Fellow, or $20,000 for the Onboarding Pathway if you enroll an existing or newly hired staff member. The program fee includes training, coaching, cohort learning, and fundraising tools and resources.

  • No. Fellows are full time employees of your organization, not contractors or FundEd staff.

  • The Fellow is supervised by someone within your organization, such as an executive director or development team. FundEd does not provide day-to-day management but offers training, coaching, and guidance to help leaders effectively support a fundraising professional.

  • Participation in select leadership sessions, ongoing support of the Fellow, and commitment to treating fundraising as a strategic priority.

  • Your organization keeps a trained fundraiser, active donor pipelines, and proven systems. Alumni Fellows remain connected through the FundEd network.