ClaryooFundraising training PPT for boards, staff and volunteers
A free fundraising training PowerPoint template: 14 slides with speaker notes, a poll, a quiz and a volunteer pick. Edit it in PowerPoint or Google Slides, or run it live on Zoom, Meet, Teams or in the room.
Free, no sign-up. 14 slides, about 72 minutes, speaker notes on every slide. Opens in PowerPoint, Google Slides and Keynote.
What’s inside
- 1 · Welcome
2 · Today- 3 · PollPollAnonymous
How do you feel about asking someone for money?
- AComfortable
- BA bit nervous
- CI avoid it
4 · Section- 5 · Why people give
Why people give
- 1People give to peopleMost gifts come because someone the donor knows and trusts asked them. Your own network is a real starting point.
- 2Show the changeSay what a gift does: one family fed for a week, not just “support our work”. A concrete result is easier to say yes to.
- 3Keep the donors you haveAsking a past donor again is usually easier than finding a new one. Put the people who already give first.
- 6 · Making the ask
Making the ask
- 1Ask for a specific amountTry “Would you consider a gift of £250 to fund a month of sessions?” A clear amount is easier to answer than “anything helps”.
- 2Then stop talkingAfter the ask, stay quiet and let them think. Filling the silence often talks the donor into a smaller gift or a no.
- 3Hear a no as not yetIf they say no, thank them and ask what would interest them. Many donors give later, or give their time instead.
- 7 · Thanking and keeping donors
Thanking and keeping donors
- 1Thank within 48 hoursA quick, personal thank you, ideally a phone call or handwritten note, tells donors their gift mattered.
- 2Report back on impactSend a short update showing what their gift did, with a story or photo. Do this before you ask again.
- 3Restricted means restrictedIf a donor gives for one purpose, spend it only on that purpose. Breaking that trust loses donors for good.
8 · Discussion- 9 · QuizQuiz
You’ve just asked for a specific gift. What should you do next?
- AExplain the need again
- BStay quiet and listenCorrect
- COffer a smaller amount
- DChange the subject
10 · Key takeaways- 11 · Pick a volunteerPick a volunteer
Who tries the first practice ask?
Type ASK in the chat to be in the draw.
12 · Next steps
13 · Close
Show of hands, or everyone’s answer
The first poll works with hands up. Here’s the same question in a sample room of 16, answered live. Tap an answer to join in.
Show of hands
How do you feel about asking someone for money?
About 4 hands go up, the same ones as always. You hear the loudest people, not the room.
Live in Claryoo · 0 of 16 answered · anonymous
LiveHow do you feel about asking someone for money?
Most of the room is nervous about asking for money. Nobody would admit that with a show of hands. Run it live, free
What the session covers
1.Why people give
People give to people
Most gifts come because someone the donor knows and trusts asked them. Your own network is a real starting point.
Show the change
Say what a gift does: one family fed for a week, not just “support our work”. A concrete result is easier to say yes to.
Keep the donors you have
Asking a past donor again is usually easier than finding a new one. Put the people who already give first.
2.Making the ask
Ask for a specific amount
Try “Would you consider a gift of £250 to fund a month of sessions?” A clear amount is easier to answer than “anything helps”.
Then stop talking
After the ask, stay quiet and let them think. Filling the silence often talks the donor into a smaller gift or a no.
Hear a no as not yet
If they say no, thank them and ask what would interest them. Many donors give later, or give their time instead.
3.Thanking and keeping donors
Thank within 48 hours
A quick, personal thank you, ideally a phone call or handwritten note, tells donors their gift mattered.
Report back on impact
Send a short update showing what their gift did, with a story or photo. Do this before you ask again.
Restricted means restricted
If a donor gives for one purpose, spend it only on that purpose. Breaking that trust loses donors for good.
How to run it, slide by slide
About 72 minutes in all. These notes come with the PowerPoint as speaker notes, so you see them while you present.
- 1Welcome3 min
“Welcome. Fundraising isn’t about pressure. It’s about giving people a chance to support something they care about.”
Share why you personally give to a cause, in one or two sentences.
- 2Today2 min
“We’ll look at why people give, how to make the ask, and how to thank and keep donors.”
Tell people there’s a short practice ask later, done in pairs.
- 3Poll4 min
“Let’s be honest with each other. How do you feel about asking someone for money?”
If most are nervous, say that’s normal and that the practice later will help. Never ask who chose which answer.
- 4Section1 min
“Let’s start with how good fundraising works.”
Move into the first teaching slide.
- 5Why people give10 min
“Before we talk about asking, let’s understand why people say yes in the first place.”
Ask a few people what made them give to a cause last time. Connect their answers to the three points.
- 6Making the ask12 min
“This is the part people fear most, so let’s break it into simple steps.”
Model a full ask out loud, including the pause. Change the currency and amount to fit your organisation.
- 7Thanking and keeping donors8 min
“The gift is the start of the relationship, not the end of it.”
Ask the group to share the best thank you they have ever received, and what made it stick.
- 8Discussion10 min
“Take two minutes to write down three people in your life who care about this cause, then share one with your partner.”
Remind people they are not committing to ask anyone yet. Ask two pairs what made their person a good fit.
- 9Quiz4 min
“Here’s a quick check. You’ve just asked for a gift. What next?”
- 10Key takeaways3 min
“Here are the three things I want you to take away.”
Tie each takeaway back to a moment from the practice.
- 11Pick a volunteer10 min
“Time to practise. Let’s pick who goes first.”
The person drawn makes a two minute ask to you in front of the group. Praise the specific amount and the pause, then run the rest in pairs.
- 12Next steps3 min
“Before we meet again, here are three things to do.”
Ask everyone to write their five names now, before they leave the room.
- 13Close2 min
“Thank you. The best fundraisers aren’t the boldest, they’re the ones who keep in touch.”
Set a date to check in on how the first asks went.
About this fundraising training template
This fundraising training PPT is for nonprofits, community groups and associations that want board members, staff and volunteers to raise money with confidence. In about 75 minutes it covers why people give, how to make a clear and specific ask, and how to thank and keep donors so that a first gift turns into a second.
Each of the three teaching slides has speaker notes with what to say and how long to spend. An anonymous poll reveals how nervous people feel about asking, a quiz checks they know what to do straight after the ask, and a random draw picks who tries the first practice ask in front of the group.
When to use it
- Training board members who are new to asking for donations
- Preparing volunteers for a fundraising appeal or campaign
- Building a thank-you and stewardship habit across your team
How to use it
- Download the PowerPoint. Every word is editable text, so add your name, your examples and your logo. For Google Slides, upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Slides. It also opens in Keynote.
- Read the first slide. It’s hidden when you present and lays out the session minute by minute. Each slide’s speaker notes say what to say, what to do and how long it takes.
- Run the polls your way. Hands up works in any room. To get everyone’s answer, anonymous when it matters, run the same deck live with Claryoo on a Zoom, Google Meet or Teams call, or in the room by QR code. Already edited your PowerPoint? Save it as a PDF and add it to your Claryoo deck.
More on live polls, quizzes and pick a volunteer, or spin the free wheel of names.
