Ask with Confidence: A Fundraising Training for Nonprofit Boards
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
TBK Bank Community Room, Durango, CO
Zoom option available for virtual participants
Join fellow board members from across the region and leave feeling more knowledgeable, confident and with a personal plan in place.
Course Description:
Many board members feel uncertain, even uncomfortable, when it comes to asking for money, and the research is clear: personal asks from trusted people are the single most powerful driver of charitable gifts. In a fundraising landscape where fewer donors are giving more, your board’s personal relationships matter more than ever.
This 3-hour interactive training will equip nonprofit board members with practical tools, confidence, and a plan they can put into action immediately. From understanding why donors give, to building a prospect list, to practicing the ask – participants leave ready to fundraise. The training is available in-person at the TBK Bank Community Room in Durango or via Zoom for remote participants.
By the end of this training, participants will gain:
- A grounding in the current nonprofit fundraising landscape and why personal relationships drive giving now more than ever.
- An understanding of donor motivation through the Seven Faces of Philanthropy and how to tailor your approach to what drives each individual.
- A completed (or started) personal prospect list using the A-B-C (Ability-Belief-Contact) framework, organized by inner, middle, and outer circle connections.
- Hands-on practice making the ask through role play scenarios, including handling common responses like “I need to think about it” or “that’s too much.”
- A clear, actionable framework for the ask: connect personally, share a story, name the need, make a specific request, and follow up.
- A personal fundraising commitment form with top prospects, preferred outreach method, and a 30-day accountability check-in tool.
- Increased confidence around asking, because the hardest part is just getting started.
Trainers: Katy Pepinsky (she/her) & Lori Sharp (she/her) Consultants with ThinkSharp! Nonprofit Consulting. (link to trainer bios)
