1 Day Online Course for Relationship-Based Fundraisers
Fundraising is built on relationships
Fundraising isn’t transactional. It’s relational, emotional, and often deeply personal. You’re not just making asks, you’re building trust, holding stories, navigating power, and helping people feel good about their giving.
This one-day masterclass is designed specifically for fundraisers who build relationships over time with donors, supporters, partners, boards, and peers.
It introduces a fresh, accessible approach to understanding how human connection actually works, from the inside out.
Grounded in nervous system awareness (drawing from the science of Polyvagal Theory), this course doesn’t teach you how to 'manage' relationships, it helps you see what’s really going on in your conversations, so you can respond with insight, confidence, and care and build genuine connection with your supporters.
Overview
On this course
What is happening beneath the conversation
Learn how the state of the nervous system subtly influences tone, trust, timing, and engagement — often before a word is spoken.
Why Some Meetings Feel Effortless and Others Don’t
Explore the three typical nervous system patterns (based on Polyvagal Theory) that shape whether a donor leans in, goes quiet, or pushes back.
Recognising the Signals of Openness (or Disconnection)
Gain new awareness of body language, micro-signals, and energy shifts that reveal what someone might not be saying out loud.
Noticing Your Own Patterns in Real Time
Learn how to gently observe your own internal shifts — like when you brace, rush, hold back, or disconnect — and what that awareness offers you.
Why Awareness Is a Superpower in Fundraising
Discover how seeing your nervous system and others’ in action gives you a powerful, ethical way to build trust without forcing, over-explaining, or persuading.
Come As You Are
You don’t need a background in neuroscience, therapy, or body-based practice. What you do need is curiosity about yourself, your responses, and the relationships you are building.
This course invites you to gently notice what’s happening in your own experience - your thoughts, physical sensations, and emotions - as cues from your nervous system. These cues aren’t problems to solve; they’re signals to pay attention to. And in fundraising, they often hold the key to deeper connection and clearer communication.
We use simple, grounding practices including mindfulness, gentle movement, and guided reflection to help you tune in. Everything we offer is practical, respectful, and designed to support your real-world fundraising relationships. No performance. No pressure. Just a space to notice, reflect and grow.
We won't lie, at times, it can also feel a little like a spa day for your brain.
Approach
How we structure the learning
Delegate details
Who is This Course For?
This course is for fundraisers who build and hold relationships — whether that’s with major donors, individual supporters, legacy pledgers, grant-makers, or funding partners.
It’s especially for those who want to:
- Navigate emotionally complex or high-stakes fundraising conversations
- Deepen trust and presence without feeling scripted or over-prepared
- Make sense of why certain relationships feel easy, and others feel off
- Recognise their own nervous system patterns in the fundraising context
- Build long-term connections with more clarity, steadiness, and insight
This course is a great introduction to "This is Connecting" - our deep dive 8 week course.
Course details
Location: Online - Zoom link
Facilitators:
Kim van Niekerk &
Ann de Passos
Date: 13th August 2025
Time: 10pm-4.00pm (UK)
Included:
1 month access to The View Looks Good Community. Stay in touch with like minded peers learning about nervous systems and explore content and weekly classes designed to help you tone your capacity for developing relationships.
Fee: £275
A Note on Our Approach
This course encourages you to explore your thoughts, sensations and emotions with curiosity.
We use mindfulness techniques, embodiment work and guided visualisations to connect with our nervous systems.
While these approaches may be considered cutting-edge in Western personal development, we respect the cultural roots they draw from and long-held wisdom traditions that have always recognised the body as a source of intelligence and connection.
While our programmes offer tools for self-awareness and relationship growth, they are not a replacement for professional therapy or trauma support. If you are working with a therapist we recommend consulting them to ensure this aligns with your journey.
Our goal is to provide a supportive space for self-reflection in a group, so please make sure this approach feels right for you before signing up.