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Build belief. Then build revenue.
Clear messaging fuels powerful stories. Powerful stories fuel sustainable fundraising. These two courses are built to work together, first creating clarity and real connection, then turning that momentum into financial strength.
Take them separately, or bundle both at a discounted rate for the full impact.
Storytelling Fundamentals
From clarity to connection; so your work is understood, trusted, and supported.
Unclear messaging wastes even your most powerful work. This course will help you to clarify your purpose, brand, and beliefs, understand your donors, and craft narratives that build trust, engagement, and lasting support.
Through self-paced and live modules, you will gain applicable skills to turn your stories into real-world impact.
You’ll learn how to:
- Clarify your work and role so donors instantly understand it, connect to it, and want to champion it
- Replace reactive, fragmented messaging with clear stories that support long-term fundraising
- Tell human stories that move people without oversimplifying impact or dignity
- Align mission, brand, and fundraising into a clear narrative
- Build effective storytelling systems your team can sustain
Best for:
Fundraising, communications, executive, and program leaders at small to mid-sized nonprofits.
Fundraising Fundamentals
Raise more, without burning out your team or planning another gala.
If your donors love you but aren’t giving consistently…
If retention feels like a mystery…
If asking still feels awkward…
If events and grants are doing all the heavy lifting…
Fundraising Fundamentals gives you practical, human-centered strategies to build sustainable individual giving—aligned with your real capacity.
You’ll learn how to:
- Increase donor retention through gratitude and intentional stewardship
- Grow low-dollar, mid-level, and major gifts from individuals
- Ask with confidence using clear scripts and workflows
- Evaluate whether events are worth the time and energy
- Build a fundraising plan that fits your organization as it is today
Storytelling Fundamentals
Fundraising doesn’t fail because people don’t care, it fails when they’re confused. This module helps you clarify your story before they ever hear an ask.
Learn how use effective storytelling to authentically connect and build trust
People don’t give to causes. This module shifts perspective from need to relevance.
Great stories aren’t louder, they resonate. Discover frameworks that help your story land.
From urgency to alignment. Learn applicable tools and strategies to create storytelling that builds relationships, not just revenue.
Technology should amplify trust, not dilute it. Learn how to use AI ethically and effectively without losing your voice, values, or humanity.
Fundraising Fundamentals
- Philanthropy in the United States
- Nurturing a Culture of Philanthropy
- How to be Successful in Fundraising
- Elements of a Development Plan
- Creating Key Performance Indicators
- Setting Goals
- The Benefits of Giving
- The Sad Truth about Donor Retention
- On Gratitude
- The Difference Between Donor Relations and Stewardship
- Strategies for Success
- A Comprehensive Approach to Fundraising
- Annual Giving and Why You Need It
- Six Strategies for Success
- What's So Special About Events?
- The Importance of Mid-Level Giving
- Essentials of Designing a Mid-Level Program
- Acquiring Donors Through House Party Fundraising
- The Major Gifts Process
- How to Ask for a Gift
- Conversation with a Major Gifts Expert
- Successful Foundation Fundraising
- Components of a Proposal
- Dos and Don'ts in Foundation Fundraising
Storytelling + Fundraising Fundamentals Course Bundle
Better together, priced accordingly.
- Storytelling Fundamentals – $699
- Fundraising Fundamentals – $699
- Bundle both courses – $1,199 (save $199)
We strongly recommend the bundle. Clear storytelling makes fundraising more effective, and better fundraising gives your stories room to breathe.
Why choose LUNA?
Designed for Impact
Practical tools, custom content, and curated resources tailored to your mission.
Community Powered
Connect in the LUNA Town Square™, our virtual hub for live sessions, peer interactions, and expert-led discussions.
Guided Growth
Our online and hybrid courses, including the flagship Level-Up Nonprofit Accelerator, will supercharge your organization.
"I have learned so, so much! It has been a game changer for us. I’ve met other, wonderful nonprofits that I am learning from. It’s the best investment you can make in yourself as a leader."
Hands-on learning and personalized support every step of the way
Frequently Answered Questions
Our accelerators are designed for people new to various aspects of purpose-driven work including fundraising, marketing, and finance/accounting. We have a particular passion for small and mid-size organizations and tailor our courses for that audience. But individuals from larger organizations will certainly benefit from the learning.
We have carefully designed lessons and assignments that we know will make the biggest difference for you. What you learn every week will be very actionable. At every step of the way, there will be things you can start to implement right away.
We are welcoming organizations that meet the following criteria:
- Your organization is incorporated, has 501(c)3 status or pending (for US organization) or has a fiscal sponsor.
- You have at least three board members who are not related.
- You are raising less than $250,000 (US) from individuals annually.
- You share LUNA's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
Unfortunately, we are not accepting applications from political organizations.
Better together, priced accordingly.
- Storytelling Fundamentals – $699
- Fundraising Fundamentals – $699
- Bundle both courses – $1,199 (save $199)
We strongly recommend the bundle. Clear storytelling makes fundraising more effective, and better fundraising gives your stories room to breathe.
Scholarships Available
Here’s something else. Thanks to a generous donor and members of our LUNA community, we’ve created the LUNA Scholarship Fund. If your organization qualifies (and we have funds available), you may receive a 75% scholarship for any single course or this package.
Here’s the qualification criteria:
· You must be incorporated as a 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal sponsor
· You must have the minimum number of board members for your state
· The board members must not be related to one another
· You have to be raising less than $250,000 per year from individuals
· Your organization has to be committed to the ideals of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (yeah, we still use those words).
Once you have started the course, we do not offer refunds.
We have optional coaching packages available with the instructors of each accelerator so that you may ask questions, workshop ideas, or seek advice.
Starting in 2026, we will introduce additional courses that take deeper dives into a variety of topics. You will find announcements of those in the LUNA Town Square platform, our website, and through periodic emails.
LUNA is a community of continuous learners. Your place in that community doesn’t end when the course is finished.
As a member of the community, you will receive:
- Continued access to the course materials
- Free membership to our LUNA Town Square community and access to our resource libraries, forums, and LUNA Live events
- Discounted rates to other LUNA courses
Change happens in nonprofits when leadership is on board. That's why we strongly recommend that two people from your organization participate, ideally the executive director (if you have one) and a board member.
Once you join LUNA, at least one person per group must prepare for and participate in all the online sessions and live workshops. If you have to miss a live workshop, you will be able to access the recording. You also need to complete the capstone project assignments (see "The Experience" section of this website).
We understand that life happens, and you may not be able to complete the program. Talk to us, and we'll be happy to let you re-start in a future cohort. But, if you ghost us at any point or don't complete the program requirements, we will invoice you for the full value of the scholarship.
Your journey begins by clicking the APPLY button in the top right corner of your screen.
Each accelerator is approximately six to eight weeks long. Lessons are dropped weekly.
We want this to be a great experience, so we are limiting each cohort to no more than 15 organizations with two people from each. This will be an intimate, supportive learning environment for everyone.
The learning is done completely online, and on your own time. Materials are available each week, and include videos, downloadable presentation decks, templates, and other curated resources.
Our instructors are available by DM through the LUNA Town Square platform to answer any questions you may have. For more in-depth assistance, we have optional coaching packages available with the instructors of each accelerator so that you may ask questions, workshop ideas, or seek advice.
