Development is all about relationship…because the Kingdom of God is about relationship. Your ministry will not lack resources when you focus on your relationships. Just as with people in love, relationships are on a continuum between the emotional and the sustainable. A relationship needs to be courted, managed, cared for, and strengthened. Knowing and acting on the stages of the Continuum is at the heart of helping people engage with your mission in meaningful ways. Enroll in Development & Relationship Continuum ›

Course Objectives:

• Learn the definition of Development.
• Learn the stages of the Relationship Continuum ©.
• Identify how best to engage people along the Continuum.
• Learn what “critical groups and individuals” are and how to identify them for your ministry.
• Plan how you will meaningfully connect with your “critical groups”.
• Learn more effective ways to introduce people to your ministry.
• Practice conversations about your ministry and experience when someone becomes a partner in the mission.

You don’t have to be a “leader” to provide leadership. Knowing what enables people to meaningfully connect with your ministry, and how to structure their involvement are essentials of good leadership. You may do all the right things in a developmental relationship and still experience failure. You must also safeguard what influences people’s attitudes in and out of your organization. Practically speaking, good leadership gets things done. Our proven model works for planning anything! Enroll in Leading & Organizing ›

Course Objectives:

• Learn the Attitude Continuum © and the vital role it plays in your ministry relationships.
• Learn the subjective factors that cause people to either leave your ministry or become deeply rooted in your vision and mission.
• Identify where your partners and stakeholders are on the Attitude Continuum.
• Learn and practice strategies that keep the volunteers you have and encourages new ones to join your mission.
• Learn how to organize your volunteer structure, so people are partnering in meaningfully ways and your mission is advanced.
• Learn and practice the eight-step model for successfully planning anything.
• Develop strategies for productive and successful team meetings.
• Build a Development Calendar maximizing the best times to invite people to support your ministry.

Just as with a doctor’s checkup, we often need to evaluate our Developmental activities and plans. This course gives you the framework to conduct your own checkup, determining the pulse, respiration and general health of your development plans and activities. Enroll Development Audit›

Course Objectives:

• Learn the elements of a self-audit to objectively identify organizational strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify major categories of donors.
• Identify real annual contributions.
• Assess the strength of your general public relations materials.
• Assess your volunteer recruitment and retention.
• Identify and prioritize next steps for improving and strengthening your ministry’s Developmental health.

This is the longest and most involved course offered through CDPOnline. This gets to the nuts and bolts of the solicitation process, including: identifying potential partners, cultivating a sustainable relationship with them, and actually “making the ask.” You will learn to use a method for growing and strengthening your relationship with any individual partner or group. This is not about manipulation or fads, but a proven process that honors people and their purpose in fulfilling Kingdom work here on earth. Enroll Solicitation Process ›

Course Objectives:

• Learn the seven steps of the solicitation process.
• Apply the solicitation process to a strategy within your ministry.
• Learn how to “bridge,” to keep the relationship positive and growing.
• Apply “bridging” to at least two strategies within your ministry.
• Learn five ways to continue conversations and relationships with individuals even if they’ve declined your request for a donation.
• Identify basic database needs to support the Solicitation process.
• Assess your ministry’s current database and IT “health”.
• Learn how to structure your database so it helps you grow your relationships.
• Learn how to Prioritize database and/or IT changes and improvements.

In our experience, 90% of all Strategic Plans fail! And, most Mission Statements fall woefully short in giving senior leadership, staff, and volunteers the direction, guidance, encouragement, and support they need. Yet, your Development Plan cannot be effective if it’s not connected to your ministry’s Strategic Plan and Mission. This course uses our proven process to help refine your current Mission Statement and Strategic Plan and then directly connect your Development Plan so your Mission is accomplished. Enroll Strategic Planning ›

Course Objectives:

• Learn the difference between “outputs” and “outcomes”.
• Learn and practice the process for identifying outcomes that genuinely have meaningful impact.
• Review your ministry’s Vision & Mission Statements and suggest revisions to strengthen them.

SAVE 50% on Tuition — We encourage your development director, executive director, senior leadership, and board members to take Strategic Planning together. Each additional person from your ministry enrolling with you in Strategic Planning, may enroll for 50% off regular course tuition.

We commonly hear CDP students share that, “Our ministry is the best kept secret in our city.” Your story needs to be shared often, effectively, and with passion. This course will give you an overview of effective communication and public relations strategies that will dovetail into your current Development efforts. Enroll Communications & Public Relations ›

Course Objectives:

• Assess your ministry’s current communication tools and strategies.
• Identify at least four improvements to your communication strategies.
• Identify 5 groups critical to your public relations message.
• Identify the most effective times to use direct mail, email, social media and personal communications.