The Philanthropic Quest Facilitator Certification

Jim Lord

You can show people how to make more possible — for themselves and for the world around them.

The Philanthropic Quest Facilitator Certification is a learning and certification program for

Staff
Civic leaders
Consultants, coaches, and facilitators in fundraising, leadership, and organization development
Philanthropic advisors
Change-makers of all kinds

We believe these times call for people like you to make their voices heard — loud and clear, above the noise of negativity and pessimism.

Each of us, in our own distinctive way, can take a stand for what matters most, and for a future bright with promise.

And with the right kind of encouragement, every human being can make their greatest, most inspired (and inspiring), strategic and consequential difference in the world.

That’s where you come in as a facilitator of this work.

When you are certified by this program, you will be prepared and licensed to deliver your own workshops and retreats using the proven methods of The Philanthropic Quest.

You’ll be able to apply this tested curriculum to

Release human energy
Inspire social innovation, and
Expand the boundaries of what people believe is possible.

In the process, each individual gains true clarity about the unique contribution they were meant to make in the world — and what their next greatest contribution could be, grounded in knowing they can make a real difference in the world.

Lest this sound like pie-in-the-sky, be assured that this strength-based methodology is grounded in up-to-date applied research in organizational behavior and human development. The underlying principles have been tested in numerous large, complex organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, the United Nations, and large educational systems.

The Philanthropic Quest applies this advanced knowledge for the benefit of people who are committed to making a difference — in social sector organizations, community foundations, businesses, civic and political organizations, philanthropic advising, social causes, and socially-minded initiatives of all kinds.

The Philanthropic Quest curriculum is especially well-suited to those who want to raise money in a way that advances social innovation and civic engagement, including institutions of higher learning and global social causes. (In fact, it was developed for exactly that purpose.)

You can use it to create an extraordinary “culture of philanthropy” — more thoughtful, more innovative, and more inspiring than anything available in conventional “fundraising training.” This is a more sophisticated approach, a shift in thinking that attracts, inspires, and retains exceptional staff … and lets them create genuine engagement with high-potential donors and stakeholders.

You could even use it to make the spirit of contribution — the spirit of taking bold personal initiative for the common good — central to the overall culture of your organization. (Far beyond the usual definition of “development” or “advancement.”) After all, the people you work with have devoted their lives to making a contribution to the greater good. It’s a natural fit if you want to nurture human growth and development, promote progressive values, and honor the humanity of all involved (donors, volunteers, and professionals alike).

At an even larger scale, you can use it to inspire a cause or movement. If you have high aspirations, maybe a touch of the heroic … or even an “impossible” mission in front of you … this could well be the missing piece of the puzzle.

The world is aching for new perspectives, more meaningful connection, and a hopeful path forward. You can show people how to get there.

Has there ever been a better — a more pivotal — time to make a difference with your life … and to encourage others to do the same?

That’s why we’re committed to growing a community of facilitators who will bring forth the spirit of contribution and walk side-by-side with people as they make their greatest contribution to the world.

If you’ve looked this far into this idea, you may be wondering: Could you be one of them? (Humility is one of the key success factors we look for, so any doubt you may have is actually a positive indicator that you’ll do well at this.) We'd be glad to think with you about this possibility and answer any questions you might have, even before you apply. Feel free to be in touch to start the conversation about whether this is the right fit for you.

The 6-Step Certification Process

Click on each step to see more about it.

1. Attend a Philanthropic Quest retreat with us.

2. Apply for the Certification Program.

3. Attend a second Philanthropic Quest retreat with us.

4. Complete the Certification Program.

After returning home from your second workshop with us, you will deliver a Philanthropic Quest one-day program to a group of your choice, then prepare a brief report to us on what you learned along the way. (To streamline this for you, we will provide you with a structure for the report.)

You will also be expected to read What Kind of World Do You Want? and other selected resources, and to demonstrate your understanding of key concepts. We want to make sure you are well-grounded in this approach to the world. (We’ve seen how this grows a person’s confidence.)

Successfully completing this process qualifies you to be certified to offer Philanthropic Quest workshops and retreats within your focal organization and to the public.

The investment in the Certification Program is $6750 and includes:

Two-hour strategy session to plan your first workshop.
Personal review of your report on your first workshop, which we will go over with you during an additional private phone consultation.
Three additional 30-minute consultations by phone, scheduled when they are most useful to you, so you can ask questions and receive support around implementation of the Philanthropic Quest curriculum.
Email access for questions.
Printed Facilitator Manual with complete how-to on delivering a one-day version of the Philanthropic Quest workshop that is applicable in many settings, including actual room set-up guidelines and checklists so you can easily delegate the logistics.
Access to the online Facilitator Resource Center with additional tools and resources, including readings that will deepen your understanding of key ideas, workshop descriptions to use in drawing people to your offerings, pre- and post-workshop emails, and other resources to support your success as a Certified Facilitator.
License to use the Philanthropic Quest workshop and related materials for two years from the date of completion of the certification program.
Listing as a Philanthropic Quest Certified Facilitator on our website and “Philanthropic Quest Certified Facilitator” designation for you to use professionally.

Unless you make other arrangements with us, we expect you to complete the Certification Program within nine months of attending your second workshop. By the end of that time, you will be expected to have demonstrated to us sufficient mastery of the Philanthropic Quest core concepts and practices. If we see opportunities for improvement in your readiness to become a Certified Facilitator, we may require additional steps beyond what is described above.

5. Materials and License Fee.

6. Renewal.

ASK A QUESTION

A special note to CEOs and CDOs

When you have a Certified Philanthropic Quest Facilitator prepared to deliver this program internally within your organization or institution, you will be able to:

Build the capability of internal staff and provide new leadership opportunities for development officers you want to retain and develop as leaders. (The experienced professionals you most want to retain may have few other ways to advance; this lets them reach a new professional status and become more valuable to your program — without leaving for greener pastures.)
Scale the program quickly and guarantee local access to it for your people, rather than having them wait for openings in our programs and requiring them to travel.
Integrate the curriculum into your existing professional growth and organization development programs. An in-house program of this sophistication shows your commitment to advanced professional development and an elevated organizational culture, which makes your institution more attractive to the best professionals.
Reduce the per-person investment significantly, while maintaining quality.
Have the program delivered by someone who is deeply familiar with your organization’s culture and language.

Some examples of how you could use this program on behalf of your institution or organization:

With groups of your development professionals. For development programs committed to staff excellence, this is a program like no other available.
With staff at all levels outside the development department. Break down silos and foster a true "culture of philanthropy" across your organization.
With groups of donors (using an adapted version of the workshop). This provides significant leverage compared with one-on-one meetings -- and can be even more effective because of the group dynamics and community-building.
With groups of volunteers, to prepare them to do thank-you calls or to accompany professionals on donor visits.