fundraising philosophy

Fundraising is a journey: a journey that is impacted by your education and training, personal and professional experiences, and even your values. Fundraising skills build upon each other to foster the knowledge that will enable you to generate revenue.

Your fundraising success is dependent on so many variables that are unique to your organization and situation. We understand the varied circumstances people and organizations bring to their fundraising journeys and we are dedicated to teaching you the skills you need to chart your own course.

You might be a smaller organization who is looking to get off what we fondly call the “grant hamster wheel”. Or maybe you already have diversified revenue but are looking to take it to the next level. The good news is that there are always opportunities to raise more funds. Sometimes we just need time and expertise to uncover them. In other instances, we need to invest in developing our staff and volunteers’ comfort with raising money.

That is why we are here!

meet our founder

my name is rowena, and i'm so happy you're here.

I was once asked to dig deep and think about “my why.”

“My why” for opening the school is that I love fundraising and I saw a need in our industry and communities. Each person that comes through our door works or volunteers for an organization that we need, and helping them to succeed and strengthen their fundraising efforts is one of my greatest joys.

This school was a dream of mine for a long time and a global pandemic along with the loss of a dear friend made me realize that it was time.

I could not have done it without an incredibly supportive group of people in my life and now am grateful for our amazing NSOF team of instructors who bring the same dedication and belief in our work to our school.

It has and will continue to truly be a community effort.

about our bee

Did you see our sweet bee and wonder what in the world it has to do with fundraising?

In many cultures, bees are symbols of hard work, community, and mindful service. Bees are highly social creatures, living in groups that focus on teamwork. Each individual humbly goes about its business, pollinating plants and producing abundance not just for its hive, but for all of Earth's creation. And although its aerodynamics don't make sense, don't even try telling a bee it can't fly. It simply does - and so can you.

The hexagon, the building block of the hive, is one of the strongest shapes known in nature. It stems from the industry of the bee, and symbolizes harmony, balance and efficiency.