Philanthropic Quest
Facilitator Certification
Imagine having a proven way to create an inspired organizational culture, so you can …
- Expand what people believe is possible, for themselves and for society. (Most of us have had glimpses of greater possibilities. But on the day-to-day level, we often settle for much less.)
- Inspire everyone around you to take bold action and accelerate results. (After all, this is no time to be timid or sluggish.)
- Attract, develop, and retain the most capable staff, the most respected civic leaders, and the most generous supporters. (The kind of people who are drawn to vibrant organizations and ambitious causes.)
- Transcend the cynicism and mistrust that too often hold people back from investing themselves in society. (The antidote? Nurturing hope, trust, and confidence in a systematic way. That’s almost never given the attention it deserves).
All so you can bring new energy and momentum to your organization, cause, or movement.
The Philanthropic Quest™ can be used to accomplish all these aims (and more).
This strength-based curriculum, grounded in up-to-date applied research in organizational behavior and human development, has been quietly developed and field-tested with hundreds of leaders from all walks of life and every corner of the world.
Their successes have compelled us to release this program into the world much more widely, to answer the extraordinary challenges and opportunities of these times.
The Philanthropic Quest can be used in a wide variety of settings, including social sector organizations, community foundations, businesses, civic and political organizations, philanthropic advising, social causes, and socially-minded initiatives of all kinds.
Now, imagine your own people delivering this advanced, field-tested program.
Of course, you could hire a consultant to come in and lead a training workshop or retreat. Some of those folks are quite good at what they do. (If you end up preferring this route, look into the Certified Philanthropic Quest Facilitators.)
But there are some real downsides to this approach. Too often a consultant-led program is a flash in the pan, forgotten as soon as the consultant walks out the door. It takes sustained attention to create the kind of culture you want.
There’s often resentment toward outside “experts” who may not take the time to fully understand an organization. Or they may use methods from the business world that aren’t a good fit for organizations created for social benefit and sustained by the spirit of contribution.
So if you want sustainable, lasting results, the key is to combine the right content (tailored to the kind of work you do) with the right delivery system (your own people).
That’s what the Facilitator Certification Program was created to do. It lets you bring the proven methods of The Philanthropic Quest into your organization or cause by preparing one or more of your staff to deliver it. (This is often called a "train the trainer" approach.)
Your Certified Facilitators will be able to deliver The Philanthropic Quest curriculum on behalf of your organization, while receiving extensive support from us. We will also work with you to customize the program materials to fit your organizational culture, and to create a plan to deliver the program and assess results.
You’ll be able to …
- Scale the program quickly to reach a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, for maximum impact.
- Integrate The Philanthropic Quest into your existing professional growth and outreach programs, so it becomes a seamless part of "the way things are done around here."
- Have your Philanthropic Quest retreats delivered by people who are deeply familiar with your organization's culture and language.
- Reduce the per-person investment significantly, without sacrificing quality.
What results could you see when your Certified Facilitators bring The Philanthropic Quest into your organization or cause?
Consider these ideas to be thought-starters — to stimulate your imagination. You may well have additional outcomes in mind, as this program has many applications.
Think bigger (which lets you raise more money and attract higher-level civic leadership)
The Philanthropic Quest offers a proven way to invite people to think bigger, to let go of the unspoken assumptions that limit their vision, and to know that they have unlimited capability. When that shift spreads throughout your institution's culture, higher aspirations and greater results automatically follow.
Develop staff capabilities
The Philanthropic Quest offers your staff — in development and beyond — a more sophisticated approach, a shift in thinking that lets them expand their own contribution and create genuine engagement with high-potential donors and stakeholders. For institutions committed to staff excellence, this is a program like no other available.
Attract and retain the best staff
Attraction and retention of highly capable development staff is a big challenge these days. The Philanthropic Quest will make your organization's philanthropic culture stronger, more visible, and more attractive. What's more, having an in-house program of this sophistication shows your commitment to advanced professional development. All of this makes your institution more appealing to the best professionals.
Support leadership growth
Offering a few key people the opportunity to be certified in The Philanthropic Quest is an ideal way to develop significant leadership capability. It also provides a way for experienced professionals (who may have few other ways to advance without going elsewhere) to reach a new professional status within the institution.
Break down silos
The Philanthropic Quest offers a structure within which people in all roles and at all levels can gain a deeper, shared understanding of philanthropy and voluntary action — more thoughtful, more innovative, and more inspiring than anything available in conventional “fundraising training.”
Create an extraordinary organizational culture
You can use this program 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. (This can be applied in the business world and in public service, as well as the social sector.) It’s a natural fit if you want to nurture human growth and development, promote humane values, and honor the best in everyone.
Inspire a cause or movement
At an even larger scale, you can use The Philanthropic Quest 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.
What’s your next step?
If you’re curious to learn more, we invite you to be in touch and let us know of your interest. Together we can look at the possible benefits of this program for your institution or cause, assess its suitability for the culture of your organization, and determine whether it would advance what you want to accomplish.
We'll also be glad to tell you more about how the Facilitator Certification Program works, answer any questions you may have, and provide customized options tailored to your situation.
We are committed to making sure your institution or cause is in a position to benefit from this program with significant return on investment.
Once we have a mutual sense that this could be a good fit, the next step is for decision-makers and prospective facilitators to attend a Philanthropic Quest Strategic Retreat with us. Because seats are limited, we encourage you to start the process as early as possible.
"Just as the rivers we see are much less numerous than the underground streams, so the idealism that is visible is minor compared to what men and women carry in their hearts, unreleased or scarcely released. Mankind is waiting and longing for those who can accomplish the task of untying what is knotted and bringing the underground waters to the surface."
—Albert Schweitzer