The Professional
Development Budget Kit
Everything you need to get your organization to say "yes" to funding your growth: templates, talking points, and an ROI calculator.
Because investing in your skills shouldn't come out of your own pocket.
Instant download · No cost · No obligation
of fundraisers say they lack the budget for professional development
higher gift output from fundraisers who invest in ongoing training
what this kit costs you: it's completely free
You know you need training.
Your budget says otherwise.
You've seen the difference that real major gift training makes. You know which intensive or workshop would transform your fundraising.
But every time you ask for professional development budget, you get the same answer: "We just don't have the money this year." Or worse, no answer at all. The problem isn't that your organization can't afford it. The problem is that no one's made the case in a way that leadership can't ignore.
What's Inside
Your complete budget request toolkit.
Six tools designed to help you walk into any budget conversation prepared, confident, and backed by numbers.
Budget Justification Template
A fill-in-the-blanks template that helps you articulate exactly why professional development is worth the investment, written in language your CFO and board will understand.
ROI Calculator
A simple spreadsheet that quantifies the return on professional development. Show your leadership team how training pays for itself in closed gifts.
Sample Request Letters
Three real-world email and memo templates you can adapt to request approval for conferences, coaching, and intensives.
Cost Comparison Sheet
Side-by-side comparisons showing the per-gift cost of professional development vs. the cost of not investing. The numbers speak for themselves.
Talking Points for Your Boss
The exact phrases and data points to use in conversations with your executive director, board chair, or CFO when asking for training budget.
Follow-Up Email Sequence
A 3-email sequence to use after your initial request, to keep the conversation moving and address objections before they derail approval.
Why Mary created this kit.
Mary Petersen spent 25 years as a working major gift officer before she started coaching. She's raised millions from living rooms, boardroom lunches, and farmhouse tables.
She is the author of What to Say (International Impact Award Winner) and Small Table Big Philanthropy, and the founder of Hey Fundraiser. This is someone who did the work, not someone who studied it.
After years of watching talented fundraisers miss out on training because they couldn't get budget approval, Mary created this kit to level the playing field. The tools inside are the same ones she's used to help dozens of fundraisers secure professional development funding, and close more major gifts because of it.
Fundraisers who got their "yes"
"I'd been turned down for conference budget three years in a row. The ROI calculator in this kit made the case in numbers my ED couldn't argue with. Approved."
Sarah M.
Development Director, Animal Rescue League
"The talking points were a game-changer. I walked into my CFO's office knowing exactly what to say. I got approval for Mary's intensive on the spot."
David K.
Major Gift Officer, University Foundation
"I didn't even know where to start when asking for training budget. This kit gave me the template, the numbers, and the confidence. It took me 20 minutes."
Lisa T.
Director of Development, Community Foundation
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Download the Free Kit
Enter your name and email below. You'll get immediate access to all six tools.
No cost · Instant access · Yours to keep
Your free kit includes:
Questions?
Here are the most common ones.
Q.What exactly is the Professional Development Budget Kit?
It's a free digital toolkit designed to help nonprofit fundraisers successfully request and secure professional development funding from their organization. It includes budget justification templates, an ROI calculator, sample request letters, talking points, and more.
Q.Is it really free?
Yes, completely free. Just enter your name and email and you'll get instant access to download everything. No credit card, no hidden fees.
Q.Will this work if I've been turned down before?
Absolutely. The kit is specifically designed to help you make a stronger case than 'I'd like to attend a conference.' It gives you the numbers, the language, and the structure to frame professional development as an investment, not an expense.
Q.Can I use this for any type of professional development?
Yes. The templates and talking points work for conferences, coaching programs, intensives, workshops, courses, and certifications, anything that requires budget approval from your organization.
Q.How do I get the kit?
Fill out the form on this page with your name and email. You'll receive an email with a download link immediately. Check your inbox (and spam folder, just in case).
Q.Is there a guarantee?
There is a promise, which I think is better, and there is one thing I will not promise. I will not promise you a gift. I do not control your donors, your board, your economy, or whether your biggest prospect has a bad year. Anybody who guarantees you fundraising revenue is guaranteeing something that is not theirs to give. What I will promise is that you leave with the work finished. Come to the days, do the work in the room, and if your prospect list, money map, scripts and ninety-day plan are not complete when your coaching calls run out, I keep coaching until they are. No extra fee. If that is not enough certainty for the size of this decision, email me and tell me what would make it feel safer. I would rather have that conversation than have you talk yourself out of something that would work.
Stop paying for your own training.
Your organization should be investing in your growth. This kit gives you everything you need to make that case, clearly, confidently, and backed by numbers.
Get the Free Kit Now