The Fellowship
Ten months · Built on practice
The Philanthropy Fellowship is a ten-month development opportunity for experienced fundraisers moving into, or already working in, principal gifts.
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Through realistic rehearsal, one-to-one strategic mentoring, professional coaching and a deliberately small cohort of around ten peers, Fellows develop the judgement, influence and strategic imagination that are difficult to acquire through conventional training, or through experience alone.
Why the Fellowship exists
The hardest questions are not about technique
Experienced fundraisers rarely lack knowledge of fundraising techniques.
The challenges they meet at the highest levels of philanthropy are different.
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How do you recognise an important philanthropic opportunity before its shape is clear?
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How do you engage a philanthropist whose ambitions extend beyond established institutional priorities?
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How do you influence senior colleagues when you are responsible for a relationship but have no authority over everyone involved?
Questions like these call for five capabilities, which the Fellowship develops together:
PHILANTHROPIC INTELLIGENCE
Understanding philanthropists and the world around their decisions
STRATEGIC IMAGINATION
Seeing and shaping possibilities beyond established projects
PERSONAL
AUTHORITY
Engaging powerful people with confidence and credibility
INSTITUTIONAL ORCHESTRATION
Mobilising leaders, expertise and resources
RELATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
Sustaining trust and progress through complexity
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Fellows work through challenging professional situations in carefully designed simulations, including interactions with professional actors. Expert feedback helps them examine their judgement, communication, influence and decision-making.
Development that becomes part of how you work
Over ten months, Fellows move through a continuous cycle of learning, practice, application and reflection, supported by five elements that reinforce one another.
How the Fellowship works
Learn · Practise · Apply · Reflect · Refine
INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIC MENTORING
Experienced practitioners work with each Fellow on the philanthropic opportunities and institutional challenges they are navigating, connecting the programme’s themes with the realities of their role.
PROFESSIONAL COACHING
Individual and group coaching provides space to explore personal effectiveness, confidence, leadership and the assumptions that shape professional behaviour.
PEER
LEARNING
A small cohort of experienced professionals exchanges perspectives, challenges established thinking and learns from different institutional contexts.
REAL-WORLD LEARNING
Fellows apply new approaches in their own work, then return to the programme to reflect on what happened and refine their practice.
In practice
What might this look like?
Consider a Fellow working with a philanthropist whose ambitions could make something remarkable possible, but do not fit neatly within their institution’s existing priorities.
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The opportunity is promising, but its direction is uncertain. Senior colleagues disagree about what is possible, and the Fellow must keep the philanthropist’s confidence while helping the institution explore a new approach.
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Within the Fellowship, they might:
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Practise a difficult conversation in an immersive simulation, with feedback on how they listen, respond and exercise influence.
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Explore the strategic dimensions of the opportunity with an experienced mentor.
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Reflect through coaching on their confidence, assumptions and approach to institutional leadership.
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Learn from peers who have navigated comparable challenges elsewhere.
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Apply new approaches in their own institution, then examine what worked and what needs to change.
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Professional capability develops when learning is connected to practice, reflection and real responsibility.
The Fellowship in detail
Depth, not scale
The Fellowship is deliberately small. Around ten experienced professionals form each cohort, allowing individual attention, real peer relationships and a setting in which difficult situations can be examined openly and in confidence.
It is neither an introductory programme nor a series of standalone events, but a sustained experience over ten months.
AUTUMN 2026
PREPARATION
Each Fellow is paired with a programme mentor for the whole Fellowship, and agrees development goals with their line manager and the Fellowship team.
JANUARY 2027
FELLOWSHIP RETREAT
The cohort comes together in person for a welcome dinner and a day of immersive experiential workshops.
FEBRUARY-OCTOBER 2027
PREPARATION
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Three one-to-one strategic mentoring sessions on live prospects and opportunities (90 minutes each)
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Three one-to-one professional coaching sessions (60 minutes each)
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Two small-group coaching sessions online (90 minutes each)
APRIL 2027
MID-POINT REVIEW
& EXPERIENTIAL
TRAINING DAY
A progress review with each Fellow’s line manager, followed by a second in-person day with professional actors, focused on high-stakes conversations.
OCTOBER 2027
FINAL REVIEW
A closing review of progress and goals with each Fellow and their line manager.
Development that becomes part of how you work.
NEXT STEPS
Explore what the Fellowship could make possible
Principal gifts are institutional achievements. They depend on leadership, collaboration and the ability to connect philanthropic ambition with institutional priorities. The Fellowship strengthens the people at the centre of that work, for their own benefit and their institution’s.
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To explore taking part, or sponsoring a colleague, arrange a conversation with a Founding Partner.
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Places in the inaugural cohort are being confirmed now; please be in touch by 30 November 2026.
THE INAUGURAL FELLOWSHIP
Join the founding cohort
DATES
January–October 2027.
Onboarding is now under way.
COHORT
Approximately ten Fellows, selected for their experience, readiness and the contribution they will make to the group.
FORMAT
In-person experiential workshops, virtual development sessions, and individual mentoring and coaching.
INVESTMENT
£11,000 + VAT
per Fellow
To be considered for the inaugural cohort, please arrange a conversation by 30 November 2026.
Every Fellowship begins with a conversation with a Founding Partner.
Explore what the Fellowship could make possible
We welcome conversations with experienced fundraising professionals and institutional leaders considering participation or sponsorship.
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A conversation with a Founding Partner is an opportunity to explore the Fellowship's approach, discuss professional ambitions and consider whether the programme is the right fit.