About This Course
In an increasingly competitive funding environment, the ability to mobilize resources effectively and write winning proposals is a critical organizational capability. Whether you are working in a non-governmental organization, a government agency, a development finance institution, or a social enterprise, your ability to attract and secure funding directly determines the scope and sustainability of your programmes and impact.
This five-day Resource Mobilization and Proposal Writing Training by TrainingComplex is designed to bridge the gap between organizational need and funding reality. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the donor landscape — including bilateral and multilateral agencies, private foundations, corporate social responsibility funds, and government grants — and will learn how to position their organizations as credible, competitive partners for these funders.
The programme takes a structured, practical approach. Rather than covering theory in isolation, each module builds on the last, guiding participants from strategic fundraising planning through concept note writing, full proposal development, logical framework design, budget formulation, and post-award compliance. By the end of the training, delegates will have drafted key components of a real proposal aligned to their own organizational context.
TrainingComplex has designed this course for professionals who work at the intersection of programming and resource management — people who are expected not only to implement projects but also to contribute to the financial sustainability of their organizations. The skills developed here are immediately transferable, equipping participants to lead or contribute meaningfully to their organization's resource mobilization efforts from day one after training.
Who Should Attend
- Programme and project managers in NGOs and civil society organizations
- Fundraising and resource mobilization officers
- Government and public sector officials involved in donor coordination
- Social enterprise leaders and development consultants
- Communications and partnerships officers seeking to expand donor engagement
- Monitoring and evaluation staff who contribute to proposal design
- Academics and research institution administrators seeking grant funding
- Small and medium enterprise owners pursuing development finance
Learning Objectives
- Understand the global and regional donor landscape, including key funding trends and priorities
- Develop a strategic resource mobilization plan aligned to organizational goals
- Write compelling concept notes that capture donor interest and advance to full proposal stage
- Design and apply logical frameworks (logframes) and results chains to proposal development
- Prepare complete, competitive funding proposals meeting donor-specific requirements
- Construct realistic and donor-compliant project budgets and budget narratives
- Identify and apply effective donor relationship management and stewardship strategies
- Navigate post-award compliance requirements and reporting obligations
- Adapt proposals and pitches for different donor types, including bilateral, multilateral, and private sources
- Build internal organizational systems that support sustained resource mobilization capacity
Course Modules
Module 1: The Resource Mobilization Landscape
- Defining resource mobilization and its role in organizational sustainability
- Types of funding sources: bilateral, multilateral, private foundations, corporate, and government
- Key international and regional donors active in Africa and the Global South
- Current trends shaping donor priorities and funding modalities
- Understanding the donor funding cycle and decision-making processes
- Assessing your organization's current resource mobilization position
Module 2: Developing a Resource Mobilization Strategy
- Linking resource mobilization to organizational mission, vision, and strategic plan
- Conducting a funding gap and opportunity analysis
- Segmenting and prioritizing target donors based on alignment and capacity
- Building a resource mobilization calendar and pipeline tracker
- Defining roles and responsibilities within the resource mobilization team
- Setting realistic fundraising targets and key performance indicators
Module 3: Donor Research and Relationship Building
- Techniques for identifying and researching prospective donors
- Analysing donor guidelines, call-for-proposals, and funding priorities
- Developing a donor engagement and stewardship plan
- Craft effective first-contact communications: emails, introductory letters, and meetings
- Building long-term donor relationships beyond single grant cycles
- Mapping and leveraging partnerships to strengthen donor applications
Module 4: Concept Note Development
- Purpose and structure of a concept note in the funding acquisition process
- Identifying and articulating the problem statement with evidence
- Drafting clear programme objectives and expected outcomes
- Presenting a compelling theory of change in brief format
- Tailoring concept notes to specific donor interests and formats
- Peer review and iterative refinement of concept note drafts
Module 5: Proposal Writing — Structure and Narrative
- Anatomy of a full funding proposal: standard sections and their purpose
- Writing an executive summary that captures donor attention immediately
- Developing a strong background and situational analysis section
- Articulating programme design, activities, and implementation approach
- Addressing sustainability, exit strategy, and scalability in proposals
- Adapting proposal narrative style and tone to different donor cultures
Module 6: Logical Framework and Results-Based Design
- Introduction to logical frameworks (logframes): purpose, structure, and use
- Mapping the results chain: inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact
- Formulating SMART indicators for each level of the results chain
- Identifying assumptions and risks within the logframe
- Aligning the logframe to donor reporting and M&E requirements
- Common logframe errors and how to avoid them in proposal submission
Module 7: Budget Preparation and Financial Compliance
- Principles of donor-compliant budget preparation
- Cost categorization: direct, indirect, capital, and operational expenditures
- Preparing a project budget and detailed budget narrative
- Understanding donor rules on budget flexibility, variances, and disallowed costs
- Cash flow planning and financial management within grant-funded projects
- Common budget errors that lead to proposal rejection or audit findings
Module 8: Writing for Specific Donor Contexts
- Understanding the difference between USAID, EU, UN, and foundation proposal requirements
- Navigating calls for proposals from government grant-making bodies
- Adapting proposals for corporate social responsibility and impact investment funders
- Writing for rapid-response and emergency funding mechanisms
- Incorporating cross-cutting themes: gender, environment, disability, and governance
- Using annexes, supporting documents, and organizational profiles effectively
Module 9: Post-Award Management and Donor Reporting
- Transitioning from proposal approval to project kick-off and grant agreement review
- Understanding grant conditions, covenants, and compliance obligations
- Designing donor reporting schedules and internal accountability systems
- Writing high-quality narrative and financial donor reports
- Managing project amendments, budget realignments, and change requests
- Building organizational memory: documentation systems for future proposals
Module 10: Pitching, Negotiation, and Building a Culture of Resource Mobilization
- Preparing and delivering effective pitches to donor audiences
- Negotiating grant terms, budgets, and implementation modalities
- Handling donor queries, clarification requests, and due diligence processes
- Fostering a resource mobilization culture across departments and leadership
- Building internal proposal review and quality assurance systems
- Developing a personal and organizational action plan for continued fundraising success
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have at least one year of professional experience in a development, non-profit, public sector, or social enterprise setting. Basic familiarity with project planning concepts is helpful, though no prior formal training in fundraising or proposal writing is required. A willingness to engage actively in practical writing exercises and group work is essential.
Training Methodology
- Donor landscape mapping exercise where participants analyse and profile real funding agencies relevant to their sector
- Guided proposal drafting workshops where each participant develops sections of an actual proposal throughout the week
- Logframe and results chain design practicals using structured templates and peer review
- Case study analysis of both successful and unsuccessful funding proposals to extract winning strategies
- Budget preparation simulations using realistic project scenarios and donor budget templates
- Group pitching sessions where participants present concept notes and receive structured feedback from peers and facilitators
- Donor communication role plays practising email outreach, partner meetings, and follow-up correspondence
- Facilitator-led plenary discussions drawing on real-world fundraising experience across East Africa, West Africa, and international development contexts
Organisational Benefits
- Strengthened organizational capacity to compete successfully for grant funding
- Diversified funding portfolio through engagement with a broader range of donor types
- Improved proposal quality leading to higher conversion rates from concept to award
- Reduced dependency on a single donor or funding stream
- Enhanced credibility and positioning with international and regional development funders
- Better alignment between programmatic plans and donor priorities
- More effective internal coordination between programme, finance, and communications teams during proposal development
- Improved post-award management reducing risks of non-compliance and fund loss
Where Is Resource Mobilization and Proposal Writing Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Naivasha, Kampala, Kisumu, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Accra, Pretoria, Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Dubai, Kigali, Nakuru, Zanzibar, Cape Town, Riyadh, Mombasa, Lagos, Abuja, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Kisumu, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
+227 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior experience in fundraising to attend this course?
No prior formal training in fundraising or proposal writing is required. The course is designed for professionals with at least one year of experience in a relevant sector who want to build or formalize their resource mobilization skills. Participants at all levels of fundraising experience will find the programme practical and applicable.
Will I actually write a proposal during the training?
Yes. A core feature of this programme is that participants work on real proposal components throughout the week, using their own organizational context as the basis for exercises. By the final day, you will have drafted key sections of a funding proposal ready for further development and submission.
What types of donors does the course cover?
The training covers a wide range of donor types including bilateral agencies (such as USAID and DFID), multilateral organizations (such as the UN system, World Bank, and European Union), private and family foundations, corporate social responsibility funds, and government grant-making bodies, giving participants a broad and versatile fundraising skill set.
Will I receive a certificate upon completing the course?
Yes. Participants who attend and complete the full five-day programme will receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in Resource Mobilization and Proposal Writing, which can be used for professional development records and CVs.
Can organizations send a team rather than an individual participant?
Absolutely, and it is highly encouraged. Sending a team — for example, a programme officer alongside a finance officer and a communications lead — allows organizations to build shared capacity and to work on a joint proposal during the training, maximizing the return on investment in the short and long term.
