A Dream in the Desert?

Fundraising from the Gulf Donors

Have you heard about the record-breaking grants and significant support coming from donors in the Persian Gulf? Their announcements have been making the headlines and the amounts of money involved have caught the attention of many NGO practitioners and social enterprises.

But, like so many colleagues all over the world, you are likely wondering who they really are, how they work, what the risks involved in working with them are, and most importantly—would your organization likely ever be able to get a grant from them. They do not operate in the same ways as many of the traditional, public sector donors, and finding information about them is often difficult.

While the potential rewards are high, the time and effort involved in getting their attention and making a successful application to them are significant. Many NGOs and social enterprises have simply given up trying. In this course, we will be sharing some of the knowledge we have gained with helping clients to access funding from these donors and provide you with some effective strategies for making your organization an attractive grant applicant.

The Gulf donors are not appropriate for all NGOs, but for those who are able to position themselves well, a grant from them can be an organization-transforming event. Even if your organization will not pursue funding from the Gulf donors, the new skills and perspectives contained in this course will be valuable to improve your fundraising.

When you take this certificate online course, you will learn:

    • Who the Gulf Donors are and what their priorities are
    • How you can approach them
    • How you can network with them
    • How you can establish a fruitful relationship with them
    • How you can ultimately decide if the Gulf Donors would be a good fit for your organization

Join us to learn everything you ever wanted to know about the Gulf donors from an expert who has worked with them frequently in the past!

Philantropia is an Approved Provider for Continuing Education in Fundraising. Full participation in “A Dream in the Desert – Fundraising from the Gulf Donors” is applicable for 3.0 points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification. CFRE is an independent certification for fundraising professionals which aims to setting standards in philanthropy through a valid and reliable certification process for fundraising professionals.

Participation in this program may assist you in learning or reviewing concepts covered on the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) examination as detailed on the Test Content Outline provided by CFRE International. CFRE International does not sponsor or endorse any educational programs and the (educational program title) was not developed in conjunction with CFRE International.


Your Instructor


Christopher J. Varady
Christopher J. Varady

Hi, my name is Christopher. I am a development professional with 17 years of field experience. I have been exclusively focused on fundraising for the past 13 years, having raised more than $140 million for local and international clients in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia. I specialize in fundraising from institutional and non-traditional donors.


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.

Don´t hesitate and take this course to learn everything you need to know for your NGO or social enterprise to learn how to fundraise from Gulf Donors and other non-traditional donor agencies.

Get started now!