About this Event
Residential Training
November 3-5, 2026 with optional early arrival on November 2
Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising
In partnership with Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and
Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The Rev’d Nathan Kirkpatrick and Meredith McNabb
The Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF), offered in partnership with Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, is designed for religious leaders in faith-based organizations and institutions who wish to learn more about the spirituality of fundraising and gain a core foundation in fundraising principles. The ECRF is sponsored by Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and held at Mercy by the Sea retreat center in Madison, CT. The ECRF covers four key topics and includes select required reading to be completed in advance and the completion of a final project. The ECRF utilizes faculty presentations, interactive discussion, selected readings, and a context-specific final project to address the following:
- Nurturing generous congregations and organizations
- Nurturing generous donors
- The practice of religious fundraising
- Integrating religious leadership and fundraising
Included:
- 7 meals and accommodations at Mercy by the Sea retreat center in Madison, CT
- Single rooms with private bathrooms
- A visit to Yale Divinity School, including a Berkeley Community Eucharist and a meal
- 2.5 days of onsite teaching, plus 3 hours of online teaching
- Access to Pathwright, an online learning management system
- ECRF binders
- PowerPoint presentations
- Final project guidance for participants (For more final project requirements, please visit Lake’s website)
- Subscription to “Insights Newsletter”
- Final certificate for those who complete the program
- Beach access
Who Should Attend?
Religious leaders in faith-based organizations and institutions who wish to learn more about the spirituality of fundraising and gain a core foundation in fundraising principles should attend. Typical attendees include clergy, laity, judicatory executives, and development leaders at faith-based organizations.
Pricing and Details
-Commuter Rate: $1,424 ($1,350 tuition + $74 lunches & hospitality)
-Overnight Rate: $1,660 ($1,350 tuition +$310 meals/accommodations for 2 nights: November 3-5)
-Early Arrival Overnight Rate: ($1350 tuition + $465 meals/accommodations for 3 nights: November 2-5)
A very limited number of commuter scholarships are available. These cover 50% of the program fee. For scholarship information, email Brandon Nappi, DMin at [email protected].
Arrival and Departure
Participants can arrive anytime between 9 am and noon. The program will begin at Mercy by the Sea in Madison, CT on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 with lunch at noon. It will conclude after lunch on Thursday, November 5 at 1:00 pm. The program on Wednesday, November 4 will take place at Yale Divinity School and will conclude with a Community Eucharist and dinner. Shuttle services will be provided to and from Yale Divinity School. Those who choose the Early Arrival option should plan to arrive in the afternoon on Monday, November 2.
Refund Policy
Cancellations before September 3, 2026 receive a full refund, less a $50 cancellation fee.
Cancellations between September 3 and October 3, 2026 receive a 50% refund, less a $50 cancellation fee. No refunds are offered after October 3, 2026 except in cases of emergency and illness.
Meredith McNabb is Lake Institute's Associate Director of Educational Programming. Meredith comes to the work of development and generosity from both congregational and nonprofit perspectives. She is an ordained clergy person who, prior to joining Lake, served as the Director of the Center for Clergy Excellence for the United Methodist clergy in Virginia, where she resourced leaders in congregations and nonprofits of all sizes and geographic settings. In her early career, she served as an attorney at law, and she has had volunteer leadership roles with several nonprofit organizations, including Shalom Farms, a multi-faith food justice organization in Richmond, Virginia, and Partner Liberia, a medical capacity-building nonprofit in West Africa. Meredith lives in Indianapolis with her spouse, Mike.
The Rev’d Nathan Kirkpatrick is an Episcopal priest and a principal consultant at Saison Consulting. Over the years, he has worked with hundreds of congregations and nonprofit institutions around the country. He regularly teaches and trains congregational, denominational, and institutional leaders in the United States and globally on issues of change and change management, conflict and communication, innovation and sustainability, vocation, and leadership. Nathan studied at Wake Forest University and Duke University. He engaged in further research about religion and psychology at Durham University (UK). Nathan is certified in the Enneagram, a number of psychometric assessments, and the Center for Creative Leadership’s SkillScope 360º feedback tool. He is an Integral Associate Coach through Integral Coaching of Canada.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Mercy by the Sea, Neck Road, Madison, CT, USA, United States
USD 1521.36 to USD 1938.58
