Running a nonprofit organization requires more than passion and purpose. It takes strategic marketing to amplify your mission and grow your impact.

Fortunately, nonprofits don’t have to invest a lot of money to gain digital marketing skills. Whether you’re new to digital marketing or want to level up your strategy, there are free nonprofit marketing training courses available to help you and your team thrive.

This nonprofit marketing guide outlines the top free online nonprofit marketing training courses, how to choose the right course, and what you can do with your skills. 

Do you need expert digital marketing strategies targeted to your audience? Contact NextGen and let our team help you today!

Why Marketing Education Matters for Nonprofits

Marketing is crucial in helping nonprofits connect with donors, volunteers, and the communities they serve. 

Professionals in this field must know how to create, implement, and track audience-centric marketing campaigns that increase brand awareness, boost engagement, and secure donations and membership sign-ups. However, not all professionals have the formal training that helps them achieve the marketing goals they need.

Here’s why investing in nonprofit marketing training, even free options, can make a significant difference:

• Increased visibility: Nonprofit sector professionals can learn how to target, engage, and convert members and donors through search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, and social media.
• Stronger storytelling: Marketing courses help you understand how to craft compelling narratives that inspire action.
• Better donor engagement: You can learn which marketing tools and technology to use and how to use these tools to nurture relationships and retain supporters.
• Data-driven decisions: Analytics help you determine your marketing performance and whether your strategies are working. The right courses will cover which analytics to track and how to leverage these insights to make impactful decisions. 
• Building Credibility: Trust is imperative in nonprofit marketing because it determines whether potential donors and members will support your cause. Completing courses will help you understand what it takes to build and nurture credibility.
• Establishing a Competitive Advantage: The nonprofit sector is competitive, and gaining skills and knowledge from courses will give you a competitive edge in targeting and engaging donors, members, and volunteers.

Best Free Online Courses for Nonprofit Marketers

Many free online courses can teach you how to market for nonprofits and how these strategies differ from traditional and direct mail marketing. 

We’ve made this easier for you with a list of the great courses to get started. 

1. NonprofitReady – Marketing Essentials Certificate

Designed for nonprofits, NonprofitReady offers a range of short courses for nonprofit professionals. You can learn the fundamentals of leadership, financial management, and marketing, among other courses. The marketing certificate can be completed in under two hours, and you’ll take an exam before earning your certificate.

Course Curriculum:

• Introduction to Nonprofit Marketing
• Creating a Marketing Plan
• Implementing Marketing Campaigns

To get started, create a free account, and then you can learn about the essentials of nonprofit marketing. 

2. HubSpot Academy – Email Marketing Certification 

HubSpot Academy offers a wide selection of certification courses. While this platform covers traditional marketing practices, nonprofit professionals can also benefit from the knowledge and skills it provides. Completing this certification should take around four hours, and you’ll find quizzes and exercises between the lessons to help you understand what makes successful email marketing. 

Course Curriculum:

• Introduction to Email Marketing
• Email Marketing Strategy Fundamentals
• Understanding the Importance of Segmentation and Contact Management in Email Marketing
• Understanding Permissions and Deliverability
• Understanding the Power of Personalization and Automation in Email Marketing
• Understanding Design in Email Marketing
• Maximizing the Impact of Copy in Email Marketing
• Getting Your Audience to Take Action in Email Marketing
• Analyzing Your Marketing Emails
• Improving Your Email Marketing Through Testing

After you’ve worked through the course content, you can write the one-hour exam and earn your certificate. 

3. Grassroots Collective – Marketing Your Cause

Grassroots Collective offers a free online marketing course designed for nonprofit professionals. The course consists of nine modules, each requiring approximately 20 minutes to complete. It is designed for professionals who aim to raise awareness about social courses and develop a coordinated digital marketing strategy.

Course Curriculum:

• Enter the marketer’s mindset
• Nonprofit branding 101
• Using emails
• Introduction to web design
• Using social media
• The ‘elevator pitch’
• Cause marketing
• Annual Reports

This course is available in English and Spanish; however, the website doesn’t mention having to take an exam before completing the course.

4. Google – Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

Google offers a beginner-level digital marketing course that equips you with basic knowledge of how digital marketing works and how to develop targeted campaigns. This course is ideal if you want to understand digital marketing beyond strategies for nonprofits. It has 17 modules, including exercises and real-world examples.

Course Curriculum:

• Welcome to the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
• Build your digital marketing strategy
• Get to know your digital customers
• Create engaging content
• Get the most from your business data
• Make social media work for you
• Help customers find you through search
• Build Your Knowledge
• Improve your business with websites and apps 
• Optimize your online shopping experience
• Reach international customers
• Choose the proper marketing channels for your budget
• Reach local customers
• Craft effective email campaigns
• Create engaging videos for your customers
• Get to know Google Marketing tools
• Find the digital marketing tools and services that work for you

Completing this course typically takes around 40 hours, and upon successful completion, you will earn a certificate.

5. Udemy – Free Digital Marketing Basics Course

Udemy is a trusted platform for various free and paid online courses in many fields. The Free Digital Marketing Basics Course requires around six hours of studying and consists of three modules and 22 lectures. If you have no prior digital marketing experience and want to learn the basics, this course is ideal.

Course Curriculum:

• Introduction to Digital Marketing
• Various Modules of Digital Marketing
• Practical Digital Marketing Techniques

The only downside of this course is that you can’t gain a certificate on the free version, so you’ll have to upgrade to a paid course to do this.

6. Great Learning –  Introduction to Digital Marketing

The Introduction to Digital Marketing course by Great Learning provides a beginner-level understanding of effective digital marketing. It takes two and a half hours to complete, and you’ll learn the basics of targeted content marketing, SEO, search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing, and automated marketing. 

Course Curriculum:

• What is Digital Marketing?
• Why Digital Marketing?
• How to do Digital Marketing?
• Types of Digital Marketing
• Content Marketing
• SEO SEM
• Social Media Marketing
• Affiliate and Automated Marketing
• Pay Per Click and PR

Upon completing this course, you will earn a certificate. 

Tips for Choosing the Right Courses for Your Team

Before embarking on nonprofit marketing training, it’s important to select the most suitable course for your team.

Here are some key factors to consider when selecting the proper training. 

• Skill level: Consider whether you’re looking for beginner, intermediate, or advanced-level courses. If different team members have varying experience levels, taking different courses may be the best option. 
• Time commitment: How many hours can your team dedicate to studying without disrupting their workloads and obligations? 
• Skills and Knowledge: Select a course that aligns with the expertise you need. For instance, if you want to prioritize public relations, SEO, social media, or nonprofit marketing, read each course description and ensure it covers those skills. 
• Certification needs: Some courses offer completion certificates, which significantly benefit career development. However, other courses require payment for completion certificates, so determine which route is best for you. 
• Interactive elements: Hands-on assignments or quizzes can make learning much more effective and teach you how to handle challenges in real-world fundraising marketing. 

Work with your team members to find the right course and listen to their goals, expectations, and what they believe the proper training should cover. While you won’t waste money on choosing poor free online courses, you will waste time, so communicate these tips and make a decision with your entire team. 

How to Apply What You Learn to Your Nonprofit Marketing Strategy

Learning is only the first step. Implementation is where real change happens. 

Here are ways to put your new knowledge into practice after completing nonprofit marketing training courses:

• Run a team workshop: Have team members present key takeaways from their training and brainstorm how to apply them to upcoming campaigns.
• Update your strategy document: Use new frameworks and techniques to refine your messaging, audience personas, or channels.
• Test and iterate: Apply insights through small A/B tests on subject lines, CTA buttons, or ad visuals to see what resonates. Ensure you track and analyze the right analytics to determine which elements of your marketing campaigns make the most impact. 
• Track results: Use free tools like Google Analytics or Meta’s Ads Manager to monitor changes in traffic, engagement, and conversions.

The key to applying what you learn in nonprofit marketing courses is to continually evaluate and improve your knowledge. In other words, ensure your team receives regular training and monitor your marketing efforts to identify any areas for improvement. 

Get Expert Nonprofit Marketing Strategies with NextGen

Many digital marketing courses can provide your nonprofit with all the resources you need to make a greater impact through targeted strategies. Participants in these courses can also earn certifications to add to their resumes. 

To select the best course for your team, several factors should be considered:

• Your team’s skill level
• Your desired learning outcomes
• The time commitment required
• Whether you can earn a certificate 

If you want to simplify nonprofit marketing, NextGen is your best bet. Our platform automates digital, email, and direct mail marketing. Ready to leverage nonprofit marketing strategies that work. 

Contact NextGen Fundraising today and let our team of experts help you!