POWER BI FOR FUNDRAISERS:
An Introduction to Power BI Dashboards for Nonprofits
Go from that blank screen to your first fully functional dashboard—step by step.
12 CFRE Credits
Your organization installed Power BI because it’s free—but now you’re staring at a blank screen wondering where to begin.
You know your data holds valuable insights about donor behavior and giving patterns, but without technical training, Power BI feels overwhelming. You don’t have time to figure it out through trial and error, and hiring an analyst isn’t in the budget.
Meanwhile, leadership is asking for dashboards and reports that actually drive decisions. You need to turn raw data into actionable intelligence—fast.
Power BI for Fundraisers takes you from that blank screen to your first fully functional dashboard—step by step.
Instructors Greg Duke and Marianne Pelletier walk you through every click, showing you exactly how to:
- Import data from multiple sources with refreshable links
- Build summary tables that reveal constituency giving patterns
- Create calculated columns for deeper analysis
- Design graphs, maps, and charts that surface actionable insights
- Add professional formatting and your organization’s branding
- Enable interactive filtering and drill-down capabilities
- Publish dashboards your entire team can access
Plus, you get:
- Direct access to ask instructors questions and see answers to common challenges
- Lifetime access to rewatch lessons as often as needed
- Curated resources for continued learning
- Optional coaching hours for personalized guidance
This isn’t theory—it’s practical training that gets you creating dashboards.
12 CFRE Credits
Your Instructor
For over 20 years, Greg Duke has worked in fundraising organizations in the United States and the United Kingdom, working primarily in database management and prospect research.
Duke helps Raiser’s Edge clients to optimize their database by implementing data clean-up techniques and creating reporting structures, including dashboards and SQL queries. He also facilitates data imports into Raiser’s Edge and database administration.
Duke has worked at the University of Oxford, Niagara University, Florida International University, and the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has lectured at several APRA International and regional conferences, and previously taught a fundraising course at Niagara University. Duke earned a D.Phil in modern history from Jesus College, University of Oxford.
Your Instructor
Marianne Pelletier has over 35 years of fundraising experience, with the majority in prospect research and prospecting. She is one of the first adopters of donor modeling and data mining techniques. Her professional experience includes prospect research, both as a research analyst for Harvard and Lesley Universities and as a department director for Carnegie Mellon University and Cornell University.
Pelletier’s multi-decade career also includes running an annual giving program with average increased revenues of 27% per year; and providing software consulting through the Datatel Corporation, teaching clients both how to use their new software and assisting them with better analysis and more efficient processing. She led the analytics division of the Helen Brown Group for over 10 years, and remains an associate.
A recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the New England Development Research Association and a Woman of the Year designation by the National Association of Professional Women, Pelletier has served as a volunteer for both election campaigns and social service agencies. She has served on the boards of the New England Development Research Association, the Upstate New York chapter of APRA, and ending as secretary for the APRA International board.
A prolific writer, she has published articles on management, prospect research, fundraising, and personal growth on a range of platforms. A sought-after speaker, she often speaks on how to start an analytics shop, along with a variety of other subjects related to prospecting.
Course Curriculum
PowerBI: What It Can Do for Fundraising
- A First Look at PowerBI
- Exercises for Section 1
Adding Data to PowerBI
- Adding Data from a Flat File
- Adding Data from the Web
- Adding Data Through Python Scripts
- Using SQL or Microsoft Access to Add Data
Managing and Shaping Data in PowerBI Tables
- Defining Relationships Among Tables
- Shaping Data
- Merging Columns from Two Tables
- Appending Data to a Table
- Exercise for Managing and Shaping Data
Matrixes and Graphs
- Creating a Matrix to Show Giving Totals
- Creating a Filters Page
- Making and Using Maps
- Creating a New Summary Table
- Other Kinds of Graphs
- Exercises for Matrixes and Graphs
Computing Data
- Your First DAX Expression
- Your Second DAX Expression
- Exercises for Computing Data
- Code Sample for Computing Data
Advanced Formatting
- Creating a Bar Graph, Choosing Colors, Formatting Labels, Adding Tooltips
- Navigating Using Drill Downs
- Exercises for Advanced Formatting
Wrap Up
- What to Do Next
- Outline of Steps for Your Next Dashboard
This comprehensive course teaches you how to create professional fundraising dashboards in Power BI—from importing and blending data from multiple sources to building insightful visualizations and formatting graphs, charts, and maps for maximum impact.
$950.00
12 CFRE Credits
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.