Online Training Courses

Q. Is there is a way to learn Raiser’s Edge online? I want to enhance my prospects for a first job.

A. Since Raiser’s Edge is a specialty fund-raising software — and its price tag starts at $5,000 — most online software-training providers do not offer courses on it, and it’s not something that you’re likely to buy and install on your home computer to learn. But it is not a bad idea to get better acquainted with the software, as nonprofit positions from administrative assistant to development director are commonly advertised as requiring knowledge of Raiser’s Edge. It’s a good idea, but it’s also a hefty investment. Blackbaud, the Charleston, S.C., company that makes the software, offers training both at its headquarters and in major cities around the country, several times a year. The company offers three-day classes that cover the essentials of working with the software, and you don’t have to buy the software to participate. Students get to keep a workbook with screen shots and instructions, says Rachel Hutchisson, Blackbaud’s director of corporate communications. Price tag: $2,100. (You can also take a two-day class for $1,400, which covers more advanced features, such as data reporting.) Blackbaud does offer instructor-led online learning, but these are intended to train people on very specific aspects of the Raiser’s Edge — how to use it to help manage volunteers, for example. These are not courses that are intended for beginners at the moment, says Ms. Hutchisson. If you don’t have a few thousand dollars to spare, your best bet is to strike up an acquaintance with database administrators who work in the nonprofit world, and ask if they’ll let you take a look at the program, says Ms. Hutchisson. They might even be willing to give you a few pointers.