Testimonials

What a great training to support our organisational anniversary. We just had a lot of ideas and no way of making them real. Jolan was patient and knowledgeable and made sure we kept on track. We now have a plan and know how to make it happen, step by step

Pamela Wells

KARAT women's organisation Warsaw, Poland

We enjoyed the training in Bangkok a lot. Her introduction about Asking for Money triggered an interesting  discussion about Cultural Differences which she facilitated in an excellent and sensitive manner. We learned so much!

Bilal Qureshi

Executive Fundraiser

Nai Zingdagi, Pakistan

When a crisis hit our organisation, Jolan came in with a calm and cool head. What a valuable interim she was!

SIV, Sussex 2011

I was very lucky to be trained by Jolan van Herwaarden. She is a very experienced trainer and I loved her workshop style – a lot of practical examples alternated with short, clearly made presentations.

Petra Durisova

CEEV Zivica, Bratislava, Slovakia 2012

The Trag Foundation in Serbia wanted to train their grantees, often small grass roots organisations in Fundraising. After a Train the Trainer course:

The most inspiring part of the program, for me, was speed dating exercise, when we could try to ask for donation and to practice more our case for support. In that exercise we could see and feel  all these important things about fundraising – making connection with the donor, make your case as clear as possible, and then action – just ask for it! Thank you so much, I will not forget some basic fundraising elements , such as Case of Support and how to make it good. Also 5 golden gifts, why do people donate, some basic fundraising techniques, such as organizing fundraising event, etc.

Jolan is great, great trainer. So calm and friendly, simple and effective – she made us remember a lot of things about fundraising and about giving a training.  Her training was concise, smart and funny.

Since I am not so experienced in the fundraising, I loved the more practical exercises about organizing the event, and feel the courage to try other techniques of fundraising.

I liked the design of the programme, it was great, for example, the homework made us think about the fundraising and prepared us for the next training. The best thing is that now we are developing a training about fundraising for our grantees, very basic one, but I feel still inspired by Jolan’s training every step of the way.

Jelena Mihailovic

officer at the Trag Foundation, Belgrade in Serbia

Youth Vision in Nepal needed to start fundraising ourselves and Jolan helped us to hire a Sales person, trained him and now she support him online to raise the funds. This is very helpful for us.

Jagdish Lohani

Executive Director Youth Vision, Nepal

During our annual conference Jolan conducted an excellent workshop about the 'Professional Fundraiser Essential Skills'. We had so much fun with her unusual games and kind suggestions

Eduard Marec

Slovak Fundraising Center, Bratislava, Slovakia

Jolan is a superior trainer. Abundance of direct fundraising experience with all types of donors and organisations, gained and internalised over the years. All this is combined with openness, honesty and generosity. This true passion for changing the world through fundraising make her rank high in the Premium League of Resource Mobilisation Training.

Jan Kroupa, Czech Republic

Head of Czech Fundraising Center

Thanks for helping us to understand Fundraising and Resource Mobilisation for our Hospice. As trustees we are aware of our responsibility but fundraising is still an area where we could do better! Thanks to you, we have an understanding of it now.

Headway Hurstwoodpark

Newick Surrey, United Kingdom

We really needed an external person to look at our fundraising, interview our donors and come up with a workable and ambitious fundraising plan. She did it all and more.

Global Network for People Living with HIV Amsterdam 2010

Jolan was a experienced and encouraging resource to my development as a fundraiser. It helped me to develop a fundraising vision for my charity

Ben Lee, Surrey 2012

The Trag Foundation in Serbia wanted to train their grantees, often small grass roots organisations in Fundraising After a Train the Trainer course in Belgrade 2016):

The entire process was very, very useful and practical, and most importantly for me: so easy to transfer further - I feel like every single thing we have heard, read and learned from you came in such a nice and clear package, that I am able to use it immediately at my future training sessions. This includes definitions, theoretical and practical part of the program. It's been almost a month since we finished the program, and I still clearly remember differences between DM and MD, the bridge, 5 golden gifts, 4 elements of the case for support, etc. I have to say, this rarely happens - that one trainer presents such a big topic in way that so much is still left clearly in my mind. I feel much more confident talking about fundraising after this program.

About Jolan training abilities at a training in Warsaw 2016:

Jolan is one of the most devoted and engaged trainers I had opportunity to listen and talk to - mainly because I could see so clearly how much she cares about transferring her knowledge and skills about fundraising to us. She was devoted to understanding our needs, both as a group and individually. It was so refreshing listening to someone who speaks honestly about lessons learned, challenges and failures from personal experience. It really made me feel like I belonged there at the training - and motivated me to continue exploring this topic

Bojana Mikovic

Programme Manager at the Trag Foundation in Belgrade 2016

Six training days with Jolan van Herwaarden made me believe that, yes, I can do it! I can become a professional fundraiser who will encourage other people to get involved in saving the world! Extremely inspiring and motivating sessions with Jolan showed me how to make the vision of my organization come true. I strongly believe that every fundraiser should meet Jolan at some point of his or her career.

Kasia Tekien, Partners Poland Foundation 2012