How to Get Professional Development Funding From Your Employer in 2026: A Complete Guide
Your guide to securing employer-funded training in 2026.
Investing in your professional development can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to balance career growth with personal finances. But here’s something most people don’t realise:
Many organisations are far more willing to pay for training and development than employees expect.
Whether you’re exploring leadership development, facilitation skills, coaching capability or a specialist qualification, there’s often funding available - if you know how to ask for it.
In fact, the majority of participants who join high-quality programmes like the Firefly Certified Facilitator Programme are funded directly by their employer.
This guide shows you exactly how to make the case confidently, professionally and strategically so you can stop wondering whether your organisation might pay… and actually find out.
Why employers are often happy to fund training
Most organisations set aside some of their budget each year for:
Learning and development (L&D)
Coaching and facilitation capability
Continuing professional development (CPD)
Culture and team improvement
The challenge is that employees don’t always know this money exists - or they’re too nervous to ask.
But from an employer’s perspective, well-chosen training isn’t a perk. It’s an investment that supports culture, performance and long-term capability. When a programme helps people lead better conversations, facilitate productive meetings, or develop others effectively, the business benefits directly.
If the training you’re considering strengthens the way your team communicates, collaborates or leads, you’re already on solid ground.
Step 1: Understand the value of the programme you want
Before you ask for funding, get clear on what the training involves - and why it matters. If we use one of our own programmes as an example, the Firefly Certified Facilitator Programme is a four-day immersive experience that helps leaders, coaches and L&D practitioners guide conversations, learning and team experiences that create genuine insight and lasting behavioural change.
Participants practise live facilitation, develop presence and adaptability, and receive real-time coaching. They also become certified to deliver Firefly’s suite of leadership and team development programmes internally, and earn 30 ICF CCE hours (pending confirmation).
For organisations, that translates into stronger facilitation capability, healthier team dynamics, better leadership conversations and reduced reliance on external facilitators.
When you understand the depth and impact of the training, it becomes much easier to articulate its value.
Step 2: Connect the training to your organisation’s goals
This is the part most people skip - and it’s the part managers care about most.
Instead of focusing only on what you will gain, highlight what the organisation gains too. Think about current priorities in your workplace: culture, engagement, collaborative working, leadership development, or internal coaching capability.
Link your requests to those needs. For example:
“This programme will help me run more efficient, higher-quality discussions so we can make decisions faster, resolve issues more effectively and strengthen our ability to lead through change.”
When your request sounds like a solution - not a cost - the conversation changes.
Step 3: Make the decision as easy as possible
Your manager is busy. They’re more likely to approve training when the information is clear, concise and already prepared.
Share with them:
The programme details
Dates and location
Cost (including VAT)
A link to the webpage
A short outline of benefits
What you’ll bring back to the organisation
Some training programmes provide approval packs for exactly this purpose. This alone increases your chance of getting a ‘yes’.
Step 4: Ask with confidence
This part doesn’t need to feel awkward. A simple, professional request is all that’s needed. You could use wording like:
“I’d like to take part in the Firefly Certified Facilitator Programme in February. It will help me improve how I facilitate team discussions, support leadership development internally, and bring back tools we can use across the organisation. Do we have professional development or L&D budget available for this?”
This approach is direct, respectful and grounded in organisational benefit - which is exactly what managers respond to.
Step 5: Highlight the return on investment
If your organisation is going to invest in you, help them see the returns they’ll get.
Instead of generic statements like, “I’ll improve my skills,” focus on outcomes such as:
Stronger internal facilitation capabilities
More productive meetings and workshops
Better handling of tough conversations
Improved team dynamics
Less reliance on external facilitators
Access to ready-made leadership programmes
This shifts your request from personal development to business value.
Step 6: Offer to share your learning
One of the easiest ways to strengthen your case is to show how you’ll spread the learning.
This could be as simple as offering a quick session for your team, sharing key takeaways, or facilitating a workshop with the tools you learned.
Managers love this - it shows initiative, leadership and a willingness to help others grow.
Step 7: Follow up with next steps
If your manager agrees, clarify the process: invoice, card payment, PO, or approval from HR or Finance.
If they need time, send a short summary, attach the approval pack, and follow up in a week.
It keeps the process moving without pressure.
Your development is worth the investment
Many people assume their organisation won’t pay for training - but in reality, employers want confident, capable people who can facilitate better conversations, support culture and lead teams more effectively.
With a clear business case and a confident conversation, you may be surprised by how quickly you get a yes.
And if you’re considering the Firefly Certified Facilitator Programme, the next cohort runs:
2-5 February 2026 | Online
Learn more or reserve your place
We hope to see you there!
