Archive Layout - Clairification

Jan222026

Money Matters: Why a Good Nonprofit Fundraiser is Hard to Keep

Money is only part of the story of why fundraisers leave. The real culprit is the underlying culture of scarcity.

What’s love got to do with it?

Show me the money.

Some year’s ago the Chronicle of Philanthropy published an article about the need to Shake Up Development Offices and Curb Turnover. The article cites Penelope Burk’s five years of research which culminated in her groundbreaking book, Donor-Centered Leadership, as well as a revelatory study, Underdeveloped, by CompassPoint and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund that found half of chief development officers planned to leave their jobs in two years or less. And 40% planned to leave fundraising entirely.

What’s going on, and how can you fix it?

Is it about money, or something else?

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January 22, 2026 Leave a commentCulture & ValuesBy Claire Axelrad

Jan192026

Three San Francisco Hearts: Heart Wood; Magic Hecksagon; Heart Still Beating

Beyond Money: Why Belonging Is the Key to Sustainable Philanthropy

“Philanthropy, at its core, is not a financial system — it’s a behavioral one. Donor trust, like patient trust, is built on consistent signals of safety, empathy, and responsiveness. When those signals break — when follow-ups don’t happen, gratitude feels mechanical, or communication becomes sporadic — relationships weaken.” — Sanjay Bindra Bindra makes a neurochemistry case…

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January 19, 2026 Leave a commentDonor RetentionBy Claire Axelrad

Jan122026

Boost Your Team’s Productivity with These 5 Proven Nonprofit Collaboration Strategies

How do you get everyone on your team working collaboratively? If you could you stand to improve the way your nonprofit staff work together as a team, I’ve got some terrific strategies for you. I first learned about them from How to Collaborate with and Influence People Using the SCARF Model, by Martin Luenendonk, CEO…

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January 12, 2026 1 CommentStrategy & ManagementBy Claire Axelrad

Jan82026

Fundraising Do’s vs. Don’ts: Year-End Email Appeal Strategy Review

Here comes my occasional “Do’s vs. Don’ts” feature, where I with you something arriving in my box that seems a good ‘teaching opportunity.’ Today we’re going to review a last-day-of-the-campaign on appeal strategy. It arrived as an e. There’s (1) a sender’s address, (2) subject , (3) preview pane, and (4) the e itself.…

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January 8, 2026 Leave a commentAnnual GivingBy Claire Axelrad

Jan52026

The Best Advice from People You Don’t Know (But Probably Should Listen To)

New Year; New You (ish)? I happened across an article from a NYT feature called “The Morning,” wherein the writer asked readers for the best advice they’d received over the past 12 months. Of course, there were plenty of the expected tips like “Drink water;” “Don’t go to bed angry,” and “Exercise daily.” You…

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January 5, 2026 Leave a commentStrategy & ManagementBy Claire Axelrad

Dec292025

Fundraising’s Real Purpose: Community, Belonging, and Meaning

I’m a huge fan of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and I often apply their research to nonprofit fundraising and marketing. This article there, How to Find Your Purpose in Life, really struck me. It affirmed something I’ve learned over than 30 years as an in-house development professional: You serve your…

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December 29, 2025 Leave a commentCulture & ValuesBy Claire Axelrad

Dec252025

The Thank You Mistakes That Quietly Cost You Donors

Fundraisers talk a lot about asking. Now, as year-end gifts arrive, let’s turn to the equally important task of thanking. In fact, this may be even important than the ask. If you ask well you get one gift. If you thank well, you may receive a lifetime of gifts. Alas, this is where too…

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December 25, 2025 Leave a commentDonor RetentionBy Claire Axelrad

Dec222025

3 Top Strategies to Close Out the Fundraising Year Spectacularly

If there was ever a time to optimize your e fundraising strategy, now is it. So, don’t get anxious simply waiting for the phone for stuff to happen. You can make it happen! Because it’s the most generous time of the year. During the period from mid-November through the end of December, organizations typically secure…

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December 22, 2025 Leave a commentAnnual GivingBy Claire Axelrad

Dec152025

Three-San-Francisco-Hearts: Heart-of-Gold; Birds-of-the-Americas; Keeping-Balance. Benefit for S.F. General Hospital Foundation.

Are Transaction Fees Quietly Undermining Your Donor Relationships?

I’ve written about this before. But since I continue to get questions, I’m writing about it again. Fundraisers wonder about the upsides and downsides in asking donors to cover credit card and other gift transaction fees. Hmmn… First, let me be upfront in letting you know my gut emotional response to doing this is “no.”…

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December 15, 2025 Leave a commentAnnual GivingBy Claire Axelrad

Dec112025

STOP Leaving So Much Money on Your Table

You may not think you have a “money left on the table” problem. But, bear with me. Because, in my experience, many, many nonprofits – perhaps most of them – have tables in waiting areas literally groaning under the weight of piles and piles and piles of unclaimed, unused money. You’ve done most of the…

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December 11, 2025 Leave a commentDonor RetentionBy Claire Axelrad

Claire is a fundraising ninja

Joanne Fritz

Nonprofit Charitable Organizations Guide, About.com

Engaging your help was such a huge pivot moment for me and the Board. We would never – not in a million years – have even dreamed of doing a significant challenge at our event without all of the teaching, support, resources and guidance that you brought to us. Sometimes there are these moments in life that you only realize in retrospect were miracles – and that is exactly how I look back at that decision to work with you on our fundraising engine!

Julia Wilson, E.D.

OneJustice

Your piece on attrition, Claire, is dynamite. Amazing. It’s precisely on target. Congratulations.

Jerry Panas

CEO / Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners

Brilliant summary of the whole “story v. stats” thing, Claire. Thank you.

Tom Ahern

Principal / Ahern Donor Communications

Claire Axelrad has been a highly effective fundraiser for over 30 years and her blog is just a wealth of wisdom. What’s particularly notable about Clairification is that although the work is based on decades of past experience, Claire is always looking forward as well. She was the first among her veteran fundraising peers to embrace online and social fundraising and is now one of their most sensible and insightful proponents. She’s a great resource!

Keith Heller

CEO / Heller Consulting

You have been absolutely terrific to work with. Your roadmap and assessment of where we are and where we can go has been so instrumental in having the board stop and think about our future. Your audit is allowing us to move forward in tangible ways to improve our work so that we may help more clients in need of our services. I will count you among my many blessings throughout the year.

Silvia Argueta

E.D. / Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation

I’m subscribed to a million fundraising blogs and the one I consistently open and read most of, is yours. The content is always carefully curated and helpful, not just sales pitch after sales pitch for your own stuff. You stand out, in a good way.

Juliane McLean

Development Coordinator / Bridgercare

You are one of the few fundraising experts that I read faithfully, and we have no shortage of those who publish regularly. But your material is always thoughtful and realistic. Thank you for your candor and good advice.

Richard Ajulani

, Senior Director Individual Gifts / LifeMoves

We have been loving the work of Claire Axelrad since we came across her work, every blog of hers is insightful, well thought out and enlightening.

Good Eggs Storytellers

Most lucid, most succinct checklist I have read on the engagement process. This is the best. Should be required reading for all concerned with major gift solicitation.

Giles Pegram, CBE

Fundraising Consultant / London, England

You are a forever flowing fountain of enormous information and a wealth of ideas. Thanks for being there for all of us small non-profits

Sharon Coleman

St. Francis House

I read your newsletter all the time and find your advice “spot on” and always usable. I pass it on consistently to the staff and other board members. I really appreciate all you do to help nonprofits. Thanks.

Hal Leeds

, Partner Global Sales & Marketing Consultancy / Working to Eliminate Poverty and Educational Inequality

You remind me about what is most important and why I love this profession. I just discovered you and your blog about three weeks ago and I wanted to write today to say thank you for sharing your wisdom and expertise. I find your posts, new and old, so spot on. You nail it.

– Heather Wardle CFRE

Vancouver BC

Everybody involved in philanthropy should read these articles slowly and with a very opened mind and a willingness to take from them the necessary components to change the manner and techniques we presently use in order to embrace what philanthropy is all about “Love”. I have no doubt it would be transformational.

Tom Walsh

Business Development Exec / Active Retirement Ireland

Suggest subscribing. Thanks, Claire! I am a regular- and I have forwarded your thoughtful and inspiring column and as well. Keep up the good work.

Margot Harrigan

Corporate Development Officer / Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley

I came across your website and I hit the goldmine! I was asked to join a board and found I need to understand how to build a donor base from the ground up. I searched, only to find expensive consultants or free info that didn’t offer any helpful information. Thank you for sharing so much valuable information!!

Erica Martinez

Claire, you consistently remind me of the proven basic facts of fundraising!! Thank you!! I consistently share them with our team and with the newbie fundraisers I am mentoring.

Margie McCurry

Fund Builders Alliance

Could not make it any easier… Claire Axelrad straightforwardly tells social media/marketing managers of nonprofit organizations that they need to change how they communicate with

UMV

Charity Chatter

Many thanks – this is terrific, impressive data! You are an impressive source. And I’ve been around a long time.

Sara Becker

Oakland Zoo

Wow! Inspiration out the wazoo! Many thanks — I keep up with trends and lots of blog-posts to stay on top of my game. This goes way beyond technique and reaches deep inside to remind me why I’ve done this work for 40 years!

Pam Montgomery

Executive Director / Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley

Thank you for your brilliant blog. I have been a follower for many years and learnt so much from you. Ultimately, it translates into many more families getting the support they deserve. You help me raise more money for my UK charity. Please never stop bringing the best out of me! You’re special.

Anna Henry

Eric.org

Exactly what our profession can use – clarification –- the title of your blog. You help us keep faith with the past while making sense of the present and future. You have a balanced and respectful understanding of what this is all about. Thanks.

James M. Schaffer

Partner / Charity Springs

I’d recommend you sign up. I signed up for about a dozen blogging fundraiser consultants, but have since canceled most. She’s one of two left standing. I like how she organizes her thoughts about fundraising, and her conversation planning techniques are very familiar to me from my work as a prosecutor. I believe that she was a practicing attorney and who changed careers like I have, and my best guess is that she was a litigator as well. This is a very good article and there are several other blogs (her own) that she links to within it, so even though this is a small article you could spend some time here.

Cole Eason, J.D. ’92

Office of University Advancement / Rockhurst University