Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
I’m beginning again, as I often do, with a bit of borrowed insight, this time from a colleague’s email message. No matter if, or how, you voted in the recent U.S. elections, we are living in a time of profound division, rapid change and a lot of uncertainty. How will the social benefit sector respond?
“Now we’re at another critical moment as a country.
One that will again call upon our sector to do the hard work of healing our individual and collective wounds, mending the fissures in our communities, and holding us accountable to our stated values.
And to do that, it’s going to be absolutely critical that nonprofits are really, really strong – from the inside out.
Funding… skilled staff who are not on the verge of burning out… board members that support and advocate for their organization… financial acumen… clear strategic vision and planning… strong systems and infrastructure…
These non-sexy things are often treated as the sideshow to the main attraction (programs). But they aren’t the sideshow. They are the bones of a strong organization and in the coming years, they are going to make all the difference.
Investing in these non-sexy things will mean the difference between organizations that have the energy and stability to anchor and guide us… and those that burn out.
I don’t know what’s on the horizon for our country. But I do know that whatever it is will require us to get clear about what we value and how we want to move through the world individually and as a collective.”
— Brooke Richie-Babbage, Leadership Forward
Hopefully, you can use some of the insights you glean in this week’s issue of the Clairity Click-it to help you move forward. So, start digging through the curated content from across the web. I hope it will make your job easier, and more fulfilling.
As always, a big thank you to my sponsor, Bloomerang, for making it possible for me to spend the hours of time hunting, gathering and choosing the resources I believe will be most useful to you. It is my sincere pleasure and honor to help you find the ideas, strategies, templates and tools you need to succeed.
Thank you for doing your vital work, and making our world a better place.
You’ve got this!
Claire
P.S. Your support via enrollment in ‘Clairification School’ means a lot, and I am deeply appreciative. It is my honor to deliver original articles direct to your in-box every week, give you on-demand access to all my webinars and archived articles, and offer up exclusive monthly tips, bonuses and more! It’s less than $2/week [If the enrollment fee is a hardship, please email me and we’ll work it out.]
Clairity Click-it, Your Nonprofit Ticket to…
SPECIAL FEATURE: The Times are a’Changin’
ARTICLES
Click-it: America is still becoming. Mark Schaefer wrote this before the U.S. presidential election outcome, intending it to be for whichever side lost. It’s a hopeful piece about the country. And, hopefully, the world.
Click-it: The Promise of Tomorrow. Scott Monty, Timeless Leadership, writes endlessly thought-provoking and uplifting articles about the role of leadership. In this one he talks about overcoming “fear of the future” to find new meaning in a hopeful present. What can you do to give people a positive, attainable vision and a common goal?
Click-it: The Day After: Finding Balance. Joan Garry explains how working to make the world fairer, more just, and more beautiful gives her life! So, if you’re seeing a lack of balance in the world today, perhaps working to bring it back into balance – even just a little – is a way to find meaning and purpose. And to lead by example.
Click-it: Why we need to move towards love right now – even though it’s not easy. A month before the U.S. election, Renee Rubin Ross wrote “finding the path for each person in our society to thrive is the path for all of us to work on the complex challenges in front of us.” This post is about all of us thinking about how we can best express love in this moment and moving forward.
Click-it: What’s Giving Us Hope Right Now? I found this article from the Greater Good Science Center calming. It talks about the power of authentic social connections — formed through face-to-face encounters — especially at a time when many are struggling to trust neighbors and communities. It talks about creating models of a public sphere that isn’t rife with coercion and lies. It talks about common ground, empathy bridge builders, joy as a form of resistance and more. An antidote to division and despair.
Click-it: 3 Steps to Take Amid Post-Election Uncertainty. The Chronicle of Philanthropy lays out strategic, fiscal, and communications tips to help leaders prepare for changes arriving with the second Trump administration. Now is the time to start thinking through all the possible scenarios, focusing on your operating environment, business, and revenue, and thinking about what scenarios would uplift your mission.
Click-it: 10 Creative Fundraising Ideas for Kids That Are Fun and Easy. Kids live in our world too, and their exposed to all the grownup angst. Some of them may want to do something positive right now too, and this article in Nonprofit Hub offers some suggestions for ways to teach them about kindness, community effort and sharing.
GUIDES & RESOURCES
Click-it: The Love Project (Vol.1): Adrien Sargent, Jen Shang and the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy have put together a three-part guide that explores which forms of love are appropriate in fundraising, how love can impact behavior, and more. This one reviews the literature around love, what we presently understand about the science of love, and its relevance on the way we practice fundraising. It includes a compilation of literature from other fields to generate a Fundraising Taxonomy of Love. I encourage anyone involved in philanthropy to read this and give it some deep thought.
ARTICLES
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: Increasing Your Monthly Donors with Recurring Giving Expert, Erica Wassdorp [Listen to on-demand podcast]. Did you know monthly donors give 4 times more over their lifetime than one-time donors? If you’re thinking about investing time in ramping up your recurring giving program, listen in to this conversation, from the Purpose and Profit Club, featuring monthly giving expert Erica Waasdorp.
Donor Retention
Click-it: 3 strategies for more meaningful donor engagement. Want to inspire continued support? This article on the Candid blog explores three practical strategies to go beyond occasional outreach or standard fundraising appeals and forge relationships that resonate with donor values.
Click-it: Convert the Next Wave of Rage Donors into Lifelong Supporters. Rage givers are not typical one-time donors, nor do they resemble crisis donors, who are moved by empathy to help in an emergency. Rage donors are not feeling charitable; they’re feeling reactionary. This article in the Blackbaud Engage blog makes the case for not treating rage donors as one-and-done. Take steps to engage with them to build a committed relationship and convert them into lifelong supporters of your cause.
Events
Click-it: Winter Solstice Fundraiser: A Creative Approach for Nonprofits, Want to connect with supporters in a fun way during this most giving season? Eventgroove has some entertaining ideas for you to strengthen the bond between you and your donors during this opportune time. Some are in-person or virtual events; others are peer-to-peer fundraising. It’s a great time to gather, reflect and express gratitude.
Click-it: Live Auction Fundraising Frenzy: 11 Innovative Ideas for Big Bids. Here’s an article from Auctria that will help you brainstorm the types of items that bring in the big bucks.
Giving Tuesday
Click-it: 6 digital tools to engage major donors this Giving Tuesday. Storyraise shares strategies to help increase your major donor retention and engagement this Giving Tuesday (and all year round). My favorite – by far — is #1 for this particular occasion. The other tips are good for every day.
Major, Capital and Legacy Gift Fundraising
Click-it: A Donor Offers to Give You Twice What You Expected, Would you be ready to take advantage of this opportunity, or woefully unprepared? Richard Perry of the Veritus Group shares two real-life scenarios, what happened, and how you can set yourself up for success.
Click-it: Low Dollar vs Major Gifts Fundraising – It’s the Underlying Strategy that Matters, not the Amounts. Greg Warner, Market Smart, suggests you don’t get hung up on what defines a major gift in terms of dollar amount. Instead, focus on the philosophy behind each approach. One is of necessity more tactical and transactional. The other is more relational and transformational. If you and your organization make giving experiences more valuable, your revenues will increase.
Click-it: How to Help Your Donors Feel Connected. Kit Lancaster of Stelter offers four strategies for building lasting emotional connections with planned giving donors – all throughout the year. Have you ever heard of the “BOY Rule?”
Online Digital Fundraising and Marketing
Click-it: Treat LinkedIn Like Instagram And Watch Your Visibility Soar. Neal Schaffer dives into how applying Instagram-like strategies on LinkedIn can boost your visibility. He covers why LinkedIn’s algorithm favors authentic, engaging content and how using more visuals and personal insights can drive engagement on the platform. You’ll learn practical tips on crafting posts that feel relatable, the impact of a consistent posting schedule, and how LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for personal branding when treated with the creativity often reserved for Instagram.
Strategy and Management
Click-it: 3 Strategies + 6 Tips To Boost Generosity At Your Nonprofit. Besides fundamentally reframing your approach from fundraising to philanthropy, from selling to helping, and from competition with other nonprofits to collaboration — hugely important cultural shifts discussed in Part 1 of my 3-part article for Bloomerang about the recent “Generosity Commission Report” – here are specific recommendations for meeting prospective donors where they are. Consider them your new core strategies.
Click-it: How Nonprofits Can Navigate Political Engagement and Maintain Public Trust. Hana Takagi writes for Nonprofit Quarterly all about the role nonprofits can/cannot play in advocacy. If you’ve been confused about legal boundaries, you’ll definitely learn a lot. And if you’re interested in what you can do to advocate more, there is food for thought on that count as well.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: Give Your Direct Mail Appeals a Digital Edge with QR Codes. Learn from Firespring how the effectiveness of direct mail appeals can be significantly enhanced by integrating QR code advertising and digital elements. You’ll get five reasons you should seriously consider this. Plus, four steps to get it done!
Click-it: AI Governance: Tips for Building a Board of Trustees. Here’s something I’ll wager you haven’t thought about – building a separate board to govern your organization’s AI processes and strategies. The experts at Momentum recommend this for two reasons, one being that your board members are likely not AI experts. You’ll find tips for who should be on this board, how to structure it, how to get it up and running and more.
Year-End Fundraising
Click-it: Lessons from 31 Year-End Fundraising Seasons. Steven Screen, a Better Fundraising Co., shares three ideas to reframe your approach to year-end fundraising so you make donors happier and your bank account fuller. He suggests several unhelpful things nonprofits think (e.g., that fundraising makes people give gifts they don’t really want to give.) Then, he helps you reframe (e.g., your messages are reminding them to do something they would love to do.).
WEBINARS, PODCASTS, ROUNDTABLES & ON-DEMAND AUDIO RESOURCES
If you can’t attend live, or are interested in sessions happening at overlapping times, note many are available via recording – but ONLY if you REGISTER!
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: Figuring the ask amount values on your donation page [Listen/watch free 1-minute video]. Julie Cooper of Fundraising Writing offers a handy “anchoring” tip. It works for both single gift and monthly giving options.
Board
Click-it: How to Energize your Bored Board Engagement Towards Fundraising [Listen to on-demand podcast]. Ready to transform your board into enthusiastic advocates for your cause? Want to leverage board support to cultivate stronger relationships with your donors? Join host Sabrina Walker Hernandez got ‘Sipping Tea with Sabrina,’ as she shares practical strategies to revitalize your board meetings, increase effectiveness, and inspire board members to actively participate in fundraising efforts.
Major, Capital and Legacy Gifts
Click-it: A Better Fundraising Feasibility Study Method: How to Plan and Ensure a Successful Campaign [Register for free webinar, 11-21-2024]. Do you really need an outside consultant to interview your biggest and best potential donors? Join Andrea Kihlstedt and Amy Eisenstein, thought leaders and innovators in the capital campaign field, to debunk prevailing myths about feasibility studies. Learn how you can leverage this critical, early campaign planning tool to truly build relationships with the philanthropists in your community and get a jumpstart on your campaign.
Psychology of Giving
Click-it: Leverage AI and Behavioral Psychology to Engage Major Donors [Listen to on-demand podcast]. Griff Bohm, Momentum, joins the Successful Nonprofits podcast for this dive into psychological triggers that drive people to make philanthropic gifts. He explains how concepts like loss aversion, delayed gratification, and “action-based giving” drive donor behavior, and how AI can help nonprofits build lasting donor relationships.
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES, PAPERS, TEMPLATES & OTHER RESOURCES
Mobile Marketing and Fundraising
Click-it: Your Nonprofit Text Messaging Playbook: Everything You Need to Get Started [Click to read, listen and download free guide]. You’ll hear from Rally Corp founder, James Martin, get some written background, and be guided to a link to download a complete blueprint with strategy, templates, and more. It’s everything you need to get results.
Website
Click-it: NextAfter’s Definitive Guide to Donation Pages [Click to access]. For Giving Tuesday and year-end giving you want a high-converting donation page. Here, NextAfter tells you what the bare minimum requires, and then gives you 7 donation page elements to increase giving rates. Plus, they take a closer look at the 3 primary donation page types (general; campaign, and instant)– complete with examples and tests.
Did You Miss My Newest Articles?
Here are links to the most recent articles on the Clairification blog. Remember, your goal is not simply to squeeze money out of people. It’s to give donors a squeeze and a hug for being caring and generous. This will make them feel good, which will move them to continue sticking with you.
How to Cultivate Awe, Gratitude, Altruism and Meaning to Significantly Boost Nonprofit Fundraising
Philanthropy – Love of Humankind – Needed More Than Ever
8 BOO BOO’s! Are You SCARING Nonprofit Donors Away?
How to Project Manage Your Nonprofit Story
Top 10 Strategies to Transform Reluctant Fundraisers into Ready Philanthropy Facilitators
Finally… if you have a question, any question…
Check out my free fundraising advice column on the Bloomerang blog! Ask your question here. And bookmark the Ask an Expert page for any time you have a question! Here’s one: Do All Donors Need A Thank You Within 48 Hours?
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And now, your moments of Zen — all found on the sidewalks last week.
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