Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
These are not usual times. Are you considering how world events may impact those who rely on you. Not just beneficiaries, but donors and volunteers too. They need you to do your work, but… maybe not in the usual way. Maybe there’s a better way; one more fitting for the times. Here’s what Seth Godin has to say:
This is not a real word, but it’s useful nonetheless.
When we default to doing what we did without examining our options, we’re ‘usualing.’
It’s a helpful way to save time, because we can’t re-examine every possible option or we’d never get out the door in the morning. We wear our usual clothes, leave at the usual time, take the usual form of transport, drink the usual coffee and that’s all before we even get to work.
This efficient habit might not always be the most effective, though.
When a new opportunity arises, it might make sense to say “I’m usualling” to remind yourself that you’ve decided it’s not worth your time to consider.
And this is how we fall behind. A little at a time.
— Seth Godin
I’m counting on you – each of you — to use some of the insights you glean in this week’s issue of the Clairity Click-it to be better, do better, and help others do the same. I hope, as you dig through this hand-curated content from across the web, it will make your job easier, and more fulfilling.
I pick every resource thoughtfully (no AI used here) specifically to bring you the big ideas and useful tools you need to make our world a better place. It is my sincere pleasure and honor to help you find the ideas, strategies, templates and tools you need to succeed.
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 eclectic resources I believe will best meet the needs of the diverse range of folks who comprise the critically important social benefit sector.
You’ve got this!
Thank you for doing your vital work, with gratitude,
Claire
P.S. Please scroll down to see all my Clairification School sponsors who enable me to offer enrollment in ‘Clairification School at an affordable price [If the enrollment fee is a hardship, please email me and we’ll work it out.]
Clairity Click-it, Your Nonprofit Ticket to…
ARTICLES
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: Avoid Looking Too Sleek or Professional. Your goal is to build a warm rapport, not to keep supporters at a distance. As Sarah Lundberg, the Better Fundraising Co., notes, you don’t need a polished “look” to be taken seriously by your donors. In fact, the more you can show a human touched the mailing, the better. What might you do?
Click-it:. 15 tips for a better donor newsletter. John Lepp at Agents for Good always offers sound, actionable advice. This article is no exception. Just follow along, step-by-step, and you’ll have the best appeal you’ve ever sent. This is gold!
Content Marketing
Click-it:. How using a content offer instead of a direct ask in an article interstitial affects click-through rate. If you want to draw folks in and increase their engagement (i.e., boost the odds they’ll open your emails and click through to your content), you might want to try something like this. NextAfter tested an “ask” against an offer of useful content, and lifted click-throughs by 97%! As I always say, “if you want gifts, you must give them.”
Click-it: 3 examples of digital newsletters that engage donors. The folks at Storyraise, experts in building impactful digital reports, share real examples of online content replete with what donors want: leadership letters, staff spotlights, upcoming events, beneficiary stories and more. Consider how you too might engage supporters using these tools.
Donor Retention
Click-it: Crafting Loyalty: 3 Email Marketing Tips to Secure Monthly Donors for Your Nonprofit. Monthly donors renew at 30-40% higher rates than single gift donors. Which is why it pays to develop a proactive strategy to acquire and cultivate these folks. Here are some terrific tips from iDonate, by Katelyn Baughan of KB Digital.
Events
Click-it: Creative Fundraising Ideas for the Spring Equinox. Grab some terrific spring fundraising ideas from the all-in-one event management team at Eventgroove! Many of these ideas would work equally well for other seasons, like a plant sale, equinox yoga, pet photo contest, scavenger hunt, online raffle or auction, and more. Plus, as suggested, consider how you might turn some of these into peer-to-peer fundraisers or challenges. Get creative.
Major and Legacy Gifts
Click-it: Are You Having Trouble Coming Up with Touch Points? The system the Veritus Group suggests here (they provide a real-life example) is similar to one I’ve used with multiple organizations with which I’ve worked. It’s sensible, doable and a wonderful gift to your team. And to your supporters. Give it a try!
NOTE: If you want to become a master of major gift fundraising – a highly valued skill – this might be a great time to consider exploring certification. I highly recommend this fully revamped Veritus Group course: Certification Course for Major Gift Fundraisers. If you’re the executive or manager, there’s a companion course for you! The next cohort begins June 9th, and you’ll save $200 if you register before May 9th. After completion you’ll become a member of the prestigious Veritus Scholars. If you have any questions, just reply to this email and I’ll be happy to discuss whether this course may be right for you. I promise to be honest.
Click-it: 6 Costly Ways Turnover Cripples Major Gift Fundraising Operations — and 5 Ways You Can Reduce It. Time, money, knowledge and more are all lost when the staff for building critical donor relationships walk out the door. Learn from Greg Warner at MarketSmart what you can do to stem the tide.
Online, Digital Fundraising and Marketing
Click-it: It’s Scary to Hit Send: Overcoming Fear in Text Message Marketing. Rally Corp explores why sending is scary, and then offers seven reasons why you can have confidence and boldly hit ‘send.’ If you follow the rules, get people to opt in, and then send content they want, your only fear should be not delivering.
Click-it: Maximizing Online Fundraising – Strategies for Nonprofits in 2025. Use this comprehensive blueprint from Stonerock Business Solutions to outline your online fundraising strategies for the coming year. They offer seven concrete strategies you can use to review what you’re currently doing/not doing and build upon what’s merely good – so you become great.
Storytelling
Click-it: Nonprofit storytelling: six reasons to start telling great stories. For nonprofits, telling your story — and empowering others to tell it on your behalf — is essential in building and sustaining critical connections with your community, volunteers, and donors. So says Carly Euler in this piece on the Council for Nonprofits blog, and I wholeheartedly agree. Did you know stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone? And using visual content ups the ante.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: How Nonprofit Fundraisers Can Craft Effective AI Prompts. Whoa, is this a useful article from Momentum! If you’ve used ChatGPT and found it less than helpful, it’s likely because you’ve not yet mastered the art of the prompt. Here’s a mini-Master Class, with concrete examples. Bookmark this article, or print it out and pin it close to your desk. Personally, I can’t wait to try out some of these strategies. EXTRA BONUS: Grab this free Major Gifts GPT to help you brainstorm the best ways to engage with your major donors.
Other Learning Opportunities
WEBINARS, PODCASTS, CONFERENCES & 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!
Boards
Click-it: Get your board fundraising [Register for free webinar, 3-11-2025]. Join Candid for this session to learn boards’ typical fundraising responsibilities, why some board members may be reluctant to fundraise, and how to overcome these concerns. Whether you’re an executive director, board member, or development professional, this course will help you plan for your organization to fundraise better as one team.
Content Marketing
Click-it: Marketing Trends Nonprofits Need to Know (and Embrace) [Register for free webinar, 3-18-2025]. Dynamo presenter Kiersten Hill from Firespring will offer a new session with the marketing trends you should be embracing in 2025. Learn about storytelling, influencer marketing, creating digital experiences, new approaches to SEO, and building automation into your messaging.
Events
Click-it: Maximize Auctria: More Ways to Fundraise. If you’ve ever thought about using auction software to streamline the process for both guests and staff, here’s an opportunity to learn how digital tools can maximize your results. You’ll also get to see Auctria in action.
Major and Legacy Gifts
Click-it: What outstanding fundraising writing looks like in 2025 [Register for free webinar, 3-11-2025]. The right words can make all the difference in planned and major giving. A well-crafted appeal doesn’t just inform—it connects, inspires generosity, and sparks conversations about transformational gifts. Join FreeWill’s Patrick Schmitt to learn how to write messages that truly resonate, while introducing sensitive topics like estate planning or new ways to give. You’ll also get real-world examples of successful messaging, plus tips for discussing non-cash gift types with donors.
Strategy, Management and Leadership
Click-it: Forecasting 101: How To Forecast Your Revenue & Achieve Fundraising Growth [Register for free webinar, 3-13-2025]. Bloomerang host Sari McConnell, CFRE, MBA and founder of Donor Boom, to help you understand what revenue forecasting is and why it’s important. You’ll get step-by-step guidance to forecast your nonprofit’s revenue for the next year, plus you’ll learn how to use this to set conservative, target, and stretch goals.
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES, PAPERS, TEMPLATES & OTHER RESOURCES
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: The Donor Journey {Download free e-book]. Here from DonorPerfect is a roadmap to donor acquisition, retention, and activation. Learn from Cherian Koshy, CFRE how to visualize and optimize the path your supporters take from first contact to long-term engagement. He’ll explore key strategies and share metrics to use for continuous improvement.
Donor Retention
Click-it: Retaining Your P2Peeps [Download free e-book]. P2P campaigns bring in new donors you want to keep, plus they amplify the value of current donors who open their networks to you. Here Bloomerang recommends strategies for drawing all these special supporters close.
Click-it: Lights, Camera, Philanthropy: The Emerald Spotlight Shines on Planned Giving. These gifts, highlighted by Lynne Gaumer at Stelter, are ones you should be asking your donors to consider. First, make the ask. But once you’ve secured a commitment, see if folks may want to give from assets other than income. Generally, it helps both you and them.
Strategy and Management
Click-it: How to Set Fundraising Goals That Will Grow Your Nonprofit [Click for free guide] 4aGoodCause has put together this step-by-step guide to help you set aspirational yet attainable goals that drive growth and donor engagement. Get smart and specific with your goals, grab best practices to get you there, leverage fundraising tools to help you meet your goals, and more.
And… Just because I want to share a ray of hope
“The world and our relationships with one another — personal, political — are overfull of ugliness. But they include beauty, too. And making sure to recognize and revel in it whenever it appears seems to me the essence of wisdom — and the secret to perseverance.”
— Frank Bruni, Author, Journalism Professor and New York Times columnist
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.
Coping in Trying Times: Empathy + Innovation are Essential Nonprofit Philanthropic Strategies
Nonprofit Crisis Response Tip-a-Day-DO-Dah!
Nonprofit Fundraising: We Have a Semantics Problem
People Want to Know if They Can Trust Your Nonprofit and You
4 Nonprofit Strategies to Build Donor Trust & Lasting Relationships
Are You Breathing Your Calling?
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: Foolproof Secrets To Raising Unrestricted Nonprofit Funding?
REMINDER for Clairification School students: Don’t forget to log in to your “My Clairification/Subscriber Dashboard/Monthly Tips” to grab your exclusive, timely tips for each month. MARCH and APRIL TIPS are live. Your support is much appreciated, and helps me to support you. Thank you!
And now, some local artists who’ve brightened up some outdoor electrical boxes with their fun paintings!
May you ease on down, ease on down, ease on down the road. And please support my extraordinary sponsors (see below). The Clairity Click-it content is free, and Clairification School is affordable, because of their generosity.
