Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
“Thanks for your quick response”
That’s pretty new. Letters sent by Thomas Jefferson from France often took months to get a response. No points for shaving a day off a 90-day correspondence lag.
The 800 toll-free number shifted the dynamic we expected from marketers. If we call you, we expect you to answer. Now, not later. FEDEX did the same for physical items–yes, of course I absolutely want it here tomorrow.
The race for speed doesn’t often have economic justification. I can probably live without a return label or customer service or some rabbit chow for a few minutes or even a few days…
But it’s the thought that counts.
If you’re not selling a commodity at the lowest price, that’s what you’ve got to sell. The thought.
Stories are built on a foundation of thoughtfulness, the empathy of seeing where the others are, what they dream of and what they fear.
And ‘quick response’ is one of the cheapest and most reliable ways to demonstrate that empathy.
— Seth Godin
This post from Seth Godin is wise, on multiple levels. Of course you know a prompt, personal, powerful thank you is one of the most important fundraising strategies that exist. But Seth goes beyond the post-gift expression of gratitude to the importance of channeling gratitude in every single interactions you have. How? By assuming generosity of spirit. By seeing people as good and caring and, yes, needy. When you’re able to channel empathy not just for your beneficiaries, but also for your donors, your fundraising will naturally improve.
This issue of the Clairity Click-it is filled with a curated mix of ideas and resources to help you choose generate the philanthropy you need to fuel your vision, mission and values. As you peruse the available selection, I invite you to look for just one idea you might try or adapt. If something resonates, save it, make a note, and put it on your calendar so it’s there for you when the moment is right.
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 our critically important social benefit sector.
Thank you for doing your vital work, with gratitude,
Claire
P.S. If you’re already a Clairification School student, your SEPTEMBER TIPS are live. If you’re not yet enrolled, please consider helping me cover my costs. [This is a labor of love, but your support through enrollment is greatly appreciated!]
My motto: “If I know it I want you to know it!”
Clairity Click-it, Your Nonprofit Ticket to…
SPECIAL FEATURE: Talent Retention
ARTICLES
Click-it: Why Your Best Fundraisers Are Leaving. I recently published an article in Nonprofit Quarterly about the retention crisis no one want to talk about. Seasoned fundraisers are leaving in droves. Why? Because we’ve shifted the sector’s resources and attention to data and metrics, inadvertently creating fundraising cultures that make it harder for people to do the very thing philanthropy requires most: build genuine human relationships. When fundraisers don’t have the time, autonomy, or support to do the work they know how to do, this becomes a consequential threat to the long-term health of the philanthropic sector. If we want to retain the people who know how to build transformational philanthropy, we need to stop treating talent retention as an HR initiative and start treating it as a fundraising strategy. I suggest how that might look in this essay.
Articles
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: How to Spark Growth in Your Recurring Giving Program. In this mega-helpful post from Virtuous, you’ll learn about flat programs, converting single-gift donors, stewarding monthly donors on a tight budget, upgrade strategy, program branding, and the places nonprofit technology still lags behind what donors expect from every other subscription in their lives. There are dozens of concrete tips here – and I’ll wager a few things you’ve never even thought about!
Click-it: How You Can Create a Fundraising Appeal That’s Appealing. You’ll find lots of good advice in this article from Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog. Learn about everything from envelope to story to photo to personalization to ask amounts – and more.
Content Marketing
Click-it: Nonprofit Email Newsletter Best Practices and Tips. Check out this practical advice from seasoned nonprofit communications expert Kivi LeRoux Miller of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. This is a round-up of some of their most-asked questions. See if it answers one of yours!
Culture
Click-it: Warren Buffet’s Final Investment. If you’ve ever wondered if culture of philanthropy is just “nice to have,” read this from Hugh MacLeod, the Gaping Void. It’s the whole ballgame.
Donor Retention
Click-it: 4 Tips for Crafting Emails That Boost Donor Retention. Keeping supporters engaged after their first gift takes more than a good thank-you note. It takes a thoughtful plan for staying in touch, one that treats every email as a chance to build trust rather than just make an ask. Mary Cahalane, Hands-On Fundraising, shows you just what to do.
Click-it: 5 Ways to Thank Your Donors for Their Support. Demonstrations of gratitude are perhaps the most important thing you can do to retain and upgrade donors. Here are some simple, human, to-the-point suggestions from Eventgroove.
Events
Click-it: Structuring a Fundraising Event Program with Storytelling: The 8-Part Emotional Arc. Learn from the event experts at Auctria how to make your program the delivery vehicle for your story. Because the story is where emotion lives. Without this, the most gorgeous table settings and delicious meal won’t mean one whit. This article covers the 8-Part Emotional Arc that guides guests from arrival to the moment of giving. Each piece of the program moves the audience deeper into understanding the mission and their role in supporting it. When that journey is intentional, generosity follows naturally.
Click-it: Tips for Converting Event Plus-Ones into New Supporters. This Nonprofit Hub article explores actionable tactics to bring event guests into your donor pipeline. First, learn the reasons event plus-ones are perfectly positioned to become dedicated donors themselves. Then, learn what to do to make that happen!
Major and Legacy Giving
Click-it: Lifetime giving to lasting impact – connecting major donors and legacy fundraising. Dr. Claire Routley looks at the intersection of major donor and legacy fundraising. Claire explores on the SOFII website the fact that, for many high-value supporters, giving during their lifetime and leaving a gift in their will are not separate fundraising decisions.
Click-it: The Silent Killer of Major Gift Programs: Ambiguity. Gail Perry describes two types of ambiguity: Pipeline and Portfolio. Learn the three things every managed prospect needs if you’re to successfully execute your strategy.
WANT A FOOL-PROOF SYSTEM TO DEVELOP MAJOR GIFTS? Just in time for year-end fundraising, a new cohort of the certification courses in Major Gifts & Mid-Level Fundraising begins October 19th! There’s also a companion course – the Certification Course for Fundraising Managers and Executives — so everyone can get on the same page. Take advantage of my exclusive Clairification Community discount code – CA5. Questions? I respond personally to every email.
Psychology of Giving and Asking
Click-it: Shame and Fundraising. Do you associate asking with begging? Are your board members embarrassed to talk with donors about money? You’re not alone. We have all sorts of self-limiting beliefs that make fundraising harder than it should be. That’s what Marc Pitman, the Fundraising Coach, discusses in this article. It will help you to stop sabotaging your best efforts.
Writing
Click-it: Quick ‘AI & Fundraising’ Thought. This piece of wisdom from Steven Screen, the Better Fundraising Co., made me chuckle. It also offers great appeal writing advice.
Year-End Giving
Click-it: Why Donors Actually Give at Year-End. Hint: It’s not the December 31st tax deadline. Sean Triner, Moceanic, explains what it’s really all about. I 100% agree.
Other Learning Opportunities
ONLINE CONFERENCE, WEBINAR SERIES OR COURSE
Click-it: Agile in Nonprofits Online Summit [Register for free 2-hour interactive session, 10-2–2026]. Learn how to break large projects down into small cycles using Agile project management methodologies, including the Scrum framework. Learn what true agility is. Not a reaction, but a design outcome.
Click-it: Fundraising.AI Global Summit [Register for free virtual 2-day event, 10-14 & 15]. Presented by Virtuous and GivingTuesday, this includes two keynotes, two breakout tracks (leaders; practitioners), and session recordings after the event.
Click-it: Deep Dive Capacity Building Bootcamp [Register for free sessions, 10-20 to 10-22, 2026]. You’ll get three days of high-energy sessions designed to spark fresh ideas, solve real operational headaches, and give you practical tools you can implement immediately. It’s sponsored by the Nonprofit Cooperative.
Click-it: Nonprofit Social Media Summit [Register for free online 2-day event, 11-17 & 18, 2026]. Julia Campbell brings nonprofit communicators and fundraisers together for two days of practical strategy, all action, no fluff. Live Q&As, in-session chat, polls, games, whiteboard and brainstorming sessions are all part of the fun.
WEBINARS, PODCASTS, & 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!
Events
Click-it: The people at your gala aren’t donors…yet. [Listen to free, on-demand podcast]. Join Kelly McLaughlin, From Scratch Fundraising, to get the whole skinny on what’s considered a donation, and what’s not.
Website
Click-it: How AI Is Rewriting the Rules for Nonprofit Websites and What You Should Do About It [Register for free webinar, 10-6-2026]. Join Tech Soup to learn how AI search is changing the way supporters and funders find organizations like yours and how to make sure yours shows up. Also learn how to evaluate whether your current site can meet today’s standards or whether a rebuild makes more sense.
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES, PAPERS, TEMPLATES & OTHER RESOURCES
Donor Retention
Click-it: Donor Retention Rate: 2026 Benchmarks, a Free Calculator, and How to Keep More Donors [A free playbook with tons of guidance]. 4aGoodCause has outdone themselves with this comprehensive guide. If you’re looking to improve your donor retention, this will give you countless strategies to do so.
Grants
Click-it: 5 Places to Find Grants for Your Nonprofit for FREE! This article from Sandy Rees, Get Fully Funded, is so comprehensive I’ve listed it under “guides.” It’s filled with awesome tips and tricks to help get you started down the right path to making your research more fruitful as you find grants. And it also describes what you need to do before you start your research.
Strategy, Planning, Management and Leadership
Click-it: Fundraising in Tough Times [Download free guide]. This e-book from Sean Triner, Moceanic, gives you the evidence, arguments, and five practical strategies you need – right now. Cutting fundraising in a crisis almost always makes things worse – and history shows us there are other strategies that actually work.
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.
❤️10 Secrets to Major Gift Fundraising Success: The First 5
🎯 Why Your Small Nonprofit Needs Planned Giving – and How to Quickly Launch
🔍 5 Secrets of Psychologists: How to Get Donors to Say “Yes”
💸 How Nonprofits Go Wrong Asking Boards to Raise Money
🌱 Nonprofit Boards: From Passion to Philanthropic Leadership
💡 Fundraising Do’s vs. Don’ts: Monthly Giving Default Strategy
💡Finally… if you have a question, any question…
Ask your question here. And check out my free fundraising advice column on the Bloomerang blog! You can bookmark the Ask an Expert page for any time you have a question. Here’s one: What Gen Z and Boomers Have in Common as Nonprofit Donors
Clairification Members: Log in to your “My Clairification/Subscriber Dashboard/Monthly Tips” to grab your exclusive, timely tips for each month. SEPTEMBER TIPS are live. Your support is much appreciated, and helps me to support you. Thank you!
And now…
These all used to sit atop posts at Doggie Diner fast food shops in San Francisco. They were trotted out for a street fair. Love them!
Speaking of doggies… this free doggie poop bags dispenser outside someone’s home delighted me.
How about this doggie-themed “No Parking” mural on a residential garage?!
It really was a week for letting the dogs out! Here’s a political commentary cartoon painted on an exterior wall.
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