Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
I just can’t stop taking inspiration from the inimitable Seth Godin.
There are two ways for an artisan or professional to see the world:
Scarcity. This is the idea that if there were fewer photographers, more people would hire me to do wedding pictures. That if the bar exam were more selective, it would be easier for my firm to get clients. And if everyone would just stop imagining they could be an author/musician/magician/painter, my life would be a lot better. (And AI should be barred from doing what I do.)
Abundance. This is the more resilient and likely idea that when others show up to participate in your craft, it brings energy, insight and activity to the field.
The truth is that books don’t sell very well in the supermarket, where there are no other books. They do better in the bookstore, right next to all the other books.
— Seth Godin
Don’t fight your fellow nonprofits. This isn’t a competition. It’s a cooperation. Working together to build a better world. Where you can collaborate, do so. When you can refer a donor to a colleague, do so. A rising tide raises all boats.
Okay, let’s get in to today’s content. I’ve collected lots of resources over the past two weeks – all with the hope you’ll find something to help you enact your mission. 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.
You’ve got this!
Thank you for doing your vital work, with gratitude,
Claire
P.S. If you’re an enrolled Clairification School student, your MAY TIPS are live. If you’re not yet enrolled, there’s no better time.
Clairity Click-it, Your Nonprofit Ticket to…
SPECIAL FEATURE: Nonprofits in the Crosshairs
This is my second issue featuring resources to help you assure you are free to carry out your responsibilities free from political pressure or influence. Because, regardless of the politics of the individuals involved, every single 501 c 3 organization today is in the crosshairs — simply by virtue of their tax-preferred status. They may not come for you first. They may not come for you directly. But those who rely on you, and your enactment of your vision and mission. may be at risk. What will you do to protect the values you hold dear?
ARTICLES
Click-it: How Research Cuts Are Hurting the Science of a Meaningful Life. This article from the Greater Good Science Center paints the fallout of losses attributable to government funding cutbacks with the broad brush it deserves. If a rising tide raises all boats, the opposite is also true. Lost research hurts all of us. Here’s what you can do. [Bonus: There are links in here to fascinating research studies that help us better understand ourselves.]
Click-it: Foundation trustees, help save democracy or get out of the way. Vu Le, NonprofitAF, exhorts foundations to step up to meet the moment. If you work at a foundation, and have been unable to persuade your board to disperse more funding at a time it is desperately needed, read this.
Click-it: Three Dangerous Myths About Nonprofits—And the Truth Behind Them. Joan Garry notes nonprofits are at a crossroads, sharing myths she believes must be debunked. Noting that nonprofits are a huge part of the fabric of this country (and others), and that government is not going to step in to do this work (on which people rely), she shares how many public perceptions are dangerous and will negatively impact everyone in this country (and the world) unless we change them.
Click-it: What an Andrew Carnegie ‘Interview’ Reveals About Philanthropy’s Sins — and How to Move Beyond Them, This article in Philanthropy Today, excerpted from a book by philanthropy advisor Dimple Abichandani, raises troubling questions about the purpose of philanthropy in today’s increasingly unjust and unsustainable world. Should it be a means of helping around the edges (some might argue “band-aid solutions;” others might argue “urgent needs”), or a way to uproot systems that create and fuel inequality?
Click-it: Why the Threats Against Nonprofit Tax Status Are Unprecedented. This is an interesting historical piece in Nonprofit Quarterly on the tax-exempt status of 501 (c)(3) organizations, and how they’re currently broadly under attack.
Click-it: 300 Experts agree: AI will change your customers Nonprofits are also, along with everyone else, in the crosshairs of the AI revolution. This is big! Just like the politics of the moment, it isn’t about panicking. It’s about paying attention. So says marketing guru Mark Schaefer, who shares his take-aways from a recent research paper predicting changes in people as the world adopts AI.
GUIDES
Click-it: Myth v. Reality: Executive Branch Lacks Authority to Target Nonprofit. Put together by the National Council of Nonprofits, this guide shows you what you can do to protect and defend your nonprofit status.
ARTICLES
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: It’s Time to Ditch That Same-Old “Default” Direct Mail Appeal. This comes from direct mail expert Jeff Brooks on the Moceanic blog. The thing that was the newest for me was the reply device. I’m going to bet most of you aren’t doing this. Yet.
Click-it: The Model That Knows When To Shut Up. Kevin Shulman of the Agitator-DonorVoice often offers reminders that personalization must be more than an inch deep. Are you looking at when your donor gave, how many appeals you sent to them before they did so, when they pulled back and when you perhaps nudged too much? All these things have an impact, and should be taking into account in the pulsing of your messaging. [Note: Be sure to read the comments on this post.]
Click-it:. There’s nothing kind about not asking. I tell you this all the time, but seldom as succinctly as Marc Pitman, the Fundraising Coach.
Click-it: You just haven’t earned it yet, baby: 5 ways to start. Mary Cahalane, Hands-On Fundraising, reminds us to stop blaming donors for not giving. Here are five ways it may be your fault, with suggestions of ways to earn donor trust and engagement.
Donor Retention
Click-it: Phonathons are Still Not Dead — Busting the Biggest Myths about Calling Donors. Jessica Cloud, Real Deal Fundraising, is a phonathon expert. And she believes, when done right, phone outreach still delivers contact, conversation, and conversion. “The problem isn’t that people don’t pick up. The problem is we’ve stopped giving them a good reason to.” Learn a better way to manage a phonathon here.
Events
Click-it: Increase Turnout with an Early Bird Ticketing Strategy—A Complete Guide. The experts at Eventgroove explain how early bird tickets consistently deliver results. But you’ve got to start early, provide meaningful incentives, and build anticipation from there. You’ll find all sorts of ideas for VIP packages, experience enhancements, recognition perks and more. The key is to leverage FOMO by creating a compelling value proposition where the combined VIP elements and price discount feel like an exceptional opportunity that won’t be available later.
Grants
Click-it: You Got the Grant — Now What? Just because federal grants are up in the air right now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be actively seeking foundation grants. And if you’re lucky enough to get one, you’ll want to steward this funder just as you would an individual donor. Donor Perfect lays out a step-by-step plan for doing so, and it’s all very important. A successful grant can open new doors; a failed one can shut them. Funders talk to one another.
In-Kind Donations
Click-it: Identifying & Tracking In-Kind Donations for Nonprofits. This Getting Attention post walks you through what in-kind donations are; how you can identify opportunities; how to make the ask, and how to effectively tract these gifts. It also includes a list of companies that make in-kind gifts to nonprofits.
Marketing
Click-it: Six marketing megatrends we’re watching right now [Listen to on-demand podcast]. Mark Schaefer is my ‘go-to’ marketing guru. He writes for every kind of business, including yours. Here he weighs in on the trends for the coming year, including AI integration, experiential marketing, branding, change management and more. His mantra? “Marketing is all things human.”
Online, Digital Fundraising and Marketing
Click-it: The Role of Text Messaging in Multichannel Fundraising Campaigns. This article on the True Sense Marketing blog touts the fact 90% of text messages are opened within the first three minutes — a level of engagement unmatched by any other communication medium. But, you have to do it the right way. Just about everything you need to know is here.
Other Learning Opportunities
CONFERENCES
Click-it: The Future of Fundraising is Now: Responsive Nonprofit Summit [Register for free two-day event, 6-4 to 6-5, 2025]. You’ll have access to 25 sessions, 30 fundraising experts and more, all designed to help you ditch outdated tactics and scale personal connections. The Summit is sponsored by Virtuous in partnership with We are For Good. The co-creator of Charity: water, Viktoria Harrison, will keynote. Speakers include: Nathan Chappell, Founder at Fundraising.AI & SVP at DonorSearch; Tim Paris, Cofounder + CEO at Dataro; T. Clay Buck, Founder and Principal at Next River Fundraising Strategies; Gail Perry, President at Gail Perry Group; Cameron Ripley, CEO at Community Boost, and more.
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: Ethical Storytelling for Event Fundraising [Register for free webinar, 5-28-2025]. Join Carly Euler of Memory Fox and Laurie Hochman of Auctria for this session devoted to helping you incorporate ethical standards into your story collecting and narrating. They’ll be exploring nonprofit case studies who have made real ethical storytelling changes & seen real results.
Click-it: Three Critical Moments That Make or Break Your Fundraising Event [Register for free event, 5-20-2025]. Join Jim Shapiro, the Better Fundraising Co., as he shares the three moments that can make, or break, your event. In fact, if you nail these moments, you can double or even triple your fundraising results. Plus you’ll learn about common mistakes that will sabotage your results.
Online, Digital Fundraising and Marketing
Click-it: Social Media Boot Camp [Register for 2 consecutive sessions, 5-20 and 5-21, 2025]. This two-day webinar series combines the Firespring Social Media 101 and 102 topics, plus more resources for you to elevate your social media presence. Attendees will receive a Social Media Boot Camp Workbook and get additional Q&A time with experts each day. Lots of practical tips!
Technology as Tool
Click-it: How to Use AI Ethically [Register for free webinar. 5-21-2025]. Join Mallory Erickson, Practivated, for this timely session on how AI can be a true force multiplier, not just a flashy tool, helping you work faster, smarter, and with more focus. You’ll learn when to use it, when not to, and how to identify tools that align with your organization’s values.
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES, PAPERS, TEMPLATES & OTHER RESOURCES
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: Fundraising Campaign Communication Templates for Email, Social Media, and SMS Marketing [Download free guide]. CauseVox has put together a compendium of templates for what to say, when to say it, and how to say it across email, social media, and SMS. Rather than having to start from scratch, this gives you a head start in crafting well-timed, engaging messages for every channel and audience.
Major, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: Touch Point Planning Guide [Download free resource]. The Veritus Group team knows creating meaningful touch points is key to building lasting donor relationships across mid-level, major gifts, and planned giving. These interactions align with donor interests, fostering trust and commitment. A strategic approach ensures donors feel valued, leading to stronger retention and long-term support. Grab an overview of various points to include in your plan, and learn how to deliver and integrate communications through different channels.
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 Veritus Group course: Certification Course for Major Gift Fundraisers. If you’re the executive or manager, there’s a companion course for you! Don’t miss out: the next cohort begins June 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.
Psychology of Giving
Click-it: The Behavioral Economics Nonprofit Playbook [Download free e-book]. I love that NextAfter does so many research experiments, and that they generously share their results. I also love learning about and using principles from neuroscience, psychology and behavioral economics in fundraising strategy. Imagine my delight when I discovered they’d put all this wisdom – 32 powerful concepts — together into an e-book?!
Strategy and Management
Click-it: 40 Nonprofit Trends for 2025 [Download free guide]. This guide from NonProfitPRO brings together insights from 31 industry experts — including nonprofit professionals, technologists, consultants, and educators — to predict the most important trends shaping the sector this year.
NOTE: You’ll find my tip at #34. There are so many good ones – you could lead a discussion group with your team around each of them! What a great way to begin to instill a culture of philanthropy in your organization. I challenge you to at least pick half a dozen to explore with your colleagues. Feel free to let me know how it goes!
Technology as Tool
Click-it: The Nonprofit Productivity Report: How AI Can Redefine Workloads. Momentum conducted a survey of nonprofit professionals, exploring the most time-consuming aspects of a fundraiser’s day-to-day and how AI could expedite those tasks. With this information, you can help your team work more efficiently, focus on the initiatives that drive impact, and, ultimately, improve fundraiser tenure.
Click-it: The Nonprofit Leader’s Guide for Optimizing Fundraising Operations with Technology. This guide for using automation as a virtual gift officer comes from Market Smart. It makes the case for leveraging technology, and shows what automation can and cannot do.
Writing and Design
Click-it: How to Use White Space in Fundraising [Download free report]. This is a useful checklist from veteran direct mail specialist Lisa Sargent. Don’t let anything get mailed without adhering to each of these rules!
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.
Fewer Donors Are Giving—Here’s How Your Nonprofit Can Respond and Rebuild
How 13 Nonprofit Donors Yields a $1 Million Philanthropic Legacy
Because They Care—Invite Donor Feedback to Deepen Your Relationship
If You’re Not Promoting Donor Advised Funds, You’re Leaving Major Gifts on the Table
Do Fundraising “Best Practices” Give Nonprofit Donors the Autonomy they Seek?
Act Fast, Raise Big: The Skills You Need to Win Major Donors Today
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: Don’t Leave Them Behind: Writing And Designing To Truly Reach Older Donors.
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. MAY TIPS are live. Your support is much appreciated, and helps me to support you. Thank you!
Sharing some art this week. Some from the street; some from the De Young Museum in San Francisco. Enjoy!
Spring has fully sprung in this glass window. Not Tiffany, but… famous somebody.
Beautiful bowl of giant glass fruit, as seen from balcony above.
Per “The Pink Lady: wall mural artist: “Symbol of strength, dignity, and resistance for all who are fighting for a world free from violence and oppression.”
He’s late, he’s late… Do you know where you’re going?
May have shared this before? I pass by it every week, and LOVE it so much! A great reminder to get your duckies in a row — but with flair.
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