Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
Once again, I’m sharing a bit of inspiration.
There’s the James Bond villain sort of power, based on division, dominance and destruction. This is the short-term power of bullies, trauma and mobs.
And then there’s a more resilient form of power. This is power based on connection, discussion and metrics. A power based in reality over the long term.
Divisive power tears things down. Resilient power builds things up.
Resilient power creates the conditions for the community to produce value over time. Resilient power uses optimism and fairness to create value because participants can see ways they can participate and contribute.
Fear might be for sale, but that doesn’t mean we have to buy it.
Better is possible.
— Seth Godin
What will you do in the weeks and months ahead to demonstrate your resilience and step into your power on behalf of those who need your help?
What will you do to engage others in your mission and vision?
What will you do to make the world, or your little corner of it, a better place?
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: News You Can Use
Click-it: DONOR PRIVACY ALERT: AN OLD BATTLE, A NEW FLASHPOINT, AND A TASK YOU CAN’T PUT OFF. Join an Amicus brief, and tell the federal courts you you’re your donors’ privacy protected. Roger Craver at the Agitator/DonorVoice tells you what to do, and why timing is of the essence. Donor privacy is the thin membrane that protects nonprofits from the full force of political retaliation, cultural backlash, and government manipulation. It protects the donor who gives quietly to a controversial cause. It protects the donor who supports a local food bank and doesn’t want their address circulating in databases. You don’t have to be ideological to support donor privacy. If you believe that governments of all stripes will abuse tools when handed to them —get your organization to sign.
Click-it: Predictions for Philanthropy, 2026. Wondering what’s next? The Chronicle of Philanthropy offers 9 predictions from foundation leaders and major donors about giving trends in the coming year and efforts to respond to Trump administration threats. You’ll learn about the evolving impact of AI on fundraising, the ripple effects of the new tax law, the explosion in donor-advised funds, and the ongoing fight for equity in the face of a DEI retreat. You’ll find bold predictions from leaders and thinkers across the sector about what lies ahead, including what the sector will look like five years from now, and how to respond to what promises to be another unprecedented year.
Click-it: 2026 Philanthropy Predictions. These come from Trista Harris at FutureGood, and they offer a hopeful view for the future. She writes: “inside all this uncertainty is a massive opportunity to reimagine how we lead, care for one another, and build the future we actually want.”
ARTICLES
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: The Unicorn We Need To Retire.Roger Craver, the Agitator/DonorVoice, debunks the myth of recency, frequency, monetary and suggests two donor behaviors that should replace the way you do renewals. This is a ‘must read.’
Click-it: Why Recurring Giving Matters: Benefits of Monthly Giving for Nonprofits. If you need to persuade others at your organization of the wisdom of prioritizing a monthly giving program, this article from 4aGoodCause makes a great case!
Click-it: How to Set Up a Nonprofit Challenge Match: Best Practices, Strategy and Timing. Done right, they work. But… they must be executed strategically, and credibly. Kalie Vandewater explains everything of which you need to be aware in this article for NonProfitPRO.
Donor Retention
Click-it: Click-it: Stewardship with Soul: Emotional Intelligence Beyond the Gift. This article on the Market Smart blog by Bill Crouch, founder of BrightDot, introduces two terms: Mattership and Relationship Architect. Learn what they mean, and how you might reframe your approach to make your constituents happier and build stronger donor bonds.
Events
Click-it: Tap into Your Nonprofit’s Hidden Growth Engine. Do you have people register for your events? It may not just be your Gala or 10K run. Think about volunteer events like food drives as well. Registrations provide useful data that helps you better understand donor passions. The event specialists at Eventgroove explain how this works.
Major, Mid-Level, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: How to Use Program Data to Personalize Major Gift Asks. Before you start building a donor pitch, it’s important to identify which data points will actually strengthen your case. The folks at Virtuous/Momentum suggest three data points to use to narrow down what metrics your nonprofit should focus on. The key is matching your donor’s values to program outcomes.
AND EVEN MORE HERE: 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 also a companion course for you! The next cohort begins February 9th – just in time for your new year strategic planning. After completion you’ll become a member of the prestigious Veritus Scholars. Check it out – it is game-changing! And you still have time to grab the Early Bird discount.
Online Digital Fundraising and Marketing
Click-it: How to Launch a Text Messaging Fundraising Program: A Guide for Nonprofits. Grab this overview from True Sense Marketing of all of the planning pieces that you should consider when developing an effective text-messaging program.
Psychology of Giving
Click-it: 7 Words That Can Restore Trust in Philanthropy. Stop using language that pushes people away. Instead, lean into these words suggested by Matt Watkins, opinion writer for the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Think: Family; Community; Fairness; Dignity; Safety; Respect, and Service. Words decide who feels welcome and who walks away. The question isn’t whether our language sounds smart. It’s whether people believe us. Say what you mean.
Storytelling
Click-it: Why are you telling me this?. Learn from Jeff Brooks, Future Fundraising Now, how to tell a story so people will want to read or listen to it.
Strategy, Planning, Management and Leadership
Click-it: Simple Tips to Design Surveys That Drive Real Change. Ever hear the old adage “statistics lie?” This Chronicle of Philanthropy article shows you how to develop surveys that tell the real truth, and don’t get weighted down by opinions from outliers and less engaged constituents. It’s well worth a read.
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:. Special direct mail clinic – The one with Ken Burnett [Listen to free, quick on-demand presentation]. John Lepp, Agents for Good, interviews Ken Burnett, author of Relationship Fundraising, on why he revised the 32-year-old quintessential fundraising reference book. One take-away I particularly resonated with: “If it is to be, it is up to me.” There are more of Lepp’s clinics on the SOFII blog.
Boards
Click-it: Successful board fundraising in 5 steps [Register for free webinar, 12-4-2025]. Bloomerang hosts Brian Saber of Asking Matters for this session focusing on turning hesitant board members into confident advocates. Learn to provide the basic tools board members need to be effective in their work, and how to manage their work appropriately and fully
Grants
Events
Click-it: Raise It Right: 2025’s Top Auction & Paddle Raise Trends (and What’s Next) [Register for free webinar, 12-10-2025]. In this webinar from Auctria, professional auctioneer Bobby D. Elhert will share hot tips on how to: (1) Turn your live auction and paddle raise into a mission-driven performance that inspires donors to give at higher levels; (2) Increase in-room participation and spark spontaneous generosity, and (3) Use donor psychology and live storytelling to raise the most money possible.
Major, Mid-Level, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: How to (And How Not To) Leverage AI for an Effective, Efficient Capital Campaign [Register for free webinar, 12-3-2025]. Cherian Koshy, Kindsight hosts Steven Shattuck of Capital Campaign Pro for this session focusing on how AI should, and should not, be used for capital campaign fundraising. If you’re under pressure to “use AI,” but aren’t sure how to approach it, this session will help you ask better questions and make smarter calls.
Psychology of Giving
Click-it: Unlocking Generosity: How Neuroscience Can Drive Fundraising Results [Register for free webinar, 12-2-2025]. Join Cherian Koshy and Melissa Kwilosz, Kindsight, for an action-packed hour exploring how understanding the inner workings of the human brain can create joyful, irresistible donor experiences.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: How Nonprofit Professionals Can AI-Proof Their Careers [Register for free mini-webinar, 12-3-2025]. Early adopter marketing and fundraising professionals are experimenting with generative AI, but as we speed towards achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), working with predictive and agentic AI are also must-have skills of the future. Heather Mansfield, Nonprofit Tech for Good, will help you become AI-literate in the concepts most immediately impactful to your career. Start now to upskill, and thrive in your career for years to come.
Year-End Giving
Click-it: Year-End Emails in 20 Minutes [Watch on-demand podcast]. Sarah Lundberg, the Better Fundraising Company, shares quick tips for four emails to send the final week of the year. Use this checklist to move from blank page to ready-to-send in minutes.
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES, PAPERS, TEMPLATES & OTHER RESOURCES
Donor Retention
Click-it: Nonprofit Donor Retention Rate: Current Benchmarks and How to Calculate Your Own [Let this free guide be your blueprint for action]. This comprehensive resource from 4aGoodCause includes everything you need to know to improve your rate of donor retention. You’ll also learn how to transform your retention program with recurring giving.
Events
Click-it: Revenue Boosting Event Sponsor Toolkit [Download free resource].A lot of the profit in events comes from sponsorships. Sandy Rees, Get Fully Funded, put together everything you need to maximize your sponsorship efforts. Need guidance on planning sponsor levels? Help to secure sponsors? It’s here.
Click-it: The Essential Fundraising Event Planning Timeline and Checklist [Grab this free resource]. Whether you’re organizing a charity gala, a community walkathon, or a virtual fundraiser, every detail must be handled at the right time. The folks at DoJiggy walk you through an essential fundraising event planning timeline and checklist to help your group create a memorable, impactful event that resonates with your audience.
Storytelling
Click-it: Ethical Storytelling Report [Download free resource]. The team at Memory Fox asked 30+ nonprofit storytelling professionals tough questions regarding ethical story collection, consent, privacy, and more. Read the case studies and learn new strategies here.
Year-End
Click-it: Top 10 Calendar Year-End Experiments. Your audience is more emotionally ready to give now than at any other time of year. But it’s also a highly competitive time. So, anything that gives you an edge and helps you cut through the clutter is important! This compilation of IRL tests from NextAfter is invaluable if you want to test a few things to learn what works best for your particular constituency. From 1200 tests conducted last year, they’ve selected their top 10.
Click-it: 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists [Download free e-book]. Grab this resource I created for Bloomerang and learn all sorts of nifty things. Like how to inspire donors to give by appealing to their emotions. And questions to follow up with lapsed donors. And how to create a compelling donation landing page that delivers results. Plus much more!
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.
🥧Easy-as-Pie Year-End Nonprofit Email Series
🎁The True Meaning of Giving Tuesday
✨Underused Year-End Fundraising Tweak Pops Up!
❤️Top Proven Strategies to Tell Donor-Centered Fundraising Stories
🎯 Top Strategies to Use Donor Data to Appeal to Donor Identity
📈Surprising Psychology Behind Why Fundraising Thermometers Still Work + Helpful AI Boost
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: When your fundraising appeal is already good, what else can you do to increase response?
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. Your NOVEMBER special tips are live! DECEMBER TIPS coming soon!
I am so grateful for you and all you do to repair our world. Thank you!
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Thanksgiving scene in the neighborhood — hope it cheers you up! May you experience many joys and blessings of the season. I am grateful for you!
