Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
I happen to have been born on a Friday the 13th. So was my son. So, it’s one of my favorite days!!! And I can think of no better day to share with you some thoughts about how you might move forward towards creating a better world.
If there was a website you could visit to find out what the future held, how often would you visit it?
We do that with the weather, sometimes daily.
People are drawn to breaking news and social media buzz because they have an urge to know the now, which is a bit like the future, except it already happened.
One alternative is to spend that time and energy inventing the future instead. There are countless things we can do today to change tomorrow.
— Seth Godin
What are you doing today to change tomorrow? Think carefully. Are you simply focused on maintaining the status quo? In our rapidly changing and technologically revolutionized world, that’s probably not going to work – either for you or for those who rely on you.
This issue of the Clairity Click-it brings together a carefully curated mix of ideas and resources to help you invent a better future. You’ll find content to support leadership, decision-making, communication, and fundraising — all organized by category so you can easily scan for what’s most relevant to you right now. Or come back when your priorities shift.
As you read, 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 an enrolled Clairification School student, your exclusive MARCH TIPS are live. If you’re not yet enrolled, please consider helping me simply cover my costs. [This is a labor of love, but if the enrollment fee is a hardship, please email me and we’ll work it out. I want you on board – even if it costs me money. My motto: “If I know it I want you to know it!”
Clairity Click-it, Your Nonprofit Ticket to…
SPECIAL FEATURE: Monthly Giving Spotlight
I spotlighted this two weeks ago, and I’m doing it again! Why? Because I really, really, really want you to prioritize a monthly giving program this year. Monthly donors retain at 80 – 90% — even those who are first-time donors! This compares with a rate of under 20% for first-time single gift donors. This is HUGE.
Click-it: 14 Ways to Find Monthly Donors for Your Nonprofit. Sandy Rees, Get Fully Funded, calls recurring giving a “Fundraising 101 strategy” that too few nonprofits take advantage of. Here, she shows how monthly giving can be a game changer – significantly increasing your revenue over time. This is a comprehensive article that draws on the wisdom of monthly giving specialist Erica Waasdorp, with tips galore on ask amounts, messaging, upgrading and much more.
AUDIO/VISUAL
Click-it: Benefits of Monthly Giving for Donors: How to Inspire Long-Term Support [Watch the brief, on-demand podcast + read article]. This thorough resource from Ronald Pruitt at 4aGoodCause goes well beyond the benefits. It lays out the donor motivations you should reenforce, how to acquire more monthly donors, what ongoing benefits to offer and much more. It will give you case examples, suggested language for appeals and updates, management tips, and plenty of FAQs.
Click-it: How Do I Write a Monthly Giving Email Ask [Watch quick 5-minute “how to” video]. Ephraim Gopin, 1832 Communications, shares a great example and offers his analysis. It’s a great teaching tool.
GUIDES, PAPERS & BOOKS
Click-it: Monthly Giving Made Easy. This is not free (like almost all the other resources I share here), but it’s pretty much the book on monthly giving from Erica Waasdorp – the monthly giving whisperer – so I included it here for your reference.
SPECIAL FEATURE: Of Certain Importance Now
Click-it: Information as Civic Infrastructure—and How Philanthropy Can Support the Ecosystem. This Nonprofit Quarterly article makes the point that all the decisions the social benefit sector – and everyone else, for that matter – makes rely on credible data. “Without credible data, public understanding falters. Without public understanding, political will weakens. Without political will, even well-funded solutions struggle to endure… For philanthropy, supporting the information ecosystem is not peripheral to mission but foundational to it.
ARTICLES
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: What if this email completely changed the way you look at your fundraising forever Claire? Would you read it? Read this really useful analysis of a complete direct mail piece from John Lepp, Agents for Good. It’s not just filled with great tips, but also the underlying rationales for these successful strategies.
Click-it: 6 Smart Ask Amount Best Practices Every Nonprofit Should Follow. Poorly structured ask amounts that are too low or too high can result in lower-than-average gifts, or donors abandoning your form altogether. Using AI to tailor donation requests to specific donors instead of using a one-size-fits-all methodology, nonprofits have seen a 12% increase in average donation size and a 62% increase in average gift size year-over-year. Grab 6 strategies in this Nonprofit Tech for Good article written by Charity Engine.
Content Marketing
Click-it: What Is Zero-Click Content and Why Nonprofits Should Pay Attention. Kristine LeRoux, Nonprofit Marketing Guide, explains what zero-click content is and how, n this new zero-click world, visibility still matters. Your job is to make every click you do get really count. Be generous with your content on third-party platforms, but make your website the place where the full story lives.
Donor Retention
Click-it: A Tale Of Two Charts (ok, it’s 4). This crazy revealing piece from Kevin Shulman, the Agitator-DonorVoice, is as thought provoking as they come. It’s all about donor retention and donor churn. If you’ve ever heard the adage “statistics lie,” you may see it at work here. Really, it’s not the data that’s lying here. It’s the framework through which you’re filtering it.
Events
Click-it: The Timeless Power of Event Fundraisers. This enlightening article from the event specialists at Auctria examines why event fundraisers continue to thrive and how they future proof your fundraising for decades. It begins by looking at what is underneath the surface. Psychology. Human ritual. Attention economy. Multiplication effect. Relationships. And more. Events satisfy core human needs, and you want to incorporate these into your planning. Plus, how technology can help.
Click-it: 5 Reasons Direct Mail Benefits Your Nonprofit. Eventgroove gurus remind you while our inboxes are overflowing with unread emails, a postcard mailer or letter gets our attention. They offer specific strategies to assure your event stands out and stays top-of-mind, assuring more folks will ultimately attend your event – and likely also want to come again next time.
Click-it: Season Announcements Are Fundraising Opportunities. If you’re an arts organization, and you’re not taking advantage of this opportunity, read this article from Donorly right now! Having been to a few season announcement parties myself, I can tell you they work like gangbusters – especially to generate major gifts. Both the excitement and the peer pressure (aka
Major, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: Quiet Donors: How to Steward Donors That Don’t Want the Attention. Sarah Plimpton writes on the Capital Campaign Pro blog about major donors who don’t want recognition – requiring an expansion of your definition of stewardship. Consider what might be a meaningful touchpoint for your more reclusive supporters. For example, a handwritten note might substitute for an in-person meeting. Start by asking permission to engage in a variety of low pressure touches.
NEXT STEPS: If you want to become a master of major gift fundraising I highly recommend this Veritus Group course: Certification Course for Major Gift Fundraisers. You’ll receive a certification, rack up CFRE points, and set yourself up for excellence for the rest of your career. If you’re the executive or manager, there’s also a companion course for you! After completion you’ll become a member of the prestigious Veritus Scholars. This is the best thing you can do to supercharge your fundraising for the coming year – and beyond! And you can grab an exclusive Clairification Community discount – a whopping 35% off – using this code: CLAIRE35. The next cohort begins June 8th – just in time for your year-end fundraising push.
Psychology of Giving
Click-it: This article from NextAfter (which happens to perfectly align with my philosophy of giving) reminds us that the act of generosity itself is a gift, not only to the organization but also to the person who gives. In a culture marked by distraction and self-focus, that opportunity is rare. You may have heard that numbers of donors giving is down. That doesn’t mean the philanthropic resources are not there. Money is being left on the table – lots of it – because too many nonprofits shy away from offering this opportunity to folks. Read this – and start increasing donor conversions!
Strategy, Planning, Management and Leadership
Click-it: Before You Diminish Yourself: Leadership Conversation Checklist. Do you know where your conversations with staff, volunteers and donors go awry? I’ve created a checklist for the Bloomerang blog that will help you reclaim your leadership voice – with elegance and confidence.
Click-it: When fundraisers don’t like fundraising. This piece from Jeff Brooks, Future Fundraising Now, speaks to culture – and how you need radiators, not drains. Per Jeff, teams made up of fundraisers who love fundraising raise dramatically more money than those who wish they could find another way. See what you think.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: Understanding Agentic AI: what it means for not-for-profits. A bit confused about the difference between generative and agentic AI, and how you might best use either one to achieve your goals. This guide from Infoxchange explains it all.
Writing
Click-it: Why Your Best Copy Starts With Silence. Kevin Shulman, Agitator-DonorVoice, talks about “template” writing vs. meaning-focused “chosen language” writing. One surfaces the narrative organically, capturing feeling that will resonate with donors. The other, not so much.
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: Boards & Asking Styles: A Roadmap to Success [Register for free webinar, 3-26-2026]. Join Brian Saber and Charity How-To to learn how to use his iconic Asking Styles to improve your nonprofit board’s governance and ability to fundraise. Learn the personality of your board and how it is impacting board meetings (especially today’s virtual ones), leadership, strategic planning, and how to get your boards to fundraise.
Donor Retention
Click-it: Donor Thank You Letters That Inspire Long-Term Giving [Watch on-demand video or read article]. Megan Donahue explains for CharityHowTo the truth that in an AI and automated world, authentic gratitude is more important than ever. Get some tips, plus language you can use, to keep things human.
Grants
Click-it: How to Supercharge Your Grant Research [Register for free webinar, 3-17-2026]. In this live Charity How-To webinar with grants guru Diane H. Leonard, you’ll learn how to best use the variety of tools available for foundation research to create and support your grant-seeking plan and strategy. Plus, you’ll hear about opportunities for discounts or short-term access to reduce grant research expenses while supercharging your results from the research.
Major, Mid-Level, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: The major gifts playbook: turn potential into power [Register for free webinar, 3-20-2026]. This session from Bloomerang will help you: Identify donors ready to give more; Unlock recurring revenue with smarter tools; Prioritize high-value prospects using insights; Streamline major gift cultivation workflows, and Boost results from events and appeals.
Online Fundraising and Marketing
Click-it: 8 Ways to Grow Your Nonprofit’s Following on Social Media [Register for free mini-webinar, 4-1-2026]. The era of organic growth on social media is over. To grow your nonprofit’s following on social media, you need to make a concerted effort to let your supporters and donors know how to find your nonprofit on social media. Towards that end, Heather Mansfield, founder of Nonprofit Tech for Good, presents eight ways to grow your nonprofit’s following on social media.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: AI for Good: Secure, Smart, High-Impact AI for Nonprofits [Register for free webinar, 3-26-2026]. Nonprofit Tech for Good hosts Robert Friend, Fundraising Specialist at Eventgroove, for this session designed to provide a practical, responsible roadmap for using AI. Leave with a simple 3-point AI action plan your organization can implement immediately — what to try, what to avoid, and how to stay human-centered.
Click-it: Tom Fishburne Keynote at Opticon NYC [Listen on demand]. I happen to love Tom Fishburne (aka “The Marketoonist”), and this one about AI (the newest “wrecking ball”) really resonated. I think it will resonate with you too. He discusses how technological transformation is really organizational transformation. Do you feel you’re in an “awkward adolescent” phase? You’re not alone. There’s lots of basic marketing info here, and plenty of food for thought. Warning: don’t get sidetracked with your own myopia. Plus, check out this cartoon: AI Org Chart. It’s good to laugh at ourselves.
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES, PAPERS, TEMPLATES & OTHER RESOURCES
Donor Retention
Click-it: 5 Easy Steps to Your Game-Changing Donor Survey [Download free guide]. Learn how the Supporter Connection Survey is different from all other donor surveys in this guide from Moceanic. You’ll get the 5 key steps to creating your own so you can create meaningful relationships with your donors, and uncover more legacy, major donor, and monthly giving leads.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: The Buyer’s Guide to Donor Management Software [Download free resource]. I’m often asked which software and CRM solutions are best, so it’s terrific Bloomerang has put together this Guide to help you figure out which option is best for your organization.
Click-it: 10 Top Nonprofit Fundraising Tools in 2026: A Complete Guide [Download free resource]. Here’s another guide to software solutions from re:charity. If your organization is still relying on fragmented systems or manual processes, you’re likely leaving valuable revenue on the table.
Please note: None of these offer exhaustive evaluation of all the options available to you. So, check out other nonprofits you admire; call them up and ask what they use, and what they’re happy/not happy with. It’s always wise to seek out peer reviews.
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.
❤️From Objections to Opportunities: Winning Over Donors
😖 Avoid these Key Obstacles to Successful Major Gift Asks
🚫 Proven Strategies to Take Charge of Major Donor Asks
💡 Fresh Nonprofit Marketing Ideas: Be Patient. Be Strategic. Be Funded.
🎯 5 Strategies to Improve Peer-to-Peer Donor Retention
🔍 Show Me You Know Me* — 5 Strategies To Sustain Donor Relationships
📈 4-Step Strategy to Address Key Nonprofit Marketing Challenges Head On
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: How To Make a Realistic, Successful Nonprofit Grant Request?
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 TIPS are live. Your support is much appreciated, and helps me to support you. Thank you!
And now, some “message art” found over hill and dale (mostly wall murals; one garage door) since my last newsletter issue. I am constantly entranced by people’s creativity!
We are, indeed, all in this together. Go forth and fill the world with love, joy, peace, harmony and understanding. It’s needed now more than ever. And please support my extraordinary sponsors (see below). The Clairity Click-it content is free, and Clairification School is affordable, because of their generosity.
