Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
Wherever you are, here’s hoping you’re managing to keep cool!
And I don’t mean just physically. As we begin to ramp up for the busiest part of the fundraising year — during a time of unprecedented upheaval — try to let cooler heads prevail. Hopefully, some of the wisdom you find in this newsletter will help you with great ideas to lessen your stress.
This week I’m thinking about how we approach our work. Do we attack with gusto and joy, or sit back with placidity and ennui. Either can seem reasonable or unreasonable, depending how we frame what we’re doing. As Hugh MacLeod writes in the Gaping Void: “The human experience is a binary: We’re either striving for something (a form of de Staël’s “suffering”), or we’re bored. Humans hate being bored.” Striving, or boredom, is your call.
After reading the above, I came upon this complimentary thought from Seth Godin:
“It’s tempting to go to an extreme. Unreasonable design standards, quality or hospitality are an effective way to gain share, delight customers and spread the word. To be unreasonable in service of your customers is a practice and a commitment.
Along the way, though, reality sets in. The boss has multiple priorities. The uncompromising edges of unreasonable are truly expensive. They take time and effort and money… and they’re unreasonable.
And so, we pull back a bit. We go much of the way, but not quite to ridiculous.
The thing is, rational, compromised unreason has a name: it’s called normal.
If you want the benefits that come from being unreasonable on behalf of your customers, you’re going to have to pay the price as well.
Unreasonable works precisely because most people aren’t driven to go all the way there.”
Sometimes going the extra mile seems unreasonable. Because you’re under-resourced, under-rewarded, and just plain cranky. It seems easier to stick with what’s easy and less trouble. But, in the end, does that really bring ease? Peace of mind? Not if you’re not moving the needle and making progress toward your vision.
I’d love to have you thinking about giving people more than they expect. Especially your donors. It’s long been my philosophy for successful fundraising. If you want gifts, you must give them. Which is why I’ve collected a bunch of little gifts for you that will, hopefully, jumpstart your creativity! Need new ideas? Skills? Perspectives? They’re all here. Check them out! You’re guaranteed to find something that will shift your thinking.
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 AUGUST TIPS are live. If you’re not yet enrolled, there’s no better time.
Clairity Click-it, Your Nonprofit Ticket to…
SPECIAL FEATURE: News You Can Use
ARTICLES
Click-it: The Power of Doing Good When So Much Is Bad. Try It. In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Eboo Patel writes about the importance of continuing to give people opportunities to volunteer and experience the transformative power of doing good things for others.
Click-it: What Is “Civil Society”—and How Is It Under Threat? Rebekah Barber in Nonprofit Quarterly describes the expansive work of civil society – the people and institutions – and how it is currently in a narrowing phase in the U.S. and elsewhere. The article describes how civil society can fight back, citing specific examples. One key is helping people know they’re not alone. What are you doing to band together and connect?
Click-it: There has never been a more powerful moment to reimagine our entire industry. First, we need to face the facts. Kristen Corning Bedford writes for Community Centric Fundraising about the monumental moment of collective disillusionment in which many in civil society find themselves. Individual donors are reeling from a sense of powerlessness that leads to incapacitation, foundations are inundated with requests to make up the difference in lost government contracts, and nonprofits are trying to stay out of the crosshairs so they can continue to serve their missions. The author asks: What will shake enough people from the dream that any of this is working for anyone, so that we gain the momentum to build the frameworks that can take us into a different future?
Articles
Annual (Year-Round) Fundraising
Click-it: Is Your Appeal Too Much, Too Soon? This one may seem a bit counter-intuitive to you. Kevin Shulman, the Agitator-DonorVoice, makes a subtle yet important point. When presenting would-be donors with difficult truths, it can be better to lead them into things slowly rather than hit them over the head with death and despair. Appeals should give donors a hopeful way to carry the emotional burdens you place upon them.
Donor Advised Funds
Click-it: Activate DAF Dollars: A Strategic Opportunity For Nonprofits. Check out my Part 1 article for the Bloomerang blog about how to reach out and invite DAF donors to invest in your vision. DAFs represent one of the most underutilized opportunities in fundraising today, and now is the time to activate those dollars and turn passive potential into powerful impact. You can do it!
Click-it: How Donor-Advised Funds Are Bringing Big Results to Fundraising Across the Board. If you’ve not yet started to actively facilitate DAF giving, this article in NonProfitPRO will give you great ideas. Here you’ll get a look (with real life examples) at how DAFs can play a role in two development areas — mid-level and peer-to-peer giving.
Data
Click-it: What is the Data Append Process for Nonprofits? Sometimes it makes sense to supplement the data in your database. It may be because you’re embarking on a major gift or planned giving program or entering into a capital campaign. Or perhaps you want to add information about employee matches or donor identities. This article on Soapbox Engage gives a step-by-step blueprint for determining your goals, selecting a provider, and uploading and leveraging appended data.
Events
Click-it: US State Gaming Regulations – Online Raffles. If you’re considering running a raffle, read this first! The event experts at Eventgroove have compiled everything you need to know – for all 50 U.S. states – about the laws pertaining to online raffles. Note that some states permit raffles, but not online. Others prohibit them entirely, as they’re considered a “game of chance” or “lottery.”
Major, Mid-Level, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: Lessons from a Lifetime in Fundraising: How Emotional Intelligence Fuels the Human Spirit. Seasoned fundraiser Bill Crouch offers advice for new fundraisers on the Market Smart blog: “Don’t just chase results. Cultivate your emotional intelligence. Because fundraising is not just a job. It’s an invitation to elevate the human spirit—yours, and theirs.”
Online and Digital Fundraising and Marketing
Click-it: 10 Tips for Timing Texts. If you really want to communicate with your peeps, texts are more likely to get opened than any other medium you can use. Here’s some wisdom on timing, messaging and cadence from the experts at Rally Corps.
Strategy, Planning, Leadership and Management
Click-it: How to Keep Good Fundraisers: Reimagining the Non-Profit Workplace. We talk a lot about fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and hitting goals—but none of that works without the right people in place. When someone managing donor relationships walks out the door, you’re not just replacing a role—you’re losing trust, continuity, and revenue. It takes about two years for a major gift officer or mid-level fundraiser to build a fully productive portfolio. If you’re in a leadership or management position, that means the first two years of a fundraiser’s tenure are critical. The Veritus Group offers practical retention strategies that really work. Culture starts at the top.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: AI as an Equalizer: Giving Small Nonprofits a Competitive Edge. The folks at Momentum are mastering the use of AI to help nonprofits of all shapes and sizes streamline their workflows, analyze data, and regularly connect with more donors. If you think having a tool that helps you help you gather data, draft communications and even plan your next moves would be useful, read on.
Click-it: Tech-Driven Fundraising: 5+ Tools Your Nonprofit Needs. In a crowded market of fundraising tools with varying capabilities, it can be difficult to discern which tools will be most beneficial. Luckily for you, the team at Auctria have pulled together some essential tools every nonprofit should consider integrating into its tech stack.
Writing
Click-it: How to Choose What to Underline and Why. Great post from Steven Screen, the Better Fundraising Co., with which I 100% agree. I do this with every appeal I write. It gives you two or three letters in one. Simply read what you’ve underlined and ask: Does this tell the reader everything they need to know (problem; solution; how they can help)? Now read through what you’ve italicized/highlighted/boldfaced and ask the same question. Once you get into the habit, it’s not that difficult.
Year-End
Click-it: Why You Need to Start Planning Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign Now. You’ll find lots of good advice in this article from Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog. From setting a goal, to putting together a plan and outline, to selecting a story and photos to help you stand out, to getting your mailing list ready, to ordering needed supplies, to assuring it’s easy to give both online and offline… and more.
Other Learning Opportunities
ONLINE CONFERENCE, WEBINAR SERIES OR COURSE
Click-it: Fundraising AI Global Summit [Register for free 2-day virtual conference, 9-15 & 15, 2025]. Sponsored by Fundraising AI, this summit brings together bold thinkers and doers – 40+ sessions — who are shaping the future of fundraising technology at the intersection of fundraising, philanthropy, and responsible AI.
Click-it: Amplify Impact: Human-Centered AI for Nonprofits [Register for free 2-day virtual conference, 9-17 & 18, 2025]. Join 12,000+ nonprofit professionals at the Fundraising.AI Global Summit. With over 40 speakers to choose from, you’ll learn how to use AI to save time, unlock insights, and amplify your mission—responsibly and beneficially.
Click-it: Generosity Exchange [Register for free 2-day virtual conference, 10-15 & 16, 2025]. Hosted by Neon One, you’ll have access to insightful keynotes and hands-on workshops grounded in real nonprofit stories. You’ll also have access to all session recordings and gain entrée into a large professional network. Plus, you’ll take home some curated templates, checklists, and tools inspired by the Generosity Report and event sessions.
Click-it: Virtual Workplace Fundraising + Volunteering Summit [Register for free 2-day conference, 10-29 and 30, 2025]. Designed by Double the Donation specifically for nonprofits and schools looking to elevate their workplace giving programs, you’ll hear from industry experts and discover proven strategies for growing your fundraising efforts in areas such as: Matching gifts; Volunteer grants; Payroll donations; In-kind donations, and Sponsorships.
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!
Major, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: What Counts Toward Your Capital Campaign Goal? Policies, Pitfalls and Practical Advice [Listen to podcast]. Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt of Capital Campaign Pro unpack a deceptively simple question: what counts toward your campaign goal? They walk you through some of the most common questions organizations face when deciding what to count. The episode also covers how to handle situations where accounting and fundraising standards don’t align. You might need two sets of reports: one for your auditors and one for your campaign committee.
Year-End Giving
Click-it: Double Your Year-End Donations – Without Spending More [Register for free workshop, 8-18, 19, 20, 21 or 22, 2025, depending on time zone]. Sean Triner of Moceanic will give you a proven plan to boost results through direct mail and digital channels. You’ll learn: (1) How to focus on the right donors to boost results fast; (2) The easy way to go multichannel without burning out or reinventing the wheel; (3) How to make your top donors feel like VIPs so they give more, sooner, and with joy.
Click-it: Don’t Leave Money on the Table: Year-End Fundraising Made Smarter {Register for free webinar, 8-21-2025]. Join Double the Donation and Bonterra to identify and take advantage of untapped revenue at end of year. You’ll learn about the role of matching gifts at end of year; effective multi-channel engagement opportunities; data-driven fundraising insights and more.
Click-it: The Year-End Fundraising Boost Workshops [Register for series of workshops, 8-21-2025]. Community Boost offers a one-day, multi-speaker tactical deep dive into what works now —so your small but mighty team can raise more, connect deeper, and go into Q4 with confidence. Join representatives from leading nonprofit tech platforms like Givebutter, DonorDock, DonorPerfect, Public Interest Registry, The Giving Block, and more for a day of 10 fast-paced, insight-packed workshops.
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES, PAPERS, TEMPLATES & OTHER RESOURCES
Events
Click-it: Nonprofit Fundraiser Budget Templates[Download for free]. The folks at Wild Apricot have put together a series of budget templates suited to different kinds of events and organizations. There are 10 in all!
Major, Mid-Level, Capital and Legacy Giving
Click-it: Gift Range Chart Calculator: Free Tool & Printable [Download free template]. The folks at Capital Campaign Pro have created a new interactive Gift Range Chart that allows you to enter your campaign goal and instantly see a suggested breakdown of top gifts that could help you reach it. Hate math? No problem!
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! The next cohort begins August 25th – just in time for year-end fundraising. 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 resource]. There’s probably no topic I love more than this one: applying principles borrowed from psychology, neuroscience and behavioral economics to fundraising. The folks at NextAfter have put it all together into one manual. Discover 32 behavioral concepts, each unpacked with clarity and backed by real-world examples and experiments, tailor-made for the nonprofit landscape.
Strategy, Planning, Management and Leadership
Click-it: Give fundraisers ownership of their tasks and targets if you don’t want them to leave [Download new report]. There’s a retention crisis, and it’s not just donors. It’s also fundraisers. A new report from the Rogare Fundraising Think Tank in the U.K. reveals fundraisers need to be given more ownership of their roles and the professional autonomy to carry them out if charities are to tackle the retention crisis bedeviling the fundraising profession. While pro-social motivation might draw a fundraiser to your charity, it is not enough to retain them.
Click-it: 2025 Online Fundraising Statistics for Nonprofits. Without good data, you’re flying blind. The folks at Nonprofit Tech for Good have gathered together a slew of useful statistics to help you with your planning for the year ahead. Use it to persuade your bosses (staff and board) about what you need to do differently in the coming year.
Technology as Tool
Click-it: How to Fix the Nonprofit Tech Gap [Download free insights report]. Based on a survey by Chronicle of Philanthropy of more than 350 nonprofit leaders, report offers a candid look at how organizations are tackling tech strategy, training, cybersecurity, and A.I. You’ll get 20+ ways to benchmark your organization’s tech capabilities by size, mission, or region. Explore key insights on: (1) Where nonprofits are struggling to keep up with tech demands; (2) The role of A.I. and how it’s being approached with both hope and hesitation, and (3) Concerns around staff training, cybersecurity, and vendor partnerships.
Click-it: Your Quick Guide to Switching CRMs [Download free checklist]. Switching CRMs can be daunting. Which is why the team at Virtuous has put together this checklist to help you with research and walk you through what you need to look for in a nonprofit CRM—from core features to security and beyond. It will empower you to make an informed decision that is right for your nonprofit.
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.
Facts Tell, Stories Sell: The Fundraising Mistake You’re Probably Making
Create Impact Now: 4 Key Appeal Ingredients That Move Donors to Act
Fundraising Appeal Checklist: 8 Essentials to Review Before You Write
So You Want More Major Gifts This Year? Here’s the Secret!
Top 10 Tips to Passionate, Colorful Appeal Writing
The Last Luxury: Why Real Human Connection Still Matters in Fundraising
💡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: Why Aren’t My Donor Meetings Turning Into Gifts?
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. AUGUST TIPS are live (Just log in to your Member Dashboard). Your support is much appreciated, and helps me to support you. Thank you!
Here are a few things that tickled my fancy this week.
Dog lost in nature? (GGP + Golden Gate Park).
Tony the Tiger Hunny Bear (by S.F. artist, FNNCH)
Cheering you on! (Poster spotted on a chain link fence.)
3D Movie-Going Hunny Bear (by S.F. artist FNNCH)
May your weeks ahead be filled with happy surprises.
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