Act Fast, Raise Big: The Skills You Need to Win Major Donors Today| Clairification
In Part 1 I laid out why philanthropy inspires, and fundraising tires. Fundraising must be done, of course, but there’s something about how it’s been practiced in the past that turns too many people off. It’s been connoted as being all about money, when really it’s all about valued outcomes. These valued outcomes are d…| Clairification
Philanthropy is a mindset. An embracing culture. A noble value. Fundraising is a means towards that end. Servant to philanthropy. Philanthropy, not fundraising. This has been the tag for my business and blog since I began Clairification in 2011. It grew naturally out of my experiences working as a front development director for 30 years.…| Clairification
First comes … then comes marriage… Are your supporters showing you they you? Are you showing your supporters you them? And finally — do you your supporters? It’s a long way from “I like you” to the altar. Too many nonprofits forget this. And frankly, it’s hard to fall in with…| Clairification
Are These Fundraising Appeal Best Practices Holding You Back?| Clairification
Facts Tell, Stories Sell: The Fundraising Mistake You’re Probably Making| Clairification
Focus on the Rainbow, Not the Storm If you’re coming at fundraising from the perspective of “no pain, no gain,” I’d like to suggest you reframe your approach. Especially when it comes to asking individuals, one-to-one, for passionate gifts. As long as you hate it, you’re never going to be effective. In fact, if… The post Do You, or People You Know, Hate Fundraising? Read This! appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
Are you planning to do, more or less, the same thing you did last year for your year-end annual fundraising push? I mean things like: Recycling the same appeal letter Mailing to the same list Failing to segment your list Failing to clean up addresses and de-dupe your list Using the same donation landing page… The post From ‘Resting on Laurels’ to Leading with Vision: A Nonprofit Guide to Moving On appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
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… The post Overheated Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links + Free Resources Be Yours appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
Does proving your point persuade your nonprofit donor? It turns out not so much. At least, not unless your donor is already pretty much won over. Proof (“just the facts, m’am”), absent persuasion (“once upon a time”), won’t get you far. In “How to Project Manage Your Nonprofit Story,” I delved into the concept of… The post Facts Tell, Stories Sell: The Fundraising Mistake You’re Probably Making appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
Let’s say you’ve done everything thus far suggested in this fundraising appeal checklist. ✅ You’ve done the groundwork.✅ You’ve focused your message.✅ You’ve made it about the donor—not your organization. Now it’s time to bring it home. Because no matter how clear or well-structured your appeal is, it won’t inspire action unless it moves the…| Clairification
Major Gifts – 40 Questions to Ask Major Gift Prospects before You Make Them an Offer They Can’t Refuse Why you should get this Checklist The most underacknowledged fundraising truism is this: It’s not about the ‘ask’; it’s about the relationship. You aren’t ready to ask for a gift until you’ve built a solid, trusting…| Clairification
Balancing Trick: You. Donor. Nonprofit.| Clairification
Before you write a single word of your annual fundraising appeal, pause. Take a deep breath. And think about the person who will open your letter or email. They’re not just a “donor.” They’re a person with hopes, fears, dreams and values. Someone who cares. Someone who wants to make a difference. Someone who, in… The post Fundraising Appeal Checklist: 8 Essentials to Review Before You Write appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
Do you ever find yourself spending seemingly endless time worrying about the state of the world? The future of your organization? Family dynamics? Career prospects? Simply what you’re going to eat for lunch? The dog days of summer lead to this type of languid reflection. Sometimes it’s useful. But, it can also be enervating. The… The post Dog Days Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links + Free Resources Be Yours appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
All you’ve got to do is ask! Seriously. The number one reason people don’t make a major gift – or any gift for that matter – is no one asks them. But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself. Before you can ask, you have to know a few basics: Who will you ask? What… The post So You Want More Major Gifts This Year? Here’s the Secret! appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
The job of the smart fundraiser is inspiring passionate philanthropy to make people’s lives better. I know you’re smart, because you’re reading this article! But none of us is born with a fundraising gene. And no one ever really teaches us how to write a smart fundraising appeal. We from our predecessors. Or maybe read…| Clairification
In a world speeding toward automation, authentic human relationships are becoming a rare — and priceless — asset. Imagine you’re on a third date with someone you really like. You’ve taken them to your favorite restaurant — the one you take your mom to when she’s in town. But instead of Louis, the sommelier who… The post The Last Luxury: Why Real Human Connection Still Matters in Fundraising appeared first on Clairification.| Clairification
Eight years ago, I wrote an article asking, “Why Aren’t You Doing More On Fundraising?” It felt urgent at the time. Loing back, it was downright gentle. Today, the question isn’t whether your nonprofit should be fundraising on. It’s whether you’re doing it well enough — and fast enough — to keep up with how…| Clairification
Purely Practical SMIT* for March: Use of After Action Reviews to Improve Social Media Performance| Clairification
How to Stop Being a Radiance Slayer| Clairification
Full confession: I’ve used the franken “best practice” appeal structure for years. And honestly? It works — especially if you borrow generously from the best of the best appeal writers. I’ve even taught these practices at conferences, on webinars, and through consulting engagements. You probably know the formula: Lead with the beginnings of a story…| Clairification
If you want gifts, you must give them Giving is not always its own reward. Sometimes you have to help it along if you want to truly show donors they matter. Some years ago I happened upon an article by Scott Monty, offering some Father’s Day advice. It included a brilliant idea for a gift…| Clairification
There are lots of aspects to a donor’s identity; not all are equally important to them. Well, duh, you may say. But this matters than you may know. Because if you don’t really understand the difference between identity and identification you may be wasting a lot of time heading in the wrong directions. Let…| Clairification
I find a widespread misunderstanding about the notion of what constitutes being donor-centered. It derives from two misconceptions: Assuming people don’t want to be asked. Spending all your time on cultivation, assuming folks don’t need an ask and will simply give spontaneously as a result of being wooed. Both of these rationales short-change your would-be…| Clairification
Invite Nonprofit Donors Into Your Story, Giving Them a Powerful Role to Play| Clairification
In 1984 Robert Cialdini wrote a groundbreaking bo, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, outlining principles of influence that affect human behaviors. Today these principles have been well documented. Trail-blazing research added by behavioral scientists like Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky supports and expands on Cialdini’s principles. No matter how much technology advances, the triggers behind human behavior and…| Clairification
No matter your politics, this is crisis time for many nonprofits who rely on federal grants and loans (about 30% of all charities). It’s also crisis time for the beneficiaries of many nonprofits, who are scared, stressed, depressed and otherwise at loose ends due to the rapidly changing environment. Many of the resources on which…| Clairification
Major Gifts Playbo Everything Your Nonprofit Needs to Succeed with Major Gifts Fundraising Why you should get this Playbo Are you desperately seeking to find prospects for larger gifts but… you seem to be loing in all the wrong places? Do you wish you had a clear plan for determining how big your ‘major…| Clairification
“Give me one moment in time. When I’m than I thought could be. When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away. And the answers are all up to me.” Ah, the lyrics remembered from a Whitney Houston song sung at the 1988 Olympics Opening Ceremonies. The Olympic torch. The parade of nations. The…| Clairification
You’ve probably heard this advice before. “Make your donors your heroes.” It’s a lot easier said than done. As Jeff Bros opined in You and your donors: Who’s the sidekick?, too often we get it backwards and tell donors how awesome we are; then we ask “How’d you like to be my sidekick?” Rather, we…| Clairification
Earlier this week I posted an article talking about how fundraising professionals need to become Engagement Journey Guides. One of my readers, Amy K., suggested that was a mouthful and offered up the term “Engagement Sherpa.” That got me thinking, so I loed up the word. Sherpa means “a member of a people noted for…| Clairification
Remember, behind all your work there are people. It’s your job to learn about them. One of your best tools is curiosity. One study published in Harvard Business Review, found curiosity builds trust and improves relationships in the workplace. It also builds trust between you and donors. Jon Simons, Executive V.P. of DBD Group, suggests curiosity is…| Clairification
When the world feels wildly out of whack, it’s time to figure out how to bring things back into some semblance of balance. Today I a proven 1-2-3 formula for nonprofit fundraising success — even when the ground underneath feels shaky. This is a time when keeping one’s balance is quite a challenge. But, if…| Clairification
In a world filled with urgent heads and heart-wrenching crises, it’s easy for fundraisers to wonder if their cause stands a chance of breaking through the noise. Especially when they’re not rescuing animals, feeding hungry people, or fighting the types of injustices leading the news cycle. But relevance isn’t reserved for emergencies. THINK. With the…| Clairification
The results are in, and the news is generally bleak. The 2024 Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report* shows downward trends in numbers of donors (down 4.5%), and retention (down 2.6%). First-time donor retention is at its lowest-ever recorded rate. Less than one in five new donors (acquired in 2023) gave again. New donors accounted for 40%…| Clairification
13 happens to be my lucky number. I want it to be lucky for you too. Today, I’m going to reveal to you how you can make this happen. A survey of wills reported on by the Chronicle of Philanthropy revealed the average bequest by everyday donors is $78,630. The survey is a few years…| Clairification
You’ve got your work cut out for you. How will you connect with donors in a manner that deepens their connection with you? How will you match their passions and values to the passions and values you enact? You can’t — unless you explicitly ask donors for their feedback. You do this with friends, family,…| Clairification
Use of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as a way for individuals to make charitable contributions continues to rise and grants from DAFs are becoming a growing source of income for charities of all shapes and sizes. An ever-broader group of donors are embracing them to approach philanthropy in the thoughtful, strategic way once reserved only…| Clairification
It’s been pretty cold in my neck of the woods, so let’s warm up with a cup of cocoa, coffee or tea and some good reads. I’ve got a lot of great stuff for you this week, so let’s get right to it! The Clairity Click-it exists to bring you a range of voices from across…| Clairification
Today I want to talk about the heart of successful major gift fundraising. It’s about reframing what you may think of as a “pitch” into what your donor would like to consider a “promise.” The pitch is one way. A monologue you iver about everything you know about your organization. Usually it’s about how great…| Clairification
The recent conflation of Inauguration Day and the Martin Luther King Day holiday in the U.S. has me thinking about freedom. And also the push/pull between freedom and responsibility. Freedom without responsibility (i.e., being held responsible for your actions) doesn’t work well for anyone but one person. Responsibility without freedom is stressful. To work well,…| Clairification
Learn to become an “inside” major donor rainmaker If you’ve got donors, you’ve got the raw material for a major donor program – and it’s easier than you think. Begin with your own database. Most organizations have plenty of donor prospects, without having to go outside and lo for prospects who aren’t connected to you.…| Clairification
Nonprofits pay a lot of attention to donor acquisition. Then? They largely ignore these donors, unless… They become worthy of attention by virtue of being ‘major’ donors. Then? Nonprofits pay a lot of attention to major donor relationship building. But between new donor acquisition and major donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, what happens? Usually not…| Clairification
Everyone’s been saying this, just about daily, for some time. “These aren’t ordinary times.” If the anthem for the Boomer generation was Bob Dylan’s “The TImes They Are A’Changin’,” what’s the anthem for today? History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. We’re living in the face of a firehose of breaking news, and much of…| Clairification
Let’s begin with a prayer for our brothers and sisters, and the families and friends, of those facing the Los Angeles firestorm. May they, and all the responders, find protection, shelter, support, hope and strength to start healing and rebuilding. And may the scorched land and devastated communities similarly heal. Should you wish to help,…| Clairification
Did you miss the most popular tips on Clairification last year? The trending topics included how to effectively leave voice; retention techniques; e and other campaign appeal strategy; how to communicate about things like overhead and transaction fees; philanthropic culture and board giving. The standout articles, from bottom to top, include: Countdown: Top 10 Hottest…| Clairification
For good things once a year is not enough. Why do so many of us only eat turkey once a year? Or pumpkin pie? I’ve no idea! It’s surely not rational. These are special foods we value and take great ight in. Yet we get into a bad habit of thinking on auto pilot. If…| Clairification
Let’s begin with this week’s bit of wisdom… Generosity and gratitude A gift doesn’t diminish the giver. Sharing creates connection, possibility and energy. And the magic of gratitude is that it improves everything it touches, especially the person who offered it in the first place. So, what holds us back? Fear. Fear of connection, of…| Clairification
I am so inspired! I recently learned about Van Jones’ virtual reality experiment, Day of Empathy via this video (thank you, thank you, thank you to Nancy Schwartz for writing about this on her Getting Attention nonprofit marketing blog: OMG Experiment to Connect & Activate (Dream Corps Case Study). The idea is to use virtual…| Clairification
Studies show one-fourth of all charitable giving happens in December. For some organizations (maybe yours?), it’s as much as one-third. Year-end fundraising is not chopped chicken liver! While you absolutely should be using multiple fundraising channels to get best results, right now whatever you’ve got planned for off is pretty much coed. So your best…| Clairification
Philanthropy is about reciprocal awe, gratitude, altruism and purpose. I’m a huge fan of the Greater Good Science Center at U.C. Berkeley, and often apply their research to nonprofit fundraising and marketing. This particular article really strikes me today, because it talks about times when we feel isolated from others: How to Find Your Purpose…| Clairification
The last post was about asking. Now we turn to the equally important task of thanking. Where do we go astray? Member # 83,457 Dear Friend, Oh behalf of the board of our charity, thank you so much for your gift. It means a lot and will help us continue to fulfill our mission.…| Clairification
Throwing shade or throwing light? One takes a little effort than the other. While throwing shade might be fun, it eventually runs out of energy. It’s designed to end conversations, not start them, to intimidate, not encourage. Turning on lights helps everyone. — Seth Godin You are on a meaning-seeking journey. Through your…| Clairification
People are wired for stories. We use them to understand our world. But do the same stories work in any time? For any person? No. You need to understand your SMIT story – ‘Single Most Important Thing’ – at this moment in time. And that SMIT will change, depending on the environment in which you’re operating.…| Clairification
I’m beginning again, as I often do, with a bit of borrowed insight: The hierarchy of insight It los like this: data information knowledge understanding wisdom Which do we measure the most, spend the most obtaining and argue about most often? We might have it backwards. — Seth Godin Do you glorify data above understanding?…| Clairification
Philanthropy comes from the Greek and means (philos) of humankind (anthropos). Nonprofits are here to be kind. To repair the world. To make our communities better, just, beautiful and caring places. This is not easy work. Love is not always readily accepted or given. Inspiring generosity takes…| Clairification
This post includes 6 expert tips and best practices for any business, including a non-profit, wanting to run an integrated marketing campaign that generates potential donors and raises dollars. Wait! What is an integrated marketing campaign? An integrated marketing campaign is a marketing effort that uses a consistent message across traditional…| Clairification
Shall we join forces? Fundraising is not basketball, but it’s madness not to play as a team. I’ve spen with three nonprofits in the past several months that, rather than joining forces, have decoupled their marketing and development departments. I surmise they do this because marketing doesn’t understand development. Or…| Clairification
I hear a lot of complaining about donors. They should do this: Be compliant. Not make us work so hard to please them. Treat us like we know what we’re doing. Give just because it’s the ‘right’ thing to do. They shouldn’t do that: Give any way other than ‘unrestricted.…| Clairification
Studies show over 88% of all funds raised come from just 12% of donors. In fact, the top tier of donors account for the lion’s share of all philanthropy. Just 3% of donors give 76% of all gifts. If you’re not focusing your fundraising resources on these donors, this should give…| Clairification
For many, this has been a gut-wrenching week. People are struggling with how to make sense of global events. Not just the American elections (though this is a huge sea change), but also escalating, senseless violence across the planet, threats to free speech, the spread of fake news, a deepening divide between classes, and a…| Clairification
Join 'Clairification School' to Get The Insights You Needto Achieve Your Mission1000+ Articles Are Just a Click AwayStop Settling For Outdated, Obsolete, and “Me-Too” Fundraising & Marketing AdviceYou don’t need me to repeat what you already know. Or parrot what others are telling you. You need me to tell it like I see it – based…| Clairification
I’m a huge fan of the Greater Good Science Center at U.C. Berkeley, and often apply their research to nonprofit fundraising and marketing. A recent article really struck me: How to Find Your Purpose in Life. Over my 30 years of practice as an in-house development professional, the fundamental thing I…| Clairification
Donor-centered fundraising is not about money. Huh? If that first sentence has you scratching your head, it’s time to take a moment. I know. You’re thinking this is just semantics. You’re thinking that, of course, fundraising is about money. You’re thinking we can pretend it’s about something else but, seriously, we…| Clairification
What are you doing to give your donors the meaning they seek? Donor needs vary and evolve, depending on where they are in their own life cycle and their life cycle with your nonprofit. Do you ever wonder how you might help them meet their needs? How you might reward…| Clairification
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou Respected American author, poet, dancer, actress, singer and civil rights spesperson, Maya Angelou, knows a thing or two about what makes people…| Clairification
As you’re planning ahead, and readying your year-end fundraising initiatives, take a little time to think about your communication ivery mediums. Not to mention your message content. Are you reaching the right audiences, and making it easy for them? Are you sharing messaging that’s relevant to your constituents, and also…| Clairification
Get The 7 Clairification Keys to Unlock Your Nonprofit’s Fundraising Potential This newly revised and expanded Guide is filled with tips, tools, templates, exercises, worksheets and checklists to take you to the next level! If growing competition for donor dollars is getting you down, it may be time to recognize that success won’t come simply…| Clairification
A super star! Seriously, that’s what you are. But you may be wondering why I ask. What’s in a name? Recently, veteran fundraiser Jerrold Panas weighed in on the subject of development titles. He noted he prefers “Charitable Gift Planner,” “Chariable Gift Counselor,” and “Director of Donor Services” to the most…| Clairification
Can there be any innovation where we fail to accept the fact that the status quo is no longer acceptable? Just read an interesting article about when to leave status quo behind and do a paradigm shift. It got me thinking about how challenging it is to find the right balance. We’ve…| Clairification
48 Hours: Your Donor Acknowledgment Solution Kit Why you should get this Solution Kit If you’re not providing your donors with prompt, personal thanks, then you’re leaving money on the table! The Donor Acknowledgment Solution Kit walks you step-by-step through creation of an intentional system of timely response that will maximize the lifetime value of…| Clairification
Newly Expanded! How to Cultivate An Attitude of Gratitude and Keep Your Donors Why you should get this Special Guide I’ve taken everything I’ve learned about sustaining donor relationships over the years and tucked it into one handy no-nonsense guide on the practice of gratitude. Everything from how to persuade your leadership of the value of…| Clairification
What must you keep top of mind to have meaningful conversations with donors who (you hope!) may contemplate a gift to your organization? I’ve given you a hint within my question. One word: meaningful. And for a conversation to be meaningful, you have to speak in a language that resonates with…| Clairification
Seth Godin once famously said, “The ideas that spread, win.” Hugh MacLeod of the GapingVoid just reframed this as “The ideas that spread are the ones that become social objects.” They enable social interaction. If this brings to mind the recent memeification of the Kamala Harris campaign, or Trump’s red…| Clairification
While you no doubt want donors of all sizes, you especially want loyal donors who make above average size gifts. Because that’s where you’ll get the greatest return on your investment. Today, let’s talk about major donors. Why? They account for the lion’s share of all contributed income. Studies show…| Clairification
The world reacted with shock and outrage. There was a pervasive feeling of “how could this happen here?” People screamed… cried… prayed. This was five years ago. Last spring. When a fire wreaked devastating damage to something that, for many, represented the soul of a nation. And . Notre Dame…| Clairification
In the 1967 movie “The Graduate,” some of you may remember the scene where Mr. McGuire takes Dustin Hoffman’s character, Benjamin, off to the side and says “Plastics … there’s a great future in plastics.” Little did we know… While that turned out poorly for the planet, there’s a similar…| Clairification
Today I’m writing about something that’s not fundraising or nonprofit marketing strategy per se. It’s about how to have hope – and take action – during times that may feel hopeless. For most of us, we’ve perhaps never been in perilous times during our lifetimes. For a host of…| Clairification
Feeling a bit overloaded? It’s the new plague. And a highly contagious epidemic, from which no one is immune. Are you showing any symptoms? I feel like: I’m working all the time, but not getting that much accomplished. I’m working on 10 projects at once, but none get finished. My…| Clairification
Once upon a time I let folks know I’d “finagled” a discount for them. After one reader told me the word “finagle” means “to obtain something by devious or dishonest means,” I sent an apologetic “Ruh Roh” e. I received a lot of forgiving (thank you!) feedback. Many kindly supported my…| Clairification
This is a great month to do something you’re proud of. And to support others who are showing their spirit and pride. Actually, every month is good for these things! Which, as it often does, brings me to share a bit of wisdom from the sage Seth Godin. Simple five…| Clairification
Everything I learned about saying “thank you” I learned from: My mother. Miss Manners. Penelope Burk. According to Burk’s research from Donor-Centered Fundraising, than 80% of thank you letters start with “Thank you for your generous gift of…” or “On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for…| Clairification
I’m going to guess “yes.” I’m sure some will hate me for saying this, but after 30+ years in the nonprofit trenches and another 10+ as a coach and consultant, I’m still amazed at how small many of us think. In 2008 during the big recession, and 2020 during the pandemic,…| Clairification
Radiance is meant-to-be. Radiance means: To have the light within us lit To send out light To reflect back light To bounce light back and forth, in simultaneous service to ourselves and others. What if you were to view your work as allowing your own and others’ meant-to-be radiance to come forth and shine? I’m…| Clairification
Get on the Pathway to Passionate Philanthropy, Not Forgettable Fundraising In Part 1 I laid out why philanthropy inspires, and fundraising tires. Fundraising must be done, of course, but there’s something about how it’s too often practiced that turns too many people off. It’s the “fund” part of the word. This makes people think…| Clairification
Get on the Pathway to Passionate Philanthropy, Not Forgettable Fundraising Philanthropy is a mindset. An embracing culture. A noble value. Fundraising is a means towards that end. Servant to philanthropy. Philanthropy, not fundraising. This has been the tag for my business and blog since I began Clairification in 2011. It grew naturally out of…| Clairification
Awareness alone is passive. Do you wish you had a dime for every time a nonprofit board or staff member told you “We’re the best kept secret in town; if people knew what we do, they’d give to support us.” Nonprofits tell me this all the time! If I had all those dimes, I…| Clairification
It costs to acquire a new donor than retain a current one. A lot . In fact, research shows it takes 7 – 12% effort, time and money to bring in a new donor than to raise from a current donor. Please, please, please… let this sink in. The for-profit world understands…| Clairification
Successful nonprofit development (both fundraising and marketing) is all about persuasion. One of my favorite bos is Daniel Pink’s To Sell is Human. His premise is that we’re all in “sales” on a daily basis. Whether it’s simply trying to get your kids up and out the door in the morning or persuading your boss…| Clairification
I find a widespread misunderstanding about the notion of what constitutes being donor-centered. It derives from two misconceptions: Assuming people don’t want to be asked. Spending all your time on cultivation, assuming folks don’t need an ask and will simply give spontaneously as a result of being wooed. Both of these rationales short-change your would-be…| Clairification
You must invite your donor into the story. Take yourself out of the equation. Donors don’t care about you, but about what they can do through you. Stop talking about your good work. Talk, instead, about the good work your donor wants to do. How? 5-Step Strategy to Illuminate the Donor’s Role in Repairing the…| Clairification
What gets donors going? The heart, not the head. “People do not give to the most urgent needs, but rather they support causes that mean something to them.” This is the finding from a report done by the Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy at the University of Kent: “How Donor Choose Charities.” They…| Clairification
Did you have a New Year’s resolution to lo for a new development position? Or maybe to transition to work in the social benefit sector? Have you put your job search off, wondering how your skills translate to what you’d really like to do? We all have an inner critic telling us super unhelpful things…| Clairification
