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Author

Claire Axelrad

Claire Axelrad
Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, will inspire you through her philosophy of philanthropy, not fundraising. After a 30-year development career which earned her the AFP “Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year” award, Claire left the trenches to begin her coaching/teaching practice. Clairification School has been called “the best bargain in fundraising!” Claire is also featured expert and Chief Fundraising Coach for Bloomerang, She’ll be your guide, so you can be your donor’s guide on their philanthropic journey. A member of the California State Bar and graduate of Princeton University, Claire currently resides in San Francisco California. If you like craft fairs, baseball games, art openings, vocal and guitar, and political conversation, you’ll like to hang out with Claire.

Posts from Claire Axelrad

01
[ASK AN EXPERT] Should You Use Stories Or Data In Your Year-End Appeal?
02
[ASK AN EXPERT] What Are The Most Important Elements For A Year-End Appeal?
03
A New Nonprofit Donor Paradigm: Thoughtful And Passionate Gifts
04
[ASK AN EXPERT] Next Steps After Purchasing Donor Analytics
05
A New Nonprofit Donor Paradigm: First-Time And Habitual Gifts
06
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Accept Real Estate Gifts If You’ve Never Done So Before
07
[ASK AN EXPERT] What’s The Best Place To Look For Grant Opportunities If Your Nonprofit Is New?
08
[ASK AN EXPERT] What’s The Best Way To Deal With Disgruntled Donors?
09
Top 10 Ways To Keep Nonprofit Donors
10
[ASK AN EXPERT] What Are The Best Ways To Promote And Increase Monthly Giving?
11
[ASK AN EXPERT] What Are Some Foolproof Phrases And Words For Successful Fundraising Appeals?
12
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Enter And Credit Donor Advised Fund Gifts In Your Database
13
[ASK AN EXPERT] If you can’t call and thank every donor, who should be priorities?
14
[ASK AN EXPERT] What is the Best Way to Acquire Donor Phone Numbers?
15
[ASK AN EXPERT] When to Start a New Nonprofit vs. Work within an Existing One
16
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Assess When a Major Donor is Ready (or Not Ready) to Be Asked.
17
Nonprofit Email Communication Truth: Quantity Is As Important As Quality
18
[ASK AN EXPERT] Can I Apply Simultaneously For A Corporate Grant And Sponsorship?
19
People Want To Belong To Your Nonprofit's Community
20
[ASK AN EXPERT] Where Do You Find New Donors And What Do You Say To Them?
21
[ASK AN EXPERT] What Should A Donor Do When They Don't Feel Adequately Engaged?
22
[ASK AN EXPERT] What’s The Best Way To Frame Monthly Gift Asks To Minimize Accounting Complications Between Restricted And Unrestricted Gifts?
23
Nonprofit Donor Retention 101: Always Do This
24
[ASK AN EXPERT] In Which Year Are Gifts Made On Or Before December 31, But Received In January, Counted?
25
[ASK AN EXPERT] What’s A Better Hook: Suspense Or Emotion?
26
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Pay For Capital Campaign Fundraising Expenses
27
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do You Use Psychological Appeal Persuasion Triggers So They Complement Each Other?
28
[ASK AN EXPERT] If You’re New To Fundraising, Where’s The Best Place To Start?
29
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do We Tell Donors Paying By Credit Card To Pay The Associated Fees?
30
[ASK AN EXPERT] What’s Better: Asking For Too Little Or Too Much?
31
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do You Handle A Major Gift Solicitation When You Believe More Cultivation Is Needed First?
32
Best Strategies To Reframe The Fundraiser’s Role To Achieve Nonprofit Success
33
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Handle Donor Rejection
34
[ASK AN EXPERT] Who Are The Best Endowment Campaign Prospects For A Local Historic Charity?
35
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Frame And Record Combined Asks For Capital, Endowment, And Operations
36
[ASK AN EXPERT] What Are The Best Ways To Identify Trends In My Data To Improve Annual Giving Planning?
37
[ASK AN EXPERT] When Should We Give Donors Gifts?
38
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do Nonprofits Raise More Money Through Their Newsletters?
39
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do You Calculate Your Nonprofit’s Average Dollar Retention Rate?
40
How to Upgrade Nonprofit Donors Using Suggested Donations
41
Why You Should Never Feel Bad about Asking Someone to Give
42
Donor-Centered Content Marketing Worksheet & Checklist
43
Secret Cold Email Strategies To Reach Prospective Funders
44
Best and Worst Nonprofit Coronavirus Crisis Communication Strategies
45
Why You Need Culture of Philanthropy as a Management System
46
Why You Should Move Away From Using Nonprofit Donor Personas And Toward Donor Identities
47
‘Fumes’ Strategy Provides Dependable Future Contribution Income
48
How to Use Neuroscience to Become a Strategic Nonprofit Leader
49
Should You Aggressively Promote Legacy Giving When People Are Dying?
50
[ASK AN EXPERT] Who Should Handle Congregational Giving Thank You's?
51
New Year’s Resolution: I Will Proactively Identify Major Donor Prospects
52
The Whole Major Gift Fundraising Shebang – Get Started
53
[ASK AN EXPERT] Should We Host a Major (Virtual) Donor Thank You Party?
54
4 Strategies to Tweak Major Donor Approaches to Raise More Money
55
[ASK AN EXPERT] Raising Major Gifts For Operational Expenses
56
Nonprofit Newsletters Donors Abhor
57
Fundraising Magic Tricks to Boost Year-End Response
58
How to Improve Nonprofit Fundraising Copy: Branding!
59
3 Strategies to Successfully Fundraise Mid-Pandemic
60
[ASK AN EXPERT] Is Our Major Gift Ask Too Big or Too Small?
61
Donor-Centered Digital Communications: How Do You Create a Value-for-Value Exchange?
62
Beyond End Of Year Fundraising: Keep Giving JOY
63
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do You Persuade Boards To Scale Back Events In Favor Of More Cost-Effective Fundraising Strategies?
64
Boards Need Staff to Support Scary Fundraising Role
65
Nonprofit Giving Trends And Future Fundraising Strategy
66
[ASK AN EXPERT] What are Predictive Analytics for Planned Giving?
67
Don't Let Future Shock Happen To Your Nonprofit
68
Why Fundraisers Should Offer People An Opportunity To Give
69
How to Use the 40-40-20 Rule to Boost Your Annual Fundraising Appeal
70
Strategies to Leverage Donor Advised Fund Philanthropy
71
Top 10 Strategies to Involve Nonprofit Boards in Year-End Fundraising: Your Comprehensive Solution Kit
72
The Definitive 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists
73
Strategies To Leverage Donor Advised Fund Philanthropy: Handbook
74
Annual Fundraising Appeal: Use the 40-40-20 Rule
75
Online Approaches to Build and Sustain Donor Loyalty
76
42 Questions to Ask Major Donor Prospects Before You Ask for a Gift
77
Fundraising Success: An 18 Point Annual Appeal Checklist
78
How to Build a Donor-Centered Gift Acknowledgement Program
79
Your Donor Love and Loyalty Plan
80
Culture of Philanthropy Checklist
81
30 Easy 'Get the Visit' Major Gift Strategies
82
[ASK AN EXPERT] What’s The Best Way To Share Tax Information With Donors?
83
Here's Why Blended Asks Should Be A Strategy In Your Fundraising Toolbox
84
Why You Should Inform Donors of These Two Giving Opportunities
85
[ASK AN EXPERT] Will Grant Funders Give To You If You Have Too Much Individual Funding?
86
It's Not Too Late: 3 Strategic Year-End Fundraising Tips
87
[ASK AN EXPERT] What's A Good New Donor Acquisition Rate?
88
Why You Should Send More End-Of-Year Fundraising Emails Than You Usually Do
89
[ASK AN EXPERT] What to Do When You’re Notified About A Legacy Gift
90
Nonprofit Monthly Giving Programs Don’t Market Themselves
91
Your Nonprofit Needs To Establish A Rainy Day Fund. Here’s Why That Is And How You Can Convince Others To Get On Board.
92
[ASK AN EXPERT] Should Your Nonprofit Invest in Digital Analytics Tools?
93
[ASK AN EXPERT] Does Sharing A Campaign’s Fundraising Goal Drive More Donations?
94
How To Help Your Board Members Overcome Their Resistance To Fundraising And Turn Them Into Effective Fundraisers
95
Will Your Nonprofit Cease to Exist? Here’s What You Can Do to Make Sure That Doesn’t Happen
96
[ASK AN EXPERT] Is There A Good Way To Raise Funds To Retire A Debt Or Pay For Something Retroactively?
97
Before Publishing Your Annual Appeal, Ask Yourself These 5 Questions
98
[ASK AN EXPERT] When Should You Go Back To In-Person Events?
99
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Document Legacy Gift Intent
100
[ASK AN EXPERT] Is An Investment In Wealth Screening Useful Before A Capital Campaign?
101
Learn How to Guide Nonprofit Leaders Toward the Truth Instead of Letting Them Rely on Their Opinions
102
Why You Should Do A Cost-Benefit Analysis Before Throwing Your Next Nonprofit Fundraising Event
103
Giving USA 2021 Key Findings: How To Retain And Upgrade Nonprofit Donors Before Year’s End
104
[ASK AN EXPERT] Do You Have To Ask For Feedback In Person?
105
Top 2021 Fundraising Strategies: Adopting a Culture of Philanthropy
106
Top 2021 Fundraising Strategies: Mastering an Analytical Approach to Strategy and Planning
107
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Tactfully Ask for Donor Feedback without Making Promises
108
Top 2021 Fundraising Strategies: Increase Your Donor Lifetime Value
109
[ASK AN EXPERT] What To Do When Lead Development Staff Won’t Leave Their Desk
110
Top 2021 Fundraising Strategies: Mastering Relevant Content Marketing
111
Top 2021 Fundraising Strategies: Mastering Online Appeals And Messaging
112
Top 2021 Fundraising Strategies: Choosing Digital-First Options When It Comes To Fundraising And Marketing
113
4 Strategies to Increase Donor Loyalty
114
Beyond Survival: Post-Disruption Nonprofit Culture Strategy
115
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Publicly Recognize Memorial Gifts
116
Beyond Survival: Post-Disruption Nonprofit Donor Experience Strategy
117
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Engage Major Donor Prospects Who Blow Hot, then Cold
118
Beyond Survival: Post-Disruption Nonprofit Digital Strategy
119
Super Useful Nonprofit Fiscal Year-End Action Strategies
120
Strategies To Tell If Your Nonprofit Content Marketing Is Hurting Or Helping
121
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to be Appropriately Kind to In-Kind Donors?
122
How to Navigate the Post-COVID Novel Nonprofit Economy
123
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Should Donor-Advised Fund Gifts Be Recognized?
124
Who's Responsible For A Nonprofit's Culture Of Philanthropy?
125
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Organize Tasks to Stay on Top of Things
126
A Powerful Strategy to Work Smart At Your Nonprofit
127
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Negotiate a Gift of Realty with Strings Attached
128
8 Tried-And-True (Secret) Individual Donor Fundraising Action Tips
129
[ASK AN EXPERT] What is the Purpose of Publicizing Legacy Gifts?
130
How Do You Hone Your Nonprofit’s Major Donor Portfolio?
131
[ASK AN EXPERT] Who are the Best Prospects for Legacy Gifts?
132
Who Gets To Be In Your Nonprofit’s Major Donor Portfolio?
133
[ASK AN EXPERT] Should I Publicize the Amount of a Major Gift?
134
[ASK AN EXPERT] Motivating Donors to Make a Will to Leave a Bequest
135
Conscience Crisis: The Impact Of Your Nonprofit Not Living Your Values
136
Help Donors Leave Legacies: Create Philanthropic Autobiographies
137
[ASK AN EXPERT] 3 Secrets to Improve Email Campaign Opens and Click-Throughs
138
What Will A Post-COVID Nonprofit Economy Reveal?
139
Do You Have These 4 Fundraising Pre-Conditions In Place?
140
You’ve Likely Got A Problem With Your Nonprofit Mailing List
141
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Recognize Soft Credited Donors in Honor Roll Listings
142
Nonprofit Fundraisers Are In The Happiness Delivery Business
143
What Do You Do In A Period Of Philanthropy Triage?
144
[ASK AN EXPERT] What Are The Best Questions To Ask In A Donor Survey?
145
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do I Write An Endowment Letter?
146
5 Priority Nonprofit Fundraising Strategies For 2021
147
[ASK AN EXPERT] Do Legacy Gift Societies Still Matter?
148
10 Strategies to Supercharge Annual Fundraising Success in 2021
149
Nonprofit Gratitude Strategies
150
How To Close Gifts Via Strategic Zoom Or Telephone Fundraising Appeals
151
[ASK AN EXPERT] What's a Grant Writer's Role in Setting Strategic Program Priorities?
152
Giving Tuesday: What if it was called Living Schmoozeday?
153
How To Use Your Nonprofit's Existence To Move Prospects To Donors
154
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Much of a MGO’s Time Should Be Set Aside for Special Events?
155
Don’t Stop Fundraising Because You Worry Donors Are Tapped Out
156
8 Holiday Fundraising Ideas For Socially Distanced Times
157
2 Fundraising Appeal Examples: Include Relevancy and Urgency
158
[ASK AN EXPERT] What’s a Good Ratio of Fundraising Budget to Revenue Goal?
159
How to Include Relevancy and Urgency in Your Fundraising Appeal
160
5 Secrets to Write Fruitful Fundraising Appeals
161
[ASK AN EXPERT] Are Payment Processing Fees Deductible by the Donor?
162
12 Nonprofit Strategies to Lead with Intention in Any Communication
163
Leading Your Nonprofit with Intention in Tough Times
164
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Often Should We Thank Monthly Donors, and How?
165
How Nonprofits Juggle Too Many Balls
166
Strategies to Leverage Donor Advised Fund Philanthropy - FAQs
167
[ASK AN EXPERT] Can the USPS Be Trusted for Year-End Fundraising Mail?
168
Are You Leaving Contributions on the Table because it’s a Pandemic?
169
How To Create Nonprofit Gift Acceptance Policies
170
Mid-Pandemic Fundraising Strategies Checklist: 13 Items to Move off the Back Burner
171
Future Proof Your Nonprofit Mission: Promote Legacy Giving, Even Now
172
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Can You Cultivate Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Donors?
173
Fuel Your Nonprofit's Annual Contributions Income Engine
174
Due to Current Events Your Nonprofit Has a Back Burner Problem
175
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Can Small Nonprofits Attract Business Sponsors?
176
3 Nonprofit Leadership Strategies for Crisis Situations
177
Changes in Fundraising Since Quarantine Began
178
Fundraising Mid-Pandemic: Your Honor and Responsibility
179
[ASK AN EXPERT] Should Nonprofits Send a Print or Email Newsletter?
180
How Nonprofits Can Weather An Economic Crisis
181
Rock These Outstanding Nonprofit Donor Thank You Templates
182
Secret Nonprofit Donor Thank You Advice: Always Add a Tip
183
[ASK AN EXPERT] Pros and Cons of Restricted vs. Unrestricted Giving?
184
What Do You Want to Say?
185
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Measure Donor Acquisition Costs
186
5 Action Strategies To Supercharge Crisis Fundraising Success
187
[ASK AN EXPERT] What To Do With a Controlling Board President
188
The Problem with Know-it-All Nonprofit Leadership
189
Crisis Of Confidence: Your Nonprofit’s Worst Fundraising Enemy
190
How Edginess Can Be a Nonprofit Virtue
191
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Communicate a Fundraising Event Cancellation
192
How to Let Donors Know New CARES Act Offers Deduction Opportunities
193
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Balance Your Nonprofit's Budget in a Crisis
194
Useful Nonprofit Emergency Guide: Self-Love and Donor Love Strategies
195
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Can We Convert Tickets Into Donations When Events Get Canceled?
196
To Ask or Not to Ask - Today's Nonprofit Coronavirus Question
197
Coping in a Pandemic: Essential Nonprofit Philanthropic Strategies
198
[ASK AN EXPERT] Recognizing DAF Donors
199
What’s it Like to Breathe the Air in Your Nonprofit?
200
[ASK AN EXPERT] Low Click-Through Rates on Email Campaigns
201
Donor Thank You Down and Dirty
202
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Promote Bequest Giving
203
“They’re JUST $15 donors.” What’s Wrong Here?
204
[ASK AN EXPERT] How to Restart a Stalled Capital Campaign
205
Dear Board Member, How Do I Love Thee?
206
[ASK AN EXPERT] Calculating Donor and Donation Retention
207
Dear Donor, How Do I Love Thee?
208
[ASK AN EXPERT] Tips for EDs Hiring Their First Fundraiser
209
3 Strategies to Find a Fundraising Role for Every Board Member
210
[ASK AN EXPERT] Should We Ask Donors To Cover Donation Processing Fees?
211
Beyond End Of Year Fundraising: Give To Donors Now
212
[ASK AN EXPERT] Asking Board Members to Identify New Major Donor Prospects
213
How to Overcome Common Donor Resistance
214
Make Major Donor Resistance Your Opportunity
215
[ASK AN EXPERT] Priorities: Major vs. Mid-Level Giving?
216
New Year's Resolution: Prioritize Major Gifts, Beginning in the Donor Database!
217
[ASK AN EXPERT] What Should I Ask In A Donor Survey?
218
The Ultimate Way to Communicate with Donors
219
"Year-End" is Not a Compelling Emotional Reason to Donate
220
May The Force Be With You: Underused Year-End Fundraising Tweak
221
The How & Why Of Adding Emotion Into Your Fundraising Appeals
222
[ASK AN EXPERT] Should Our Donate Button Say "Donate"?
223
[ASK AN EXPERT] A Good Email Appeal Subject Line?
224
Asking For Stock Gifts Boosts Nonprofit Contributions
225
Loyalty vs. Capacity: Distinguishing Between Planned and Major Gift Prospects
226
Your Opportunity Knocks: Get Started with Bequest Fundraising
227
[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Please A Picky Boss?
228
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Valuable Is A Thank You Phone Call?
229
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do I Get Co-Workers To Be Donor-Centric?
230
How to Get More People to Open Your Nonprofit Email
231
Some of the Best Nonprofit Content Marketing Options
232
Not Using Content Marketing Wisely? Your Nonprofit’s Leaving Money on the Table
233
Nonprofit Content Marketing Tightrope: Data or Story?
234
Guide + Checklist: Nonprofit Donor Retention A – Z
235
Get Started with Nonprofit Blogging: Top 10 Reasons
236
Secret to Upgrading Nonprofit Donors? Emotional Connection
237
Secret to Upgrading Nonprofit Donors? Personal, Not Personalized
238
Nonprofit Culture of Philanthropy Checklist
239
22 Social Media Influencer Strategies Nonprofits Can Use
240
Does Your Nonprofit Use Smart Calls to Action?
241
Neuroscience Meets Fundraising: Gentle Art of Teaching JOY of Giving
242
Are You Asking Nonprofit Donors to Pee in the Ocean to Raise its Level?
243
What to Make of Key Nonprofit Online Fundraising Benchmarks
244
6 Secrets to Improve Your Nonprofit Culture
245
"We Need More Money" Isn’t a Fundraising Plan
246
How to Survive an Imperfect Nonprofit Culture
247
42 Questions to Ask Major Donor Prospects Before You Ask for a Gift
248
Your Burning Questions about Nonprofit SWOT Analyses Answered
249
Donor-Centered Communications: Stop Fighting, Start Inviting
250
The Surprisingly Smartest, Donor-Centric Fundraising Strategy
251
Do You Know Your Biggest Nonprofit Marketing/Fundraising Problem?
252
Strategic Nonprofit SWOT Analysis Guide
253
How To Stop Subconsciously Sabotaging Work-Life Balance
254
Nonprofit Gala Events Worth Everyone’s Money – Part 2
255
Nonprofit Gala Events Worth Everyone’s Money – Part 1
256
Should Your Nonprofit Do an Event?
257
Time To Brainstorm A Revised Nonprofit Mission Statement?
258
Hold these 4 Fundraising Truths to Be Self Evident
259
Become the Nonprofit Leadership Change You Want to Be Using Neuroscience
260
Donor Cultivation is a Terrible Thing to Waste
261
Why Your Nonprofit Needs A Second Gift Strategy
262
8 Actionable Nonprofit Social Media Tactics
263
How To Rock Valentine's Day To Build Donor Loyalty
264
Strategies to Ensure Nonprofit Donors Don't Leave
265
How to Put Joy into Major Gift Solicitation and Philanthropy
266
How to do Major Gift Fundraising on a Shoestring
267
Major Gift Fundraising’s Most Important Fairy Tales
268
Major Gifts: The Ultimate Guide To Kickstart Your Program
269
How to Create a Successful Fundraising Email
270
Ultimate Guide To Last Minute Year-End Fundraising Strategies
271
Strategies To Retain Recently Lapsed Nonprofit Donors
272
Nonprofit Retention: All Donors Aren’t Created Equal
273
Nonprofit Donor Thank You’s: What are You Doing to Stand Out?
274
Nonprofit Donor Retention: Problems and Solutions
275
Top 10 Strategies to Involve Nonprofit Boards in Year-End Fundraising
276
5 Strategies to Set Nonprofit Boards up for Fundraising Success
277
4 Strategies to Leverage Nonprofit Board Giving to Getting
278
TOP Strategy You Need to Know about Nonprofit Board Fundraising
279
Annual Fundraising Appeal FAQ
280
18-Point Annual Fundraising Appeal Checklist
281
3 Foolproof Ways to Supercharge Year-End Donations
282
Annual Fundraising: Influence “Yes” Using Psychology and Neuroscience
283
Upgrade Nonprofit Donors Using DIY Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
284
Get Started Upgrading And Retaining More Donors Through Monthly Giving
285
Lead Your Nonprofit from Vision, Not Mission
286
How To Create Your Nonprofit Case Statement: Clarify Mission & Values
287
What’s Your Nonprofit’s Body, Heart and Soul?
288
Donor-Centered Digital Communications: How Do You Tailor the Nonprofit Experience?
289
Donor-Centered Digital Communications: How to Leverage the ‘Me-Cosystem’
290
Worthwhile Nonprofit Newsletters: Content Donors Adore
291
Donor-Centered Content Marketing Worksheet & Checklist
292
Special Event Follow-Up To Convert Guests To Loyal Donors
293
How To Create Extraordinary Nonprofit Special Event Experiences
294
WOW Special Event Moments to Convert Guests to Loyal Donors
295
There’s No Free Lunch in Fundraising: Why You Need Overhead
296
Donor Love and Loyalty Plan
297
5 Action Tips for Nonprofits to Develop and Share Helpful Content
298
Top 7 Drivers of Donor Love and Loyalty
299
Top 11 Ways to Say ‘Thank You!’ to Donors
300
The Whole Major Gift Fundraising Shebang – Rev it Up
301
The Whole Major Gift Fundraising Shebang – Basics
302
Key Donor Love Strategies to Keep Nonprofit Supporters Loyal
303
3 Secrets to Acquiring Nonprofit Legacy Gifts
304
Finding New Donors Requires Creating a New Market
305
13 Year-End Nonprofit Fundraising To-Do’s
306
Top 10 Ways To Upgrade Nonprofit Donors
307
An Annual Appeal Year-End Fundraising Timeline You Can Use
308
3 Ways to Remove Psychological Barriers to Philanthropic Giving
309
7 Little-Known Secrets That Will Get You a Visit with Your Donor
310
6 Reasons Your Nonprofit Should Take Pinterest Seriously