United States
"Successful nonprofits have one thing in common. They have the right advancement leader in the room when it counts." Most nonprofits are capable of raising far more than they currently do. The difference is rarely donor capacity. It is almost always infrastructure, positioning, and leadership. I have spent 25 years closing that gap. As a chief development officer and advancement executive, I have led teams that raised more than $200 million in philanthropic support across capital campaigns, endowment initiatives, major gift programs, and annual giving strategies. That includes three campaigns above $25 million and individual gifts at $15 million, $10 million, and $5 million. The results are specific. I took annual fundraising from $700K to $3.2M in under two years. Doubled multiple foundation endowments. Grew donor participation 300% at multiple organizations. Built legacy societies and sponsorship programs from scratch. My work has always centered on building systems that outlast the person running them, board alignment, donor pipeline architecture, moves management, CRM discipline, and team development that makes results repeatable and scalable over time. In 2024 I established Philanthropy Solutions Group to work directly with organizations on campaign readiness, major gift strategy, and advancement leadership. I am currently available for senior full-time CDO and VP of Advancement roles and select fractional engagements. If your organization is preparing for a campaign, building major gift capacity, or needs experienced advancement leadership, a direct conversation is the right next step. [email protected] www.thomasclaffey.com KEY IMPACTS: Led multiple capital & endowment campaigns: $25M (2), $30M+ (1) • Secured $15M gift, (2) $10M, (2) $5M, and multiple $1M+ gifts • Increased annual fundraising $700K to $3.2M in two years • Secured $10M+ in planned gifts & launched Legacy Societies MY SPECIALTIES INCLUDE: Fundraising & Revenue Generation • Major & Principal Gifts (six- and seven-figure) • Campaign Leadership (capital, endowment) • Donor Cultivation, Solicitation & Stewardship • Portfolio Management (high-capacity donors) • Planned Giving, DAFs & Complex Gifts • AI-Enabled Fundraising & Digital Engagement Leadership & Communication • Board Engagement & Education • Team Leadership • Executive Communication & Storytelling • CRM & Data-Driven Fundraising • Performance Management & Accountability • Budgeting & Resource Management • Relationship Management • Executive-Level Relationship Building • Stakeholder Alignment
Established PSG as a consultancy to build capacity, transform fundraising teams, elevate strategy, and drive mission impact with a focus on advancing CSR initiatives and boosting visibility and donor engagement. We advise C-suite leaders and senior management on fundraising strategy, brand positioning, and revenue growth, leading feasibility studies, designing major gift campaigns, and crafting compelling cases to drive philanthropic success. ➤ Formulated high-ROI fractional fundraising proposals for Greenwood House Senior Living Community, including financial audits, SWOT analysis, and strategic planning, demonstrating value of a contract-based Director of Development to expand beyond the traditional Jewish community. ➤ Established and acted as the Senior Director of Mercer County Community College’s first Office of Government and Community Relations, enhanced relationship with Mercer County strengthening institutional visibility. ➤ Piloted innovative autonomous fundraising initiatives at Bucknell University, liaising with Virtual Engagement Officers to maximize digital donor engagement, achieving $650K in six months versus $250K in one year using traditional methods.
Led a philanthropic advisory firm serving high-net-worth individuals, families, and private foundations, advising on governance, mission development, and strategic grantmaking. ➤ Advised clients on foundation formation, governance, and strategic giving, aligning philanthropic vision with structured, high-impact grantmaking programs ➤ Directed full-service foundation management, including grant administration, board coordination, and compliance, operating as an outsourced executive office
Led and executed the institution’s advancement and fundraising strategy, personally driving major and principal gift efforts while building endowment, corporate partnerships, and planned giving programs. Hired by Mercer County Community College to build its first Office of Government and Community Relations under new presidential leadership. ➤ Elevated annual fundraising from $700K to $2.1M within three years by leveraging data analytics (RFM: Recurrence, Frequency, Monetization), multi-channel donor engagement, and strategic segmentation, significantly increasing awareness of the college’s programs and initiatives. ➤ Doubled the Foundation endowment from $4M to $8M in three years through policy-driven investment oversight and strategic board composition, incorporating leaders with expertise in unconventional and non-traditional investing. ➤ Secured over $2M in planned giving commitments and launched the college’s first Legacy Society, establishing long-term philanthropic pipelines through structured multi-year pledges and bequests.
Steered enterprise-wide philanthropy for the county’s largest senior living foundation, personally advancing major and principal gifts, leading multi-million-dollar campaigns, and driving sustained growth in annual giving and endowment. Developed and executed donor engagement and fundraising strategies that expanded reach, strengthened long-term philanthropic support, and elevated institutional visibility. ➤ Accelerated annual donations from $800K to $3.2M by designing and implementing segmented cultivation strategies, leveraging analytics to identify high-potential donors, and integrating WealthEngine and DonorPerfect to optimize prospect prioritization. ➤ Cultivated multiple six- and seven-figure gifts, increasing donor retention 8% annually through personalized stewardship and multi-channel engagement. ➤ Championed a $25M endowment campaign, attracting 200+ new donors by crafting mission-driven narratives around benevolent care that connected deeply with donor values.
Surpassed $30M capital campaign goal, cultivating new alumni donors and significantly increasing engagement across the university community. Optimized digital donor tracking and unified advancement metrics, streamlining performance and boosting productivity for 10 frontline fundraisers.