Marlize Adair, MBA, ACNP

Former Educator Turned Fundraising & Communications Pro | Univ. Washington Alum | Proud South African 🇿🇦

[Marlize Adair, MBA, ACNP @marlizeadair]

Excited about this next chapter in my career with @StarfishAmerica and @starfishcharity. #SouthAfrica #philanthropy #nonprofit

[The Chronicle of Philanthropy @Philanthropy]

Events that inspire giving don't start with the venue. They start with a question: what do you want donors to feel before, during, and after? A new Chronicle playbook on designing gatherings that move supporters to give.

Read the Playbook: https://t.co/Aoib0IQNpT

[Action for Happiness @actionhappiness]

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose” - Dolly Parton ❤️🙏

Image: https://t.co/rGbBR26XJc

[Harvard Business Review @HarvardBiz]

Leaders should create environments where taking time off is not only allowed but championed. https://t.co/aLwWylBzVn

[Law Of Attraction @loazone]

❤️

[Reads with Ravi @readswithravi]

Teaching is the best way to learn.

[The Chronicle of Philanthropy @Philanthropy]

Paying staff living wages doesn't have to be an impossible hurdle. It starts with changing how you fundraise. Here is how leaders are shifting from a scarcity mindset to securing the unrestricted revenue needed to pay staff well.
https://t.co/maGBzkeCuA

[Starfish Greathearts Foundation USA @StarfishAmerica]

A monthly gift of $25, or a one-time anniversary gift of any amount, can help more children receive the care and support they need in the years ahead.

Celebrate 25 years of impact and help carry this work forward: https://t.co/BWtKdI0N9b

#StarfishGreathearts #25YearsOfImpact

[The Chronicle of Philanthropy @Philanthropy]

New analysis: Federal grants to everyday charities fell nearly 38% — from $35.4B to $21.4B — in Trump's first eight months back in office vs. the same period under Biden.

The chart shows funding dropped sharply after the Jan. 20 transition and lagged 2024 for most of the year.

Read the full report: https://t.co/HePSjUakMT

[Starfish Greathearts Foundation USA @StarfishAmerica]

Inside the Wellness Wagon, Musa receives a gentle ear checkup. Last year, 22,938 children received health consultations through Starfish’s Wellness Wagons, bringing essential care directly to underserved communities in South Africa. #StarfishGreathearts #StarfishSnapshot

[Starfish Greathearts Foundation USA @StarfishAmerica]

Candice leads with compassion, believing every South African child deserves to feel seen, cared for, and empowered to grow. We’re deeply grateful for her eight years of leadership and love for Starfish. #StarfishGreathearts #NonprofitLeadership

[Roy T. Bennett @InspiringThinkn]

The strongest people find the courage and caring to help others, even if they are going through their own storm.
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

[Starfish Greathearts Foundation USA @StarfishAmerica]

Whether you are running a race, celebrating a milestone (like a birthday or a wedding), or taking on a personal challenge, create your own fundraiser and give your occasion even greater meaning. Start yours today. https://t.co/xGk52JHcBf
#StarfishGreathearts #FundraiseForStarfish

[The Chronicle of Philanthropy @Philanthropy]

Small nonprofits have long known the value of monthly giving but lacked the bandwidth to build a program. New AI tools are starting to make it easier to start. How two lean teams are using them to grow recurring revenue: https://t.co/kb6shKUyX7

[Nonprofit Tech for Good @nonprofitorgs]

Despite widespread adoption, only about one third of nonprofit professionals surveyed believe their organization is using AI very effectively: https://t.co/nYwBtwB0X1 via @Blackbaud ✅

[𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬 🎸🏴‍☠️🧩🤖🚀 @Principal_H]

The courage of leadership is giving others the chance to succeed even though you bear the responsibility for getting things done.

[𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬 🎸🏴‍☠️🧩🤖🚀 @Principal_H]

The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas.

The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.

[Starfish Greathearts Foundation USA @StarfishAmerica]

In our July blog, we’re looking at why a healthy smile is about so much more than clean teeth and how simple daily habits can make a lifelong difference. Read the full blog here: https://t.co/ar9MzZX3x2

#StarfishGreathearts #Blog #OralCare

[The Chronicle of Philanthropy @Philanthropy]

Giving USA reports a record $617.2 billion given in 2025, and the sources of giving are shifting. Here are the tools to act on the findings — cultivating major donors, building a planned-giving pipeline, and making the case to corporate partners: https://t.co/Ck2PLj8rPR

#Nonprofits #Philanthropy #Fundraising #MajorGifts #PlannedGiving #GivingUSA

[Jeremy Reis @JeremyReis]

Most fundraising appeals don’t fail because of what they say.

They fail because of 𝘩𝘰𝘸 they say it.

Too much setup.
Too little urgency.
Too unclear about what the donor can actually do.

Here’s a simple structure that works:

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.
Not a stat. Not a summary.
Drop the reader into a moment that matters.

𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺.
Make it real. Make it immediate.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽.
Not “we’ll solve it together.”
But “you can change this.”

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄.
Tie the action to the outcome.

𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸.
Clearly. Boldly. Directly.

𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁.
Remind her: this gift 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 change something.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
What happens if she doesn’t act?

𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻.
Because clarity beats cleverness.

It’s not fancy.
It’s not flowery.
It works.

What’s one step in your appeals you tend to skip—or rush?