Greetings from Lake Tahoe.
After a week of camping off the grid, swimming in alpine lakes, and soaking in the stillness of the mountains, I’ve found it surprisingly hard to get back into work mode. Tahoe has been our home base for over a decade, and it’s the kind of place that makes you want to hit pause—and stay there.
But even while I’ve been offline, I’ve been thinking deeply about the work we do as fundraisers. The toll it takes. The weight it carries. And the path back to joy.
When the Spark Fades
So fundraisers, let me ask you: Have you ever felt worn out? Like you can’t keep going? Like the spark is gone?
That’s burnout speaking. It’s the exhaustion that comes from always being “on”—constantly giving, fixing, managing, and saving. And it’s okay to feel that. It doesn’t mean you’re broken. It just means you’re human. But here’s the thing: you’re more than just human. You’re a builder. A dreamer. A leader. Someone with so much still to offer—but only if you take care of yourself first.
Strength in the Second Half
Lately, I’ve been reading Arthur Brooks’ From Strength to Strength, a book about finding success, happiness, and deep purpose in the second half of life. And it’s got me thinking.
At 43, I’m not ready to call myself “old,” but I know I’m not young. And yet—I feel strong. I feel energized. And that’s not because of some productivity hack or performance system. It’s because I’m finally learning to let go of what I’m not, and embrace what I am.
Brooks writes, “It was through my weakness, not my strength, that I was able to connect with people I never would have met otherwise… If you want to make deep human connection with someone, your strengths and worldly successes won’t cut it. You need your weaknesses for that.”
For a long time, I tried to run from that truth. I had a meteoric rise in fundraising: mentorship from Jerold Panas and Buck Smith, million-dollar asks by age 26, a project tied to Ronald Reagan’s legacy. But by 30? I was burnt out. I had left the nonprofit world. I was going door-to-door selling credit card processing.
And for a while, I tried to get out of fundraising altogether.
The Turning Point
But something pulled me back—not to the hustle, but to the heart of the work. And the more I leaned into honesty, the more I discovered something powerful:
People don’t need a perfect fundraiser.
They need a present one.
They need someone who sees them. Who asks big questions. Who’s not just managing portfolios, but helping people become the best version of themselves through their giving. That’s when I stopped burning out. Because I stopped trying to be an ATM technician and started becoming a trusted advisor.
At Major Gifts Fundraiser, we talk about this journey in six levels:
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Level 1: No meetings
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Level 2: Tea & cookies
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Level 3: Strategic questions
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Level 4: Askers
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Level 5: Closers
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Level 6: Trusted Advisors – people who make their donors better humans
If your donors can say, “[Insert your name] makes me a better person,” you’re not just raising money—you’re changing lives. That’s where the joy lives.
Fighting Burnout: A Path Forward
So how do we get there—especially when we’re tired?
Here’s what I’m doing:
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I’m reading more about psychology than sales.
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I’m letting my mind rest—spending real time offline.
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I’m thinking about hosting a gathering for nonprofit leaders—something between a retreat and a conference, right here in Lake Tahoe. A space to reconnect with purpose.
Would you come?
If that sparks something in you, email me: Clark@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com
Let me know. Maybe you need this, too.
But even before that, take a breath. And ask yourself:
What’s one small thing you can do this week to recharge your passion—not for your job, but for your life?
That’s how we show up strong.
That’s how we create sustainability in this work.
That’s how we avoid burnout and rediscover the strength of youth, even when our knees crack on the stairs.
You’ve still got it.
And the world still needs it.
So rest.
Recharge.
And then get back out there and change lives.
Book recommendation: From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks.
It’s not a fundraising book—it’s a life book. And it might be the breath of fresh air you need right now.