Over more than two decades, Tom Claffey has served as Vice President for Advancement and Chief Development Officer at organizations navigating complexity and opportunity. His approach centers on aligning leadership, strengthening governance, and creating the conditions for philanthropy to perform at the highest level.
He brings a disciplined track record of translating strategy into execution — through board alignment, data-informed fundraising, clear institutional positioning, and accountability across teams. His systems make results repeatable and scalable over time.
Areas of Leadership
Board engagement & governance
Success at 6-, 7- and 8-figure gift levels
Securing major gifts from high net-worth individuals.
Capital & endowment campaigns
Major & principal gift strategy
Revenue expansion & infrastructure
Institutional partnerships
Planned & legacy giving
Career Impact
$200M+ in Philanthropic Support Raised
A career defined by transformational gifts, landmark campaigns, and measurable institutional growth.
$200M+
Total Funds Raised
Across two-plus decades of senior advancement leadership
$25M
Gifts Secured
Two individual gifts at this level, plus two at $10M and three at $5M
3x
Annual Fund Growth
Grew annual fundraising from $700K to $2.1M in just two years
$20M+
Planned Giving
Secured in legacy giving commitments through multiple Legacy Society launches
Featured ACHIEVEMENTS
Where Strategy Meets Results
Joined an institution with untapped philanthropic potential and transformed its advancement infrastructure from the ground up — building endowment, corporate partnerships, and planned giving programs while personally driving major gift efforts.
3× Annual Fund
Elevated fundraising from $700K to $2.1M within two years through strategic donor cultivation and team accountability.
2× Endowment
Doubled the Foundation endowment from $4M to $8M over three years through major gift and planned giving strategy.
Legacy Society Launch
Founded the college's first Legacy Society, securing over $10M in planned giving commitments.
Corporate Revenue
Expanded sponsorship revenue from $140K to $500K+, diversifying the institution's philanthropic base.
Signature Campaigns
Campaign Leadership at Scale
From independent schools to community colleges and senior living foundations, Thomas has led transformational campaigns that exceeded goals and reshaped organizational capacity.
$25.7M Capital Campaign
Hun School of Princeton — Five-year campaign that grew annual giving fourfold and expanded donor participation by 300%.
$30M+ Campaign
Saint Peter's University — Surpassed the capital campaign goal by cultivating new alumni donors and significantly deepening engagement.
$25M+ Endowment Campaign
Springpoint Senior Living — Championed enterprise-wide philanthropy for the county's largest senior living foundation.
Career Timeline
25+ Years of Senior Advancement Leadership
1
1997–2002 · Hun School of Princeton
Chief Development Officer — Directed a $25.7M capital campaign; grew annual giving more than fourfold; expanded donor participation by 300%.
2
2002–2003 · Saint Peter's University
VP for Advancement / CDO — Surpassed a $30M+ capital campaign goal; cultivated new alumni donors and significantly increased institutional engagement.
3
2003–2013 · Springpoint Senior Living
VP for Advancement / CDO — Led a $25M+ endowment campaign; implemented Raiser's Edge and DonorPerfect; built formal moves management infrastructure.
4
2018–2025 · Mercer County Community College
Vice President College / Foundation Executive Director — Grew annual fundraising from $700K to $2.1M; doubled endowment to $8M; launched the institution's first Legacy Society.
5
2013–Present · Family Philanthropy Solutions
President / Chief Philanthropy Advisor — Manage the philanthropy for a portfolio of high-net-worth individual and family foundations including multi-year philanthropy strategies.
Philanthropy Solutions Group (PSG) was established in 2024 to bring senior-level advancement expertise to mission-driven organizations nationwide — across education, healthcare, and the broader nonprofit sector.
PSG specializes in campaign readiness assessment, leadership positioning, major gift cultivation, and systems implementation — delivering the infrastructure that makes fundraising results sustainable.
PSG provides fractional, consulting, interim and remote advancement services nationwide. PSG brings senior-level expertise without the full-time commitment.
Consulting Focus Areas
Campaign readiness & feasibility
Major gift strategy & donor cultivation
Donor tracking, segmentation & reporting
Executive team advisory & positioning
With years of experience across diverse sectors—from education and healthcare to arts and social services—we bring strategic insight, practical tools, and a commitment to your mission.
Strategic fundraising expertise
Customized development plans
Proven track record across sectors
Full-time, interim, remote, and contracted fundraising leadership
Let's partner together to advance your fundraising goals and create lasting impact in the communities you serve.
Deep experience securing six- and seven-figure gifts through disciplined relationship management, moves management systems, and high-touch stewardship.
Campaign Strategy
End-to-end campaign leadership — from feasibility and goal-setting through execution, volunteer engagement, and post-campaign momentum.
Board Engagement
Skilled at activating board members as philanthropic champions — aligning governance with advancement goals and cultivating board-level giving.
Data-Driven Fundraising
Proficient in Raiser's Edge NXT, DonorSearch, Salesforce, and HubSpot — building systems that improve accuracy, segmentation, and fundraising performance.
Credentials
Education & Professional Certifications
Education
Bucknell University B.A., Economics and Sociology
The Hun School of Princeton
Professional Certifications
01
Certificate in Fundraising
02
Certificate in AI Fundraising — Nonprofit Tech for Good
03
Certificate in Digital Marketing & Fundraising
Tom actively invests in emerging tools and methodologies — including AI-powered fundraising and digital engagement — to keep client organizations ahead of the curve in an evolving philanthropic landscape.
What Leaders Say
Tom Claffey's impact on philanthropic growth is consistently praised by those who experienced his leadership firsthand.
"Serving on the Foundation Board was always an inspiring experience. His strategic vision, passion for the mission, and ability to build authentic relationships transformed our fundraising efforts and significantly expanded our impact."
Jeffrey F. Perlman, CPCU, President North Atlantic Region, CBIZ Borden Perlman
"Steady, strategic, and deeply grounded in relationship-building. He knows how to turn ideas into revenue. If you're looking for someone who knows how to raise serious money while keeping mission and integrity at the center, Tom's your guy."
Marni Mendell, Fundraising and Impact Coach
"Tom doesn't just raise money; he builds sustainable advancement programs that secure long-term impact and organizational resilience. Highly recommend."
Laurence C. Gumina, CEO, Ohio Living
Let's Connect
Ready to Elevate Your Advancement Program?
Thank you for viewing my website. I am seeking a senior full-time leadership role with a mission-driven organization. I also welcome fractional, contracted, interim and remote engagements where high-level advancement expertise is needed.