Giving is Good
We’ve all seen it. The older man, clearly going bald, with extra-long strands of hair combed across the top of his head. With a part beginning just above one ear, he carefully orchestrates these long hairs until their ends find their way somewhere near his other ear. The comb over. When we see it, we…
Take a normal sized, white-paged flip chart and, with a black magic marker, draw a round, big dot – about the size of your fist. Color it in fully. Now, ask people what they see. Most everyone will say they see a big, black dot. Almost no one will say anything about the large white…
What is your title? Assistant Director of Annual Giving? or Assistant Director for Annual Giving? Associate Vice President of Development? or Associate Vice President for Development? Vice President of Advancement? or Vice President for Advancement? You get the point. Little words – even those we regularly gloss over – can have a big impact on…
Extending thoughtful gratitude to donors is one of the most fundamental and yet under-utilized aspects of the gift cycle. As development professionals we invest a lot of time and resources in the identification of prospects, their cultivation and their solicitation. However, I would argue that the final phase of the gift cycle – stewardship –…
Financial journalist Felix Salmon, recently wrote an opinion piece for Reuters entitled, “Philanthropy: You’re Doing It Wrong.” The blog is worth a read, if only because it clearly articulates wrong-headed concepts about how best to engage philanthropists. Allow me to highlight Salmon’s thesis as best I understand it. He is criticizing the “mega-philanthropists: the people who…
How should you go about becoming a more productive development professional? How should your team go about becoming more productive? How should your institution go about becoming better at fulfilling its mission? Fundamentally, there are two approaches we can take to get better: Focus on weaknesses. We can home in on the weak links, the…
The most recent tax law passed by Congress and signed by President Obama, included the reinstatement of the charitable IRA rollover. To recap the context of this rule, people who are 70.5 years old and have traditional IRAs must take required distributions and pay tax on the withdrawals. This law reinstates the ability for…
As the U.S. federal government approaches the January 1 “fiscal cliff” deadline, there continues to be discussion around closing tax “loopholes” in an effort to increase tax receipts. As has been discussed previously, the charitable gift deduction has gotten swept up into this conversation. It would appear that there are 4 ways in which the…
Why have you chosen a career in development, constituent relations, communications, advancement, or non-profit leadership? Why are you here? What is your purpose? Heavy questions, I know. But do you wrestle with these questions every once in a while? If not, you should. This past Friday at lunch, I wrestled with these questions. I was…
As a consultant, I’m regularly asked by clients and prospective clients a version of the question, “what would you suggest we do?” And while a satisfying answer to that question might seem sufficient or even helpful at the time, it really is neither in the long-term. It’s really the wrong question. Instead, the better question…