Giving is Good
You know the song “Hey Ya!” by OutKast – that funky, hip-hop/big band swing sounding song that earned a Grammy and sold 5.5 million albums. You probably have caught yourself humming the tune or even singing, “Hey Yaaaaaa.” But did you know that “Hey Ya!” was a flop at first? If you’re a Target shopper,…
I’m not sure what exactly will happen on January 1, 2013, should our esteemed elected officials in Washington, D.C., fail to pass some sort of legislation to avoid the “fiscal cliff.” We are told that taxes will be increased, at least for those making over $250,000 per year. We are told that large spending cuts…
In 2011, Americans spent almost $500 billion on entertainment – sports, movies, games, music, books, internet access, etc. By 2016, that amount is projected to be almost $600 billion. Meanwhile, our friends at Giving USA, tell us that charitable giving totaled just under $300 billion in 2011. What if we saw it as part of…
Our friends in the engineering fields have a saying: Don’t dig before you know what size shovel you need. Most folks like to do things. They like to get results. It doesn’t really matter what industry or profession you are in, most good folk want to make something positive happen. Engineers may want to start…
Canada’s Athabasca University is a world leader in providing on-line education. Because they are a comprehensive university specializing in distance learning, technology plays a large role in their teaching, research, and day-to-day operations. Most everyone associated with AU is comfortable with a range of technologies and computer applications. It’s a neat place. Advanced technology oozes from…
What is the truth at your institution? Is it what you believe about your institution and its work? Or is it what your donors and constituents believe about your institution? If you are like many advancement pros, you spend a good amount of time and energy strategizing on how best to tell your institution’s story….
The end of the calendar year is approaching. The season of giving is almost here. You are preparing year-end appeals. You are making visits with donors who typically give during this time of year. You are preparing a number of follow-up strategies to finish the calendar year strong. You will ask lybunts to continue their…
If your aim is to “get yourself organized” before you call on donors, don’t. If you believe you need a case statement or more materials before you can set up a prospective donor visit, you’re wrong. If you are spending hours running or reading reports on the donors in your portfolio, you are wasting time….
The sense among many development officers is that the primary purpose of calling a new major gift prospect is to get a visit. The initial research on the prospect’s capacity has been completed and the next logical step, the conventional wisdom says, is to get the visit. But in this day of doing more with…
With all the ego, all the cross-talking, and aggressive posturing during the debates, you may find it surprising that both our presidential candidates agree on at least one thing – capping the charitable gift deduction is a good idea. As one might guess, non-profit groups – armed with studies that highlight how injurious such legislation would…