Give and Take

“I wonder how many churches and charitable organizations realize that community is one of the greatest gifts they have to offer ... and these things are so valuable that people are willing to make their resources available to sustain them. Fundraising must always aim to create new, lasting relationships.” That's how we make a difference!

It's true — a kid with a kite! There’s a lesson that fundraisers can learn from the history of Niagara Falls — specifically, about a suspension bridge that, from 1855 to 1897, connected the United States to Canada over the roaring waters. This clearly shows how marketing is behind everything. (And, in a roundabout way, the steps you need to take to establish a planned giving program!)

You know the saying, “The only two things certain in life are death and taxes.” Even after your lifetime, there are many taxes you can avoid. When it comes to taxes and funeral expenses (your final invoice), planning now will go a long way to help your family and friends.

This could be the moment. After years of lobbying by the nonprofit sector, with multiple bills dying in committee, we might actually get legislation this year making permanent an above-the-line charitable deduction for nonitemizers.

Any fundraiser can raise more and larger gifts by using our proven marketing tools, because they get the point across to your donors without stress or hassle. Use this article to learn how to write effective planned giving ads for your non-profit!

In 1900 they predicted that C, X and Q would vanish from our alphabet. 10 years later it was predicted we would have flying bicycles. The U.S. Congressional Calendar predicts that philanthropic incentives may be legislated out of existence sometime soon. That's not going to happen. Philanthropy is here to stay!

If you’re advertising that annuity rates are about to go down, you’re essentially shouting “Come and get it before it’s too late!” That makes you sound like you’re Kmart, running a Blue Light Special. Leave the CGA rates (charitable gift annuity rates) to wall street!

Your donors and prospects are online researching - And their numbers are growing. If you don't have a compelling web presence, you simply do not exist. Here's why your planned giving website needs to be kept up to date, and how to do it easily!

An effective donor story elicits a natural identification in your prospects. "That's me!" is their response as they read it.

U.S. seniors use the Internet more than their younger counterparts and are the fastest growing sector of the PC-purchasing public. And according to Pew Research, four out of ten seniors now own smartphones, which is more than double than in 2013. And the rate of online adoption also increases with wealth.

Overkill marketing is a simple way to get your prospects tune you out without trying. Don't make that mistake. Here's how to market the right way to keep your donors giving year in and year out.

When you market planned gifts, you are trying to persuade people to do something that most of them don't even want to think about - permanently transfer assets away from their control and that of their families. Here's how to do planned giving marketing the right way!

The plain, unvarnished truth is that traditional wealth screening tools simply do not work in planned giving. Here's why nonprofit loyalty matters - and how you can gain it for your nonprofit!

So you think you’re good at multitasking? You can talk on the phone, write an email and schedule a dentist appointment online all at once, can you? Scientific studies show that's not true. It's time to stop multitasking, before you destroy your productivity!

When you hear fundraising advice that sounds to "salesy," are you someone who thinks, "golly, gee! My fundraising prospects are smarter than that!" Well, I've got news for you... they're not!

As nonprofits share best practices and reveal their most coveted success stories, you don’t often hear the word “competition.” Wake up. Fundraising competition is here and it is only going to get more intense.

Here's a quick summary of the CARES Act, and how it relates to your nonprofit organization.

If you want your planned giving websites to do more than just take up space – if you want it to actually communicate with your prospects and motivate them to plan a gift – here are the features to look for, and the ones to avoid.

As we settle into another month of staying indoors, a lot of people and so-called experts are making a lot of speculations about what’s next — for public health, for the economy, for our society as a whole. Here's what we think the fundraising future holds...

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. ~ Martin Luther

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Bequests are up, cash is down. Empower your donors to plan their will and invest their legacy in the cause they support the most.

Please reach out. Note: if you give us your mailing address (or PO Box), we’ll send you a complimentary Planned Giving Gift Comparison Chart. 

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