The Big DAF Gaffe
A lot of donors are leaving undistributed assets in their DAFs — defeating the intent of a donor-advised fund. What’s the solution before a government crackdown? Here are some answers.
A Mountain of Evidence for Nonprofits: Donor Stories Work
First-hand accounts back it up. The data proves it. And numbers don’t lie. But despite hearing over and over again that donor stories sell, they still remain one of the most under-utilized tools in planned giving.
Sometimes, the Same Old Thing Is a Good Thing
As marketing guru Seth Godin says, repetition builds trust, and consistency stands out. Have you ever been annoyed at a company just because it made a change to its marketing or advertising campaigns? Maybe it was a business that switched its slogan for no reason; or maybe it was a firm that did a complete about-face and changed its name to something ridiculous or created a brand-new ad campaign, when the old one was working quite well.
The End of an Error: How to Write an Email That Gets Read
The convenience of sending all those digital communiques zipping through cyberspace with a mere keystroke has caused us to forget some basic rules and best practices about emails — and good communication in general. Here are a few tips that will help your next email not only get read, but make a good impression and maybe even inspire your reader to take action.
Football, Fumbled Estate Planning, and a $45 Million Tax Bill
If you’ve ever wondered just how important good estate planning is, take a look at this terrifying tale of high-net-worth horror about a family that lost $45 million—nearly half their estate’s value—to federal taxes. The worst part? The massive tax loss could have easily been prevented with some foresight, planning, and expert advice.
Seniors, Technology, and Wealth
As long as technology has existed, there’s been a perception that seniors are not just slow to adopt it, but resistant to use it. Some fundraisers still say things like, “Our donors are all older, so they aren’t online.” Well, we dug into the facts and figures about seniors and technology in 2024 … and what we learned blows those skeptics completely out of the water.
A Little Known Tip for Harvesting Gains and Avoiding Taxes (Legally)
As you are likely aware, you can avoid long-term capital gains tax while maximizing tax deductions through charitable stock gifting. Read this article to see how the tax savings can stack up.
The Blended Gift Is Here. Are You Prepared?
To fully empower our donors, fundraisers must consider the long-term within the major giving sphere. Think about it – You cultivate, you discover. You steward, you engage. You ask … and you receive! You thank … and then what? You drop and move on to the next prospect, the next check?
The Verbal Promise
A donor makes a verbal promise to include a planned gift for your organization in their will, but they never send you a signed intention form. Then the donor dies. How do you ask the family if the gift was included in the donor’s estate plan? This type of situation happens frequently.
Planned Giving Excels at the Speed of Trust
Sometimes a board member or nonprofit will ask us, “Why planned giving? People are giving us annual gifts and we don’t want to impact that source of revenue.” Unfortunately, this is the logic that keeps among the 99% of nonprofits that do not pursue planned gifts. Here’s how to join the top 1%.
