Nonprofit board members who serve on their investment advisory committees have a dual fiduciary role to perform: 1) They must protect the intent of the donor and the long-term viability of their organization; and 2) They have to manage endowment assets to provide a reasonable amount of income to support the causes that the funds are earmarked for.
The classic cry of the binge fundraiser is "Oops... gifts are slow to come in. I guess I’d better send out a mailing." If you find yourself in the middle of a quiet spell, thinking that a few actions, a couple of phone calls and a mailing here and there will get things moving again, you need to rethink your strategy.
That canned “planned giving newsletter” you’re paying for is viewed by your recipients as a "death brochure" and is going right into the trash. Spend your money wisely. (By Tom Ahern)
The Gala Gambit: How Much Did Your Donor Event Really Cost? It’s no secret that some fundraisers rely on elaborate gimmicks to separate money from donors’ wallets. In a Disney movie, Daddy Warbucks would come to the rescue, expecting nothing in return for his donation but a feeling of peace and goodwill at the end of the day. Reality is very different, though, because most donors want something more than a clear conscience in return for their investment. It’s human nature. Show Me the Money But all too often, fundraisers spend scads of time, money and effort creating flashy, elaborate events that rival a Great Gatsby party to reward donors who, in return, make small or medium-sized gifts of $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000. I can hear the whir of your mental cogs as you do the calculations now: “But Viken, if we get 10 people who give us $10,000
Women hold a large percentage of this nation's wealth, yet most don't have an estate plan. Show those who care about your mission the value of estate planning, and they’ll be encouraged to include a charitable gift to you. Simple ... donor and attorney friendly ... and to the point.
Catholics are uniquely at odds with the accumulation of personal wealth. Perhaps, it is because the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles suggest a vocational lifestyle of communal frugality as the path towards salvation. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter2, verses 44-45 provides a microcosmic glance at the life of the early Church: And all who shared the faith owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and distributed the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed. Contemporary Catholics are not inclined to live a communal life; however, they are as part of the manifestation of the faith encouraged to share their resources with those in the Church that are not as privileged with material possessions and personal wealth. Thus, the dilemma for the modern Christian, to accumulate wealth or to live a life of austerity and frugality. There is indeed a dualism for the
I saw a blog post penned by another planned giving vendor. Its sole purpose: To trash the idea that fundraisers need a planned giving website. Very interesting ...
Did you know that more than 90% of planned gifts are beneficiary designations? And by simply promoting beneficiary designations to your prospects, your organization will see its endowment grow by leaps and bounds. [Here’s a handy Beneficiary Designations Gift Planning Toolkit you can use.] Why? What makes this particular planned gift so attractive? It’s the simplicity. Giving a beneficiary designation is literally as easy as filling out a form. The form names the individuals and charities you want to support, and specifies the percentage of the assets you want each beneficiary to receive. They are very simple to give, easy to arrange, and usually do not require an attorney. So what’s the easiest way to market them? By mailing at least 4 postcards on beneficiary designations to your donors and prospects this year. Do not try to get creative with award-winning designs. Just concentrate on getting the word out. It
Here are ten tips that I’ve developed by studying — and emulating — the habits of people who live the good life.
Wondering What’s Ahead? Stop speculating and find out what the movement to merge planned giving with major gifts and principal gifts really means. Download our special report [PDF; instant free download]. Our panel of six industry experts covers topics including, “What are the pros and cons of a merge?” “What are the implications for planned giving as a specialty?” “When is it time to ‘outsource’ gift planning?” and “What can the car industry teach the philanthropy sector? Jeff Comfort Camilyn Leone, Esq. Dr. Scott Janney Scott Lumpkin Lisa Repko Lynne Ierardi, JD Download our Special Report. Thanks to Dr. Rebecca Janney for conducting the interviews. New to planned giving? Learn how gift planning vehicles work (a 100 mile high review with videos). Or purchase The Ultimate Quick Reference Planned Giving Pocket Guide. Categories: Giving, Self Improvement
Will the new tax law doom your nonprofit? Or will it stimulate the economy and be a fundraising boon?
The face of philanthropy is changing: Researchers found that many donors want to talk with an advisor before they'll even approach a nonprofit to discuss their intentions.
Two great quotes from Mario Andretti: “If everything seems under control you are not going fast enough.” and “Don’t look at the wall.”
What does wanting to meet (and marry) a rich guy have to do with planned giving? More than you think, and it all boils down to the meaning of the word "rich." This puts "I want to meet a rich donor" in a whole new light.
“Dad, you are sitting on Apple stock. Why don’t you donate some, avoid capital gains tax, get a deduction, and receive guaranteed income for life—some of it tax-free?” “Is that legal?” he asked.
The other day a colleague from another nonprofit, a fairly small one, told me he was leaning away from spending money on a new planned giving website. This is not the first development person I’ve heard struggle with this decision.
Creating marketing content yourself is an excuse of not doing your job. You can easily upset donors, board members and lose opportunities.
You get in the elevator to head up to the 12th floor. A prospect you’ve always wanted to talk to enters at 3. He recognizes you and says, “I’ve seen you before. What do you do for the institution?”
Testimonials by satisfied donors, or by recipients of your organization’s services, automatically carry more credibility than anything you could say about yourself. They are an important part of your planned giving marketing message because they tell a potential donor what you can't.
With 30+ years of planned giving successes in my history, I’m now considered a thought leader in the industry. That's because I learned one crucial lesson: Planned giving is about people. Focus on the people and the rest is easy.
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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.
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