Estate Plans: What Are Advisors Telling Your Donors?
Now that the SECURE Act is law, donors are (or should be!) reviewing their estate plans, retirement strategies and philanthropic strategies to see if they should make changes. But what advice are they getting from their financial advisors — and how could it affect your charity? Here’s how to be prepared for the new reality.
Too Much Donor Information
Has something like this ever happened to you? You’re at a development conference, sitting at a table with a stranger. You introduce yourself … and the person takes your friendliness as an invitation to go all in. Next thing you know, they’re telling you about a recent operation (including all the gory details) and finish it off by yanking up their shirt for a grand reveal of a very large incision scar. The same thing can happen when a nonprofit tries to track down donor information – you don’t need to know every little thing! Here’s how to find the sweet spot!
Death by Overwork
We’ve all known someone who collected stuff in his garage. Always parked his car outside because he had no space. Eventually, he built a second garage for his car. Of course, over time he filled the second garage with more “junk,” too. Work can be like that– you can fill your days with so much busywork that you need to add another hour, then another hour… and so on and so on, until your days are gone!
Just close a $1 million gift? You still need major gifts training.
Successful major gifts officers don’t stop learning. There’s a simple reason: the skills you need for major gift work never stands still. Here’s why you need major gifts training — and how to find the right training workshops for YOU!
Powerful Legacy Society Names. Five Proven Tips.
So, What’s In a Name? Plenty — especially when it comes to naming your legacy society. Choose the wrong name, and you’ll struggle to attract (let alone keep) members. Choose the right name, and your membership will grow and thrive.
People Need People – That’s How We Make a Difference!
“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!
How to Write and Design Effective Planned Giving Ads
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!
Leave the News on CGA Rates for Wall Street
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!
What Does the Fundraising Future Hold? A Bold Prediction.
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…
The Gift of Attention
I called a longtime friend of mine and asked him out for coffee, and he said, in a very somber tone, “I’m so busy. I am so busy, I have so much going on.” This “busyness” is turning into an epidemic. Even children are now contracting this illness and developing anxiety in school. If you want to love your donors, give them the gift of attention.