CATEGORY

John Foster

The late John Foster was a visionary in the field of planned giving, serving as Director of Planned Giving at the University of Pennsylvania, Villanova, and at Saint Joe’s. While at Penn, John co-created the original Gift Comparison Chart with Viken Mikaelian and team member Deb Blackmore—a pioneering tool designed to simplify complex charitable gift options. Its clarity and effectiveness led to widespread adoption across the industry; nearly every major planned giving vendor has since created some version of it to help educate their clients. John also co-founded VirtualGiving.com (now PlannedGiving.com), helping bring planned giving into the digital age. A quiet strategist with a brilliant mind, he mentored countless professionals and influenced an entire generation of fundraisers. His unwavering belief in scalable, universal giving strategies laid the groundwork for modern digital outreach—a legacy that continues to guide the nonprofit sector today.
Blocks and sunlight depicting paradigm.
Planned Giving Marketing
John Foster

Wake Up and Smell The New Paradigm

Not so long ago, the outlook for fundraising reflected the sunny optimism of the overall economy.  Our donors had secure, well-paying jobs (often two per household); the value of their McMansions and vacation condos was projected to follow an endless upward arc; and when they opened their retirement-plan statements, the ending balance was always gratifyingly larger than the previous month’s.

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Giving Magazine, Karen Alonso on Cover, United Way Las Vegas, AFP Chapter President

Giving Magazine

For those who drive change — not watch it. Join the top 1%.

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