There are all kinds of planned gifts — including those that allow you to leave personal property to a nonprofit.
There are all kinds of planned gifts — including those that allow you to leave personal property to a nonprofit.
Our clients, friends and prospects often ask which term is better to use for their marketing efforts, “Planned Giving” or “Gift Planning”. This is a decades-old dispute and I am getting tired of it. So I decided to write this blog to end the argument. If anyone is ready to spar, sharpen your blade (well, […]
Transparency Is Its Own Reward In the nonprofit sector, transparency is more than a buzzword—it’s a fundamental principle that underpins trust, accountability, and donor confidence. Operational openness allows donors and stakeholders to see that an organization is managed responsibly and that their contributions are utilized effectively to further its mission. The Importance of Transparency in […]
The idea of ethics, as an active, engaging, and permeating part of what we do, falls well short of where it needs to be in our daily routine.
Let’s be honest: direct mail has a branding issue. While your latest planned giving newsletter may be thoughtfully written, beautifully designed, and filled with donor love, to the average person opening their mailbox, it’s just another unsolicited item in a pile of bills, catalogs, and promotional junk. They didn’t ask for it. They don’t expect […]
The more you stress your prospect, the more demands you make upon them, the more likely they are bail on you—that’s donor relations 101. Here are some tips on how to keep ‘em sweet. “Don’t Make Me Think!” Whether we’re talking about one-on-one meetings between you and the potential donor, the manner you describe gift […]
A friend once relayed an anecdote about simple, effective communication that turned out to be a near-perfect teaching moment for fundraisers. Not because it involved a campaign, a brand, or a consultant—but precisely because it didn’t. She was helping out an elderly couple who lived down the hall of her apartment complex. The wife had […]
Many years ago, for my sins, I did time on the editorial staff of a major urban “alternative newsweekly.” During that time I overdosed daily on badly conceived and written press releases. They were all hardcopy and they arrived via snail mail – that was the only game in town circa 1989. Every day I […]
Breaking the Myth: You Don’t Need a Law Degree Let’s dispel one of the biggest myths in fundraising: that planned giving is only for experts with a Harvard Law degree—preferably the kind who believe every problem needs a 20-page policy paper and a new government subcommittee. If you’re a development officer with a strong background […]
Johnny has done something more: He has contributed over $156 million dollars from his estate to a variety of charitable groups.
“I don’t need to be recognized,” the donor commented, “but a sense of individual appreciation such as a personal thank-you goes a long way.”
Is Altruism an Endangered Attribute? What if the “I” in “iPad” turned out to be Gordon “Greed is good” Gekko from the movie WALL STREET? While we don’t know if Gordon really has an iPad, we’re sure he’s out there, at least in spirit, because results from a recent survey of iPad owners by MyType […]
Making Estate Planning Accessible, Simple, Personal, Secure and FREE!
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.