I was sitting around the table with a group of campaign volunteers, who were also significant donors.  We were discussing the organization’s proposed capital campaign elements and one of them said, “We need to reduce this endowment part, nobody wants to give to endowment anymore.” To my surprise, everyone else at the table agreed with […]

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me like the holiday season began back in September this year. There were ornaments on sale before my Labor Day leftovers were gone, the halls were decked before Halloween arrived, and the traffic around Lenox and Phipps has been gridlocked since October. Also of note, I’ve […]

“The meeting just dragged on and on.  I just couldn’t bring it to a close.  Later, I realized that I had been talking with them for almost two hours.  I hope they weren’t as bored as I was.” All of us at one time or another have had a prospect meeting that lasted forever.  The […]

I was at an educational session recently where the topic was nonprofit financing.  It was a robust discussion about the use of capital, creation of endowments, financing growth, etc.  The primary focus of the speaker was on the area of “growth capital” and the idea that, perhaps, too much of the equity in the nonprofit […]

Gifts and taxes. Around this time last year, two of our clients were working with donors planning to make $1 million+ gifts, as the news media were ballyhooing the ‘fiscal cliff’ fast approaching and many proposals were flying around to adjust the charitable deduction. One donor chose to make his first pledge payment in December, […]

Humans are predominately visual creatures. From birth, we are hard-wired to be attracted to the most visually-stimulating images in front of us, and it is no different as we grow older. When given the choice, would you read a book filled with colorful and engaging pictures, or page after page of black and white monochromatic […]

“It’s better to give than to receive.” As we prepare to move into the holiday season, we’re going to hear this quote from the Christian scriptures (Acts 20:35) over and over again.  My great-nieces and great-nephews simply hate when they hear me say that as we’re opening our gifts around the Christmas tree! And I […]

There is nothing more important to the health of a nonprofit than a quality Board of Trustees.  It is the Board that sets your mission, chooses and provides leadership and provides resources in order to implement the mission. Often times, as consultants, we are asked about Board composition, size, wealth and responsibilities.  I try to […]