The Case For Planned Giving
Research can be a powerful tool to help us work smarter. It’s a shame that we have so little of it in the world of philanthropy. Thus, it was a delight to see the work of Dr. Russell James III that provides a much-needed longitudinal perspective on planned giving in his book American Charitable BequestRead More The Case For Planned Giving
Turning First-Time Donors Into Repeat Supporters
By Heather H. Thornton, Project Manager Back in August, I wrote about giving my first gift to my alma mater. I finally decided to take the plunge after I was alerted via email from the University about a fire at one of the oldest buildings on campus. This prompted me to revisit my beloved almaRead More Turning First-Time Donors Into Repeat Supporters
On the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, A Visionary’s View
I had the pleasure this past week of spending some time in Jacksonville at the The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, meeting with the Museum’s energetic Director Hope McMath and Lori Ann Whittington, who arrived in August as its new Director of Advancement. At the end of a productive day, we walked back toRead More On the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, A Visionary’s View
Mistakes Are Proof That You Are Trying
No mistake is proof you succeeded. I recently partook in a webinar on peer-to-peer fundraising hosted by a well-known company. The moderator, who was very intelligent and experienced, talked about the key groups a volunteer fundraiser has and how to determine their “infinity” toward the project. Yes, infinity was written on the slides, and itRead More Mistakes Are Proof That You Are Trying
Learning To Appreciate “No”
By: Jarrad Howard In the fundraising world, our favorite word to hear is “YES”. YES I will give. YES I will take part in the campaign. YES I will take part. But what happens when that “yes” doesn’t come? What happens when the answer given is some form of the word maybe? Or just “no”?Read More Learning To Appreciate “No”
Learning Leadership
At Butler, a Corporate Way to Manage Change and Groom New Leaders, an article in the August 1 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education, made for a fascinating read, and not just because Butler University is a former client. These are challenging times for the not for profit sector as we emerge from theRead More Learning Leadership
Crossing Nonprofit Borders
There has been much discussion recently about the crossing of borders. In the nonprofit world, we see another border that is being blurred: the distinction between different nonprofit segments. We recently reported that giving to human services organizations has been flat compared with other sub-sectors and their growth spurts. What can this mean?Read More Crossing Nonprofit Borders
Donor Recognition: A Look At The Perot Museum
Being in the fundraising profession, my travels always involve visiting museums and cultural institutions to see how they do things. A recent visit to Dallas included a splendid afternoon at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. A spectacular angular building rises from along the downtown expressway and draws interest with its living roof coveredRead More Donor Recognition: A Look At The Perot Museum
The Golden Age of Philanthropy?
It would be hard to argue that the 1870’s to the 1890’s were not the golden age of philanthropy in America. In a little over two decades, the number of millionaires in the United States grew from 100 to 4,047. Mega gifts from philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie, Ezra Cornell, Johns Hopkins, John Rockefeller, and JaneRead More The Golden Age of Philanthropy?
Is The Donor Universe Shrinking?
Scientists have argued for years over whether or not the universe is expanding or shrinking. With the recent arrival of the Giving USA statistics for 2013, many nonprofit leaders are asking the same question about another type of universe –the “universe” of prospective donors to our non-profit organizations. For some of these leaders, there mayRead More Is The Donor Universe Shrinking?
