Planned Giving

#GivingTuesday Donations on the Rise
April 19, 2017 at 2:53 pm

The day after Thanksgiving, the holidays hit full-force. And it’s not just the radio stations blasting “Here Comes Santa Claus” every half hour—it’s the shopping frenzies of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Thankfully, (no pun intended) for the past four years, we’ve had a day to shift the focus away from materialism and back to the true spirit of the holidays: Giving Tuesday...

More Donors Starting Funds Rather Than Giving Directly to Charities
April 19, 2017 at 9:13 am

For the first time on record, the nonprofit that received the most in donations in the country is not what you typically think of as a nonprofit—and that has some in the nonprofit sector worried that the new model is upending traditional philanthropy. Giving accounts allow donors to get an immediate tax benefit when they…

In P2P, It’s All About the Benjamins
March 8, 2017 at 9:44 am

Wall Street investors famously coined the phrase, “It’s all about the Benjamins,” referring to the hundred dollar bill that bears Benjamin Franklin’s likeness. As it turns out, Franklin can give us a few tips about how to maximize fundraising dollars...

3 Tips for Creating Monthly Donor Promises
March 6, 2017 at 10:00 am

Whatever you do, keep it manageable and affordable for yourself. And make sure that the donor is okay with you recognizing them in the ways you promise them you will. Once you create these promises, you can start listing it whenever and wherever you promote the program...

Study: Direct Payment Via ACH Improves Donor Retention
March 1, 2017 at 12:05 pm

One of the toughest challenges in our sector is getting donors to give time and time again—to get one-time donors to become repeat donors. Perhaps it’s showing donors the impact that the organization is making or having a mission powerful enough for donors to want to be a part of the organization. Perhaps simplifying the…

The Giving Movement: It’s More Than Just #GivingTuesday
February 27, 2017 at 10:54 am

Giving Tuesday has revolutionized giving days. A movement that started in 2012 by 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation, Giving Tuesday aims to “celebrate and encourage giving during a commercially focused season,” Jessie Salpeter, senior digital account executive for Chapman Cubine and Hussey, said during the DMA Nonprofit Federation Conference...

5 Myths of Evergreen Philanthropy: Part 1
February 23, 2017 at 11:03 am

You see, philanthropists are people just like us. They have their own set of dreams and aspirations. They, too, have core values they seek to realize in their lives. And it’s on these that philanthropists have their focus...

Don’t Write Off ‘In Memoriam’ Donors as One-Time Donors
February 14, 2017 at 10:01 am

There is definitely the tendency in our sector to write off “in-memoriam” donors as one-time donors, yet I think we must understand the emotional connection and make an effort to grow that relationship—with tact and in the gentlest, most-loving way possible...

7 Strategies Every Nonprofit Should Master in 2017
January 18, 2017 at 9:24 am

Last year, I gave you five priorities for success in 2016. I called them “Dive the Five.” This year, I’ve expanded my thinking a bit. I give you “Seven is Heaven.” I promise if you focus on these fundamental areas, you will hear the angels begin to sing and your mission will take wing. Some of these areas will seem familiar, but the way you employ them may need to be tweaked in order for you to survive and thrive...

The Tech Industry Is Reshaping Philanthropy, One Big Bet at a Time
December 22, 2016 at 2:00 pm

The year 2012 marked the first #GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, where leaders across nonprofit and for-profit industries use social media to promote the end-of-year giving season. Since the holiday was created by the United Nations Foundation and the 92nd Street Y, philanthropy in the U.S. has evolved significantly. Philanthropists are giving larger charitable donations…