Charitable Giving

This is the time of year when it is becoming clear to the donor what their total income will be for the year. They are also calculating their tax liability. Unique to this year, they are (or should be) calculating their tax liability this year compared to what it could be next year under proposed…

There are patterns to life. Things that happen on a repeatable basis. Like the seasons that come in their given time, so do certain motivations as we move toward end of year. For donors, one of those things is how much and how to give. The income they will have this year is pretty clear…

The unique attributes of each generation are undeniable. Oftentimes, it is a world event that becomes a defining moment at a pivotal time. The Greatest Generation had WWII. The Boomer Generation had Vietnam. Then, Gen X and even Millennials had 9/11. Gen Z has had COVID-19. Moments like these can contribute to (and even define)…

The moment comes to pick up the phone and make the call. Sometimes you know the donor you’re calling and look forward to the conversation. Sometimes you know the donor from afar without much of a relationship, so you get a little less excited about the call. Sometimes you don’t know the donor at all,…

For the sixth year in a row my son, Hudson, and I enjoyed father/son weekend at Camp Highland. As he turns 15 years old in a few days, I’m reminded about the value of this investment. Making time and giving energy to the ones and causes that matter to you most is ALWAYS worth it!…

When my son, Hudson, and I made our first trip to Uganda to work with Champions United, a soccer club where national players mentor children without fathers, Hudson was just 12 years old. Fatherless children is an epidemic in Uganda, with over 90% of boys growing up without a father figure in their lives. Meeting…

My friend Keith, the Director of the Donor Motivation Program for Canada, shared this question, “Do you know the first name of your great grandparents?” “Wow,” I thought when he shared it! I don’t. Then he asked, “How would you feel if your great grandchildren don’t even know your name?” “Awful,” I said. “Not because…

We like what works. We like what works now. We like what works fast. The instant gratification adrenaline rush often filters through our work and communication with donors. There is a tendency to highlight the one thing or one communication piece that got a donor to reach out or make a gift. While that one…

Who did better at preserving his wealth: the American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding, founding Kaiser Shipyard, which built Liberty ships during World War II (then Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel), or his son? Henry J. Kaiser, Sr. accumulated around $5.6 Million in wealth and lost 44 percent to…

Each passing day I am reminded how fast my kids are growing up. But it seems like only yesterday that my wife and I were bringing home our babies from the hospital. While we spend a lot of time together, and participate in each others’ activities, the time just flies by. In recognition of this,…