Life & Planning

What is a favorite movie at Thanksgiving? One of mine is, It’s A Wonderful Life? Love this classic! George Bailey was a giver. As you know from the movie, George needed help understanding the impact he was having. Once he was able to “see” the impact, he was reminded of the power of giving back.…

Since 1995, the Donor Motivation Program has been serving development professionals around North America. It all began with one seasoned development professional, Jack Miller, who wanted to grow planned giving opportunities for the United Way. There were three challenges that were persistent and holding him (and planned giving) from greater success: Complex topic – Few…

It was Monday. Some dread it. Some love it. Some wait around to see what the day delivers before they decide what kind of day it will be. There are others who decide what kind of day it will be from the start. As I stood in the kitchen on Monday morning grabbing my breakfast,…

Over-whelmed. Over-loaded. Over-scheduled. This seems to be the recurring theme of life these days! Studies show that the number one concern and desire for men and women in the late stage of their career and those entering retirement is health. Health. Vitality. Less stress. There is even strong evidence to that giving back has positive…

When times are tough and people are worn down by the uncertainty of life, what do you do? One of the easiest pick-me-ups and gifts to give, and the most appreciated, is your praise. An affirmation of a job well done. A hearty thanks for a gift given… time and energy invested. It is a…

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!…