“One Size Fits All”
By: Jerry Henry,Partner “One Size Fits All.” That’s the clothing tag on the collar of my bathrobe. However, I must disagree with the designer. You see, I’m 5′ 7″ tall (or short, as the case may be) and the sleeves of the bathrobe are entirely too long for me. The length is fine-mid-calf, if you mustRead More “One Size Fits All”
Comparing Notes on Planned Giving
Shuff Happens! David Shufflebarger Sounds Off Matching notes on planned giving recently with Joe Bales, Vice President for Development and University Relations at Middle Tennessee State University, he and I both recalled reading an article 20 or so years ago that emphasized the significant role such gifts can play. Our memory was that the articleRead More Comparing Notes on Planned Giving
Take the Time to Say Thanks-It’s Not Too Late
Take the Time to Say Thanks – It’s Not Too Lateby Nancy E. Peterman, Partner “If it is Thanksgiving, it must be Christmas.” I heard this on the radio as I was preparing a 15 pound turkey for our traditional Thanksgiving meal. Seeing all the Christmas decorations in stores and restaurants, and hearing BingRead More Take the Time to Say Thanks-It’s Not Too Late
Make the Case
by Arthur L. Criscillis, Ed.D., Partner So, it is imperative that we know and are able to articulate why a gift matters. You need a new building? So what? Tell me how it will enable faculty to better educate students and make new and enhanced methods of learning possible. You need professorships? Tell me howRead More Make the Case
Is it Development or Fundraising?
By: David H. King,President & CEO We have long believed that the words “development” and “fundraising” are not synonyms. Development, in our vocabulary, is a process of “developing” relationships between people and an organization. This relationship building focuses on finding common ground between the interests of people and the mission and goals of theRead More Is it Development or Fundraising?
10 Lessons Learned from the Great Recession
September 15, 2008 – a date that is will be infamous for generations. It was the date that Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and we came to realize that the recession was real and that with this, the largest bankruptcy in US history, perhaps there was no such thing as “too big to fail”. TheRead More 10 Lessons Learned from the Great Recession
Biting the Hand that Feeds Us?
Over the past four years, there has been a lot of political rhetoric about the top three percent of income earners in the United States. Most of this rhetoric has been intended to somehow demonize this group because of their perceived success…and also to create a perception that they do not do their “fair share”Read More Biting the Hand that Feeds Us?
The Only Cure for Donor Fatigue
It happened again. I was meeting with a school head recently and she told me, “Our fundraising is flat, we are experiencing a lot of donor fatigue.” I told her that I was not surprised to hear that, because donor fatigue is easily spread through contact with unicorns. Ok, I really wasn’t that sarcastic (butRead More The Only Cure for Donor Fatigue
Start Running or Get Run Over
For the past 14 months we have been giving our perspective on how the recession would impact philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. In the summer of 2008 we said that we did not expect the recession to have a great deal of impact on giving for that year. Turns out we were correct as totalRead More Start Running or Get Run Over
Let the Donors Decide
Over the past several weeks we have been telling people “it’s the donors’ money, shouldn’t we let them decide what they want to do with it?” This has largely been in response to boards and staff who believe that the economy is bad so they should not ask anyone to give. But even if manyRead More Let the Donors Decide