1. Listen to your donor. This may sound like an obvious suggestion, but it is one that successful gift planners stress time and time again. Instead of focusing on “selling” your organization to a donor during a visit, let the donor tell you what is important to him or her. Listen carefully for hints about …Read More

Millions ‘going to the dogs’–and cats! Billionaire software CEO David Duffield has given $200 million to help stray dogs and cats find homes. Duffield and his wife, Cheryl, have created the Duffield Family Foundation to distribute the funds to animal shelters across the country. The Duffields’ love for their own dog, Maddie, was reportedly a …Read More

In this month’s issue “Gift Planner Profile” we talk with Ms. Marty Matula, CFP, CFRE, executive vice president of Morton Plant Mease Hospital Foundation. Ms. Matula has played a key role in establishing and advancing the Foundation’s gift planning program during her 13-year tenure. Give & Take: How did you come to work in the …Read More

In December of last year, the IRS issued long-awaited regulations that clarify situations in which charitable remainder trusts may be structured in the form of “flip” trusts. A flip trust is a charitable remainder trust which begins as a net income or net income with makeup unitrust and then “flips” to a straight payout trust …Read More