When a donor makes a gift, the most important thing for a charity to do is to acknowledge the gift quickly with a letter, appropriate receipt and possibly a phone call or personal visit, depending on the size of the gift, its use and the charity’s resources. But sometimes acknowledging a gift is not so …Read More

By: Barlow Mann The charitable IRA provision that allowed donors over 70½ to make direct distributions of up to $100,000 per year to charity expired on December 31, and it is now uncertain whether it will be extended in legislation either this year or in the future. Since 2006, many have promoted retirement plan gifts …Read More

By: John Jensen Unlike major or annual giving programs, the results of current planned giving efforts may not be seen for a period of time. As a result, it can sometimes be difficult to determine if a planned giving program is working as it should. That’s why getting an outside look can often be helpful. …Read More

Carolina Camargo is Director of Special Gifts at George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia. Prior to joining Mount Vernon, Ms. Camargo worked as the Director of Development for the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Rappahannock chapter of the American Red Cross. Here she shares some of the history of Mount Vernon as well …Read More