For the first time since 2008, the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament was made up of all No. 1 seeds, sparking a discussion about the influence of NIL in the success of these teams. What is NIL? NIL stands for Name, Image and Likeness and refers to a college athlete’s …Read More
3 Things to Include in Your Planned Giving Newsletter
While the times have certainly changed, the approach has stayed the same. Having created content since I began at Sharpe Group in the late ’90s, there are some items I always include in a printed or digital planned giving newsletter: Keep it real with stories Including donor stories can accomplish several things: they honor the donor(s) who …Read More
Gift Planning for Your Fiscal Year-End
For the thousands of charities that operate on fiscal rather than calendar year-ends (most commonly June 30/July 1 end and start dates), actions taken in the spring may be especially important to help ensure a strong finish. Here are some stewardship ideas for fiscal year-end gifts from both current givers and planned giving donors: For …Read More
Is It Time to Call In a Professional? The Value of a Mentor
A professional mentor provides guidance, support and expertise to help someone (a mentee) develop and grow in their career. As Sharpe consultants, we often assume the “mentor” or “coach” role for our clients, especially those who are just beginning their planned giving fundraising careers. It’s a role I take seriously because I’ve been fortunate to …Read More
The Big Engine That Could—How Philanthropy Drives Success
At a recent Environmental Roundtable meeting of CFOs, chief development officers and chief people officers, I was privileged to moderate an important discussion on the current granting environment. The group consisted of large and mid-sized nonprofits along with Lee Klumpp, national assurance director—Nonprofit and Education Practice, BDO USA LLP, who offered his expertise. Not surprisingly, one …Read More
Women and Charitable Giving
The Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University’s Lily School of Philanthropy has released a new report analyzing how women’s charitable giving has changed over the past two decades. The report concluded that women’s donor participation declined during the pandemic, but their average gifts increased, which could have lasting implications for charitable giving should this trend …Read More
Hold On Loosely: Challenges of Receiving IRA Gifts
A large part of my planned giving consulting practice involves estate settlement. With that comes the repeated challenges of receiving IRA gifts to charity via beneficiary designation. When people pass away and leave money in their IRA accounts to charities, financial institutions often make it unnecessarily difficult for the charities to collect the money. Some …Read More
QCDs: A Need-to-Know Basis
More and more donors are learning that using their IRAs to give to their favorite charities with a QCD is beneficial because they are making meaningful contributions while avoiding paying taxes on their IRA distributions. As your charity receives more of these types of gifts, there are some key challenges and rules to be aware …Read More
Golden Opportunities: Advice for Fundraisers
Watching the Golden Globes, one of my favorite acceptance speeches was given by Hiroyuki Sanada, an actor from “Shōgun”. He spoke to those who are following in his footsteps, saying, “For the young actors and creators in the world, please be yourself, believe in yourself and never give up. Good luck!” I love that his …Read More
Three Truths and One Lie: Up-to-Date Data and Your ROI
Truth #1: Postage costs have increased every year. Who could have predicted a roll of Forever stamps would be equivalent to a Warren Buffet-type investment? Truth #2: Older donors with the capacity and desire to learn about a planned gift, such as a QCD or noncash gift, a charitable gift annuity or a bequest, are …Read More