Sharpe Blog

From my observations, the members of a gift planning team most likely to clash are the development professional and the investment advisor. From the development professional’s perspective, the advisors treat philanthropy as a product to be marketed and sold with insufficient understanding of a donor’s philanthropic objectives. Gifts are often “presented” to the charity as …Read More

Charities are learning that digital currency, like bitcoin, opens a new giving opportunity for donors. Understanding it may help open the door for future gifts. Yet to understand digital assets and currency, we should review some basics: Money is anything that can be exchanged for something of equal value, such as barter transactions, gold, silver, …Read More

Why should you communicate directly with your female donors? We know that women live longer than men by an estimated five years. This means many women will be solely responsible for the future financial well-being of themselves and their family, including making decisions about the family’s final and often largest philanthropic gift. It is typically …Read More

A planned giving newsletter is one of the most effective ways to reach donors who can and will make planned gifts in the future. The first step is to identify who your donors are in terms of age, gender, marital status and wealth. It is critically important to identify your best prospects so you are …Read More

As troubleshooter, advisor and draftsman, a lawyer will be involved in the largest gifts with the most complications stemming from asset selection. They serve as “Dr. No” when donors are determining the size of the gift or, perhaps, whether to give at death rather than during lifetime. Their only motive is protecting all interests of …Read More

You are approached by someone previously unknown to your organization about a gift of a large sculpture. She explains that she has recently downsized, and the sculpture no longer suits her living space. She purchased it through her interior designer years ago. It is an odd gift, to be certain. With some tactful pressing, you …Read More

Anyone with a background in major and planned giving knows there is no limit to how creative donors can be in making gifts to an organization. Some unusual offerings require major and planned giving officers to get creative and find a way to structure the gift in a way that will be beneficial to both …Read More

In navigating the last lap of the journey to a completed gift, the accountant looms prominently. Long regarded as the trusted advisor, the accountant, especially one with a financial planning practice, often has the entire picture of the donor’s cash flow and assets. The accountant often answers one or more of the following questions: Should? …Read More

This winter, Sharpe Group conducted a 3-day planned giving seminar, The Essentials of Gift Planning & Taxes, as part of our Sharpe Online Academy. This seminar is based on the 5-day comprehensive seminar traditionally held in person each year in Florida. The 5-day seminar typically includes twenty-two sessions in addition to multiple informal gatherings for …Read More

Perhaps not, but often the completion of a planned gift does necessitate teamwork. Larger commitments (six figures and higher for most givers) trigger income tax, estate planning, retirement income and insurance consequences. The donor often contemplates a planned gift in response to the challenge of “wanting to do more” but “not sure if I (or …Read More