Sharpe Blog

Read part one, “Getting to Know the Advisors,” here. An accountant is the advisor most likely to have detailed information on a donor’s tax and cash-flow situation, and they are often the closest and most trusted advisor for business owners. Therefore, an accountant may appreciate a detailed proposal about a charitable gift. What they do …Read More

The phrase “it takes a village” couldn’t be more applicable to fundraising, especially to completing gifts and advisors.  How many times have you worked diligently to get to the point where your donor says, “I want to make this gift,” and you’re thinking, “Where—and with whom—do I begin?” In addition to family members, one or …Read More

As I have made the transition to working with charities, I have found there are many tools and methods used in the for-profit world that can be applied successfully to nonprofit organizations. One of these is SWOT analysis, whose creation is generally attributed to Albert Humphrey in the 1960s at the Stanford Research Institute. to …Read More

The window of my home office overlooks a beautiful natural pond filled with ducks and turtles. While the water appears calm and lovely most days, and the ducks are gently swimming back and forth, I cannot help but think about the chaos of their flippers underneath, propelling them from one side of the pond to …Read More

When I have a project on my to-do list, I like to prepare far in advance. For me, it feels good to have a looming assignment taken care of. This is why I began working on my presentations for the recent Sharpe Charitable Giving SUMMIT in September of last year. I did my research, designed …Read More

Growing up, I watched my father (who just celebrated his 93rd birthday) give blood to the Red Cross, deliver food to the local food bank and take leadership roles in our church. Through his actions, I learned the importance of philanthropy, which led me to my career in fundraising. Another important lesson I learned from …Read More

I found my passion for working with nonprofits as a career later in life. Making the switch from the for-profit world, I had a desire to redirect my legacy and leave the world better than I found it. My newest client is a faith-based organization primarily located in the Middle East and Eastern Africa with …Read More

According to Forbes Health, in a survey conducted in October of 2023, 48% of Americans with a 2024 New Year’s resolution planned to improve their fitness. Most resolutions, unfortunately, last just two to three months. For those who know me best, a commitment to exercise has never been part of my identity. However, I can …Read More

When it comes to charitable gift annuity programs, the past several decades have been difficult ones. Like a perfect storm, lower interest rates combined with a smaller group of Silent Generation donors who had aged into the 75+ age range, causing the long-popular split-interest gift plan to lose some of its appeal. But now things …Read More

Getting organized. Planning for the first quarter of the year. Breathing a sigh of relief that year-end is behind you. These are typical first-of-the-year activities for fundraising. And there is one simple task that will yield returns for 2024: Identifying the donors in your data file who passed away in 2023 or before. Accomplishing this …Read More