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Congress recently passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act to help counter the immense ongoing challenges Americans are facing. The $900 billion plus relief bill is intended to aid individuals as well as businesses, while also encouraging charitable giving. To help communicate these changes to your donors, Sharpe Group has updated our 2020 …Read More
Sharpe Insights Articles
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Philanthropy Puzzler: Gifts From Life Insurance Policies
The “Philanthropy Puzzler” features gift questions fundraisers may encounter in the field, followed by solutions from our panel of experts. If you would like to send us your own “puzzler,” please email us at info@SHARPEnet.com with “Philanthropy Puzzler” in the subject line. Philanthropy Puzzler When Harriet received her W-2, she was surprised to find a …Read More
Newsletters Are an Important Part of Stewarding Donors: A Conversation With IFAW’s Tamara Lane-Wilson
By Grant Miller Tamara Lane-Wilson is the gift planning manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). She began her career at Sharpe Group, where she advised numerous charities on their planned gift marketing programs. Previously, Tamara has been on the board of directors at National Capital Gift Planning Council, where she also served …Read More
Navigating the Last Lap of the Journey
By Professor Christopher P. Woehrle, J.D., LL.M All of your diligence and creativity in making the case for support to a long-time supporter yields a “Yes!” Now, the last mile of the race is getting to “yes” a few more times!!! An advisor in the supporter’s planning council will be asked to greenlight the gift …Read More
Sharpe Insights : A Message From the CEO
Change is never easy, and the passing of time makes change more difficult. Our founder, Bob Sharpe Sr., began a newsletter 53 years ago titled Give & Take, which was mailed quarterly and later on a monthly basis to thousands of fundraising professionals. Beginning in 2021, we are changing the name to Sharpe Insights. (As …Read More
It’s All in the Details: A Conversation With Lori Aratari, Rochester Regional Health
by Ainsley Willis Two of the keys to success in gift planning are building relationships with donors and then stewarding the relationships over the long term. First and foremost, understanding how—and when—to communicate with your donors is critical. Sharpe Group talked to Rochester Regional Health Development Officer Lori Aratari about how a simple act of …Read More
Know Your Donors
By Jana Lawyer Throughout Sharpe Group’s 50-plus-year history, we have found an underlying truth for the success of any fundraising program is to “know your donors.” Having information on your donors’ demographics, their giving history and their preferred means of communication enables you to strengthen your relationships and better identify the likely timing of gifts …Read More
Is It Time for a Checkup?
Using a Wholistic approach, we know how to structure a planned giving program and develop strategies based on our more than 50 years’ experience that help organizations raise large gifts. If you are beginning a planned giving program or your existing program needs a check-up, talk to us about a planned giving program audit. Our …Read More
Quality Over Quantity?
Sharpe Group has seen response rates from various gift planning mailing approaches over the years that range from 10% (and more) to one-tenth of 1% or less. In today’s competitive and budget-driven environment, the most important measurement is of the quality of response rather than the quantity. Any number of factors can influence the response …Read More
Sharpe Wholistic Solution: A Message From the CEO
This issue of Give & Take focuses on the diagram that depicts how we help charities and nonprofit organizations raise large gifts. It is named the Sharpe “Wholistic” Solution because it encompasses the entirety of the “what to do” for fundraising success. Sharpe Group is well known for seminar training, custom publications and planned giving …Read More