901.680.5300 
The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy has released The Philanthropy Outlook, 2020 and 2021 in partnership with Marts & Lundy. Of particular interest to gift planners is the projected back-to-back growth of charitable bequests. The research indicates that charitable giving by estates should increase by 6.6% this year and by 6.5% next year. …Read More
Sharpe Give & Take Articles
Searching for a specific article? Access every article since 1997 to find what you’re looking for.
Philanthropy Puzzler: The SECURE Act
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 Jerome’s three children (ages 48, 47 and 45) are named …Read More
How Secure Is Your Organization’s Prediction of the Impact of the SECURE Act Upon Your Fundraising Efforts?
Editor’s note: The following article was published prior to the coronavirus crisis and drafting of the CARES Act. Please note that the CARES Act has provided that RMDs be suspended for the remainder of 2020. Lead with charitable intent A review of the websites of leading charities would suggest the SECURE Act (“Act”) will …Read More
What is AI and Big Data, and Why Does It Matter to My Nonprofit?
Sharpe Group believes AI and Big Data is here to stay and will be used by nonprofits in a variety of ways, particularly for donor insights and development team training. Organizations in both the for-profit and nonprofit sector are witnessing an ever-changing growth in technology advances over this past decade. Data and bandwidth capacity in …Read More
Expanding the Vision of Bob Sharpe Sr.
Today Sharpe Group continues Jane and Bob Sharpe Sr.’s foundational vision in innovative and evolutionary ways. The vision is being enhanced by the utilization of the Sharpe Group Donor Insights program which applies artificial intelligence (AI) to donor data to identify more donor attributes relative to the types and amounts of gifts to the charity. …Read More
Continuing the Vision of Bob Sharpe Sr: A Message From the CEO
Sharpe Group was originally founded by Jane and Bob Sharpe Sr. in 1963 in the basement of their home in St. Louis. Operating as Robert F. Sharpe and Company, we were the first business to provide gift planning counsel exclusively to charities and nonprofit organizations. In 1967 Jane and Bob Sr. moved their family to …Read More
ACGA Announces New Suggested Charitable Gift Annuity Rates for 2020
The American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA) recently announced new suggested maximum charitable gift annuity rates, effective January 1, 2020. The recommended payout rates have generally been lowered by 0.3 to 0.5 percentage points, based on the donor’s age. This translates to a very slight reduction in the overall payment amount. Below are the new …Read More
Sharpe Group Welcomes New Team Members
Sharpe Group is pleased to announce two new members of the Sharpe Group team. Tom Grimm will serve as a Senior Consultant in the expansion of our Nashville-area office, and Bob Mims will join the Memphis office as CFO and Senior Consultant. A native of Kentucky and a graduate of the University of Mississippi, Tom …Read More
Message From Sharpe Group Chairman and CEO
As we move into the next decade you will see the results of how those of us at Sharpe Group have been challenging ourselves to best serve our clients. Sharpe envisions a new data-driven decade—a major evolution that will enhance opportunities to attract major, blended and planned gifts. Our purpose is to enable our clients …Read More
Seven Steps to a Successful Donor Visit
Every fundraiser knows that building relationships of trust and respect with donors is one of the most important parts of the job. While meeting with every donor in person would be ideal, budget and time constraints can make doing so impossible. Instead, make a prioritized list of donors you think you will be able to …Read More