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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
Sharpe Insights Articles
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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
Timing Is Everything: The Planned Giving Program Audit and Review, Part 2
In Part 1 of this article, we outlined the reasons there has been an increased awareness in estate planning and planned giving and the importance of a planned giving audit for your organization. Here, we will explore how an audit can offer guidance on marketing, donor cultivation and communication and more. Staff considerations. An audit …Read More
The Wild Ride of 2020 Enters the Home Stretch
By Professor Christopher P. Woehrle, J.D., LL.M What a wild ride 2020 has been for our economy and especially investors! As of this writing, the S&P 500 has recovered most of its losses from a peak decline of 30%. The Federal Reserve Board is resolved to keep interest rates near zero for the foreseeable future. …Read More
Survey Results Illustrate the State of Nonprofits Across the Country
Sharpe Group recently conducted an anecdotal survey of nonprofit clients to see how they are faring in the current environment. The questions focused on fundraising and budget impacts and organizational changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sharpe collected responses from 91 organizations with a variety of missions. This survey is not intended as a scientific …Read More
Virtual Staff Training Is Key to Success in Gift Planning
By Grant Miller D’Arcy Steiner is the director of individual giving at World Food Program USA, where she oversees the individual giving team and manages a full portfolio of major gift donors and prospects. In July of this year, D’Arcy and her colleagues attended one of our virtual training events led by John Jensen, a …Read More
“VIRTUAL” So here we are! A Message From the CEO
These days, most of us have adjusted—some of us reluctantly—to working, learning, socializing, worshiping and visiting the doctor virtually. I’ve discovered you can even attend a wine tasting virtually! Even for those of us taking responsibility to help control the spread of COVID-19 and immersing ourselves in a new virtual world, we still may be …Read More
Timing Is Everything: The Planned Giving Program Audit and Review, Part 1
by John Jensen There’s no doubt COVID-19 has had a major impact on nearly every facet of American life; not least of which has been the short- and long-term health of nonprofits. Some are predicting charitable giving will take a downturn in light of economic uncertainty, and many charitable organizations are searching for fundraising strategies …Read More