Sharpe Insights Articles

We are often asked by our clients which channel (print or digital) is the most effective way to identify and attract planned giving donors. Let’s answer that question with a question: Who remembers the Saturday Night Live “New Shimmer” skit with Chevy Chase? Is it a floor wax? Is it a dessert topping? It’s both! …Read More

According to an article published recently in The Wall Street Journal, Fidelity Investments, a popular IRA administrator, predicts that their clients’ required minimum distributions (RMDs) could hit $25 billion this year. Annual RMDs are calculated by taking the IRA account balance on Dec. 31 of the previous year and dividing it by the owner’s life …Read More

You Are Doing Everything Right, But … As planned gift fundraisers trying to meet or exceed goals, the focus is often on securing gift intentions. But that’s just part of your role. An important and challenging duty is bringing your donor’s intentions to actuality when they have passed away so their legacy gift objectives can …Read More

…And Many, Many More We hope you have enjoyed a glimpse of Sharpe Group milestones as much as we have. From our founding in 1963 to today, those of us at Sharpe are grateful and honored to serve the nonprofit community. Did we miss one of your favorite memories? If so, we’d love to hear …Read More

While sometimes it’s tempting to create brand-new resolutions at the beginning of the New Year, most of the time it’s best to resolve to improve on a practice or habit you already have in place. For 2024, our recommendation is to make your planned giving website the best it can be. Here are some simple …Read More

As someone who loves to cook, I often spend hours trying a new recipe. The time spent in the kitchen is well worth it because of my enjoyment of not only the process but also the outcome. There are instances, however, when I either don’t have the time or the expertise to produce a certain …Read More

Why do people give? When do people give? We can talk about the stock market, tax rates, various giving vehicles, but the answer is … People give because they are asked. Relationship building is one of the best aspects of a fundraiser’s job. Keeping up with your donors and their passions is at the heart …Read More

Origin Story The original use of the term “blended gifts” can be found in a presentation Robert Sharpe Jr. made at the Partners in Philanthropic Giving national conference in Anaheim in 1995. As the focal point of the presentation entitled “How Will the Baby Boomers Boom?”, he noted that the first baby boomers were approaching …Read More

A few weeks ago, I had a very interesting interaction outside of work that reinforces Sharpe Group’s philosophy of the importance of relationship building with long-term donors. After learning how we work closely with nonprofit organizations, my new acquaintance explained that she recently had an unpleasant experience with one of her favorite charities. She was …Read More

Planned Gift Defined: planned gift /’plænd gift/ n. A planned gift is any gift of any kind for any amount given for any purpose—operations, capital expansion or endowment—whether given currently or deferred, if the assistance of a professional staff person, qualified volunteer or the donor’s advisors is necessary to complete the gift. In addition, it …Read More