Sharpe Insights Articles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Professor Christopher P. Woehrle, JD, LLM The spirit of Occam’s razor1 should drive gift options which benefit both charity and the donor. To relate to the context of gift planning, the complexity of a gift should not be increased without necessity driven by donor needs. Over the years I have noted how development professionals …Read More