Sharpe Insights Articles

Memorial gifts are certainly not the latest, hottest giving vehicle in the gift planning world. As a matter of fact, memorial gifts have been around since before the first millennium began. Plato left an endowment of land to perpetuate his school, the Academy, which was named in honor of the Attic hero Academus. Many churches …Read More

This month we bring you a conversation with Aviva Shiff Boedecker, director of gift planning for the Marin Community Foundation in California. As an attorney who has worked in fund development in both the arts and higher education, Ms. Boedecker has a unique professional background and brings special insights to this “Gift Planner Profile.” Give …Read More

Editor’s note: In this issue we introduce “Planning Matters,” a new monthly Give & Take column. This new column will feature a broad range of gift and estate planning topics, including ideas, developments, and tax issues that affect all those involved in charitable gift planning efforts. We trust you will find this and upcoming “Planning …Read More

Editor’s note: This is the final article in a series which began in June 1999 that has focused on a number of common myths regarding planned gift development. Previous articles are available in the Give & Take archives here on this site. A question we commonly hear is the following: “My management and board don’t …Read More

There may be gold in memorabilia Tired of donors trying to give you old stuff they don’t want anymore? Do you wonder if gifts of personal property like art collections and furniture are really worth your time and effort? Don’t rule out gifts of personal property just yet. The “stuff” you receive could be worth …Read More

In last month’s Give & Take, Part I of this article discussed the many advantages of utilizing donor testimonials in your gift planning marketing initiatives. This month, we offer some tips for creating testimonials that effectively tell the stories of particular donors and their gifts. Choosing the donor One of the most important aspects of …Read More

Editor’s note: This month we continue our series on the myths and realities of planned giving with a look at the proposition that in order to be successful a full-time gift planning officer is always essential. Once upon a time, the standard advice given by consultants and others to charitable organizations and institutions interested in …Read More

Shifting views of retirement explored According to a September 1999 survey conducted for Civic Ventures, a nonprofit organization committed to increasing older American’s contributions to society, many of today’s seniors view their retirement years very differently from generations past. The older Americans questioned in the survey were age 50 to 75. Their answers reveal that …Read More

Advertisers have long known the power of positive customer testimonials to attract other consumers and sales. In the commercial context, where “buyer beware” is all too often very good advice, a sincerely-told and uncompensated testimonial can be far more persuasive than the seller’s asking you to purchase its product or service. The use of testimonials …Read More

This month Give & Take talks with George Holloway, president of the National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC). After 28 years with NCDC and over 37 years in the nonprofit world, Mr. Holloway is retiring this year. In this “Gift Planner Profile” he reflects on his long career in fund development. Give & Take: How did …Read More