Gifts of stock. There are very few gift vehicles that provide more benefit to the donor. It’s one of my “Big Four” ways of giving donors often forget about. We’ll talk about the other three in another post soon. Gifting stock to a charity allows the donor to claim the full present market value ofContinue reading "How to Value a Gift of Stock"
A Lesson for the Ages
11 years ago Tiger Woods was on top of the world. He was the best golfer of his time. Wealthy beyond imagination. A beautiful wife, homes, boats, friends, you name it. He was also smug, cocky, abrupt and a serial cheater. Then he got his comeuppance. When Tiger would swing a golf club the twisting,Continue reading "A Lesson for the Ages"
Getting Your Heart Broken
I was thinking this past week about the biggest gift I never got. He was a very successful investor and an equally successful philanthropist. What I remember most is that he was a very nice man. He lived on the priciest block of real estate in Chicago. Going to lunch with him was an “invigoratingContinue reading "Getting Your Heart Broken"
What is a Gift?
Has anyone ever asked you what a gift is? One morning I was having breakfast with the late Jimmie Alford who, by the way, was a very nice man. I asked him, "We talk about gifts all the time, but how exactly would you define a gift?" "Rob, that's a very good question, actually. NoContinue reading "What is a Gift?"
The Fundraising Trifecta
I was at a conference and got to know a talented development professional who was new to our field. During a break from the morning session, this young man turned to me and said, “You know, Rob, the very best thing about development is that everybody wins. “The donor wins. “The institution wins. “And theContinue reading "The Fundraising Trifecta"