by Dawn Franks | Apr 12, 2017 | Dawn's Blogs, Donors, Family, Giving, Nonprofits
How “anonymous” is an anonymous gift? A good place to start is what it means to you. Is it not being noticed for specific actions or gifts you made? Is it being known by a few but not the many? Is it making a gift or doing something that is unremarkable or...
by Dawn Franks | Mar 21, 2017 | Dawn's Blogs, Donors, Giving
I love the colors of early spring. They make me happy, lift my spirits and make me want to share my happiness. Here’s how you can be happy, experiencing pleasure and contentment. Warning donors, it requires spending. It requires giving of and beyond ourselves. If you...
by Dawn Franks | Mar 6, 2017 | Dawn's Blogs, Donors, Nonprofits
News flash: Nonprofit organizations seldom have concrete goals, measurable outcomes or a precise strategic plan which can be relied upon by the donor to make safe, highly impactful and targeted gifts. Only the tiniest percentage of donors can be sure their charitable...
by Dawn Franks | Feb 21, 2017 | Dawn's Blogs, Donors, Giving, Nonprofits
When does a question matter? Of course, that leads to what questions matter and to whom do they matter? Recently, I had the opportunity to help a donor think through the critical questions that needed to be answered by a nonprofit organization in hopes of a...
by Dawn Franks | Feb 7, 2017 | Dawn's Blogs, Donors, Family, Giving
Pockets carry what we care about, cash, change, credit cards, keys and cell phones. Pockets are hiding spots for nervous hands, little boy’s rocks and Littlest Pet Shop pets. As a child, my brother carried rocks in his pockets and my granddaughter today carries...
by Dawn Franks | Jan 24, 2017 | Dawn's Blogs, Donors, Family, Giving, Nonprofits
In the early eighties, as a very young nonprofit executive director, I experienced the impact of political change or rather the impact of the predictions of change. President Reagan was inaugurated in 1981. Tax reform winds were blowing strong. It took until 1986 for...