The email was short and said, “If you don’t have this, I wanted to send it to you.” Thirty-plus years of memories raced through my mind when I saw the attached picture. It’s a collection of memories that have not faded with time and are relevant to the work I do every day. Two beautiful, smiling friends joined me in the picture. They aren’t just my friends; they have been philanthropy role m ...[Read More]
How Your Role Models Make You a Greater Philanthropist
How to Prepare for Life’s Untimely Events
While sitting at a stoplight, I answered a phone call expecting one voice but hearing another. The voice I expected was the founder of a family foundation that I had worked with for several years. We had been preparing for a meeting two weeks away. The voice I heard delivered sad news. On the second hole at the golf course with one of his best friends, David (names have been changed to prote ...[Read More]
How to Forge Stronger Relationships with Your Favorite Nonprofits
The world of private philanthropy is often an enigma in the eyes of nonprofit leaders. We create confusion and frustration for nonprofit organizations. We are a puzzle. We speak in riddles and leave breadcrumb trails of paradox. Nonprofit staff spends countless hours in workshops and conferences seeking a better understanding of private foundations and major donors. Perhaps you are familiar with t ...[Read More]
Philanthropy Made Easy… After 40 Years of Lessons Learned!
It started this way, “The questions that loom large as you navigate a college education are: What’s next? What career, what advanced degrees, where to start?” That was the opening paragraph of a very short piece I contributed to my alma mater for A Patriot’s Guide to Success. It was a few paragraphs intended for the freshman class of the University of Texas at Tyler. The small hardback book, chock ...[Read More]
How Family Giving Adds Joy to the Holidays
Will the next generation give as much as their grandparents and parents? And which generation is “the next generation”? Well, of course, the answer is relative. Every generation wonders about the one that follows. Baby Boomers have been wondering about Generation X, and they are now both wondering about the Millennials. Holidays are the perfect time to learn how your children and grandchildren an ...[Read More]
How to Make the Most of Your Time at Fundraising Events
How many special event fundraisers have you attended – this year, last year, the last decade? I’ve been to so many that it would take all the fingers and toes of a roomful of friends to count them all. None stand out; they blend together in my mind. Now before you bale on this post, let me explain. My purpose is not to help the nonprofit be better at their particular br ...[Read More]