Update: Get a Free Webinar, Magazine Article, Poll Results

I want to update you about three posts I recently published. In addition, for National Child Abuse Prevention Month, I wish to draw your attention to one of my older posts that will help you keep the children you love safe.

Free Webinar:

Did you miss it? Recently, I presented a webinar for SEI Investments Management Corporation: “Investing in Your Future: Practical Strategies for Growing Your Planned Giving Program.” If you missed the program or wish you could share it with colleagues, I have some good news for you. The webinar is now available for free download by clicking here.

In just 30 minutes, you’ll learn:

• 8 reasons you should be a planned giving “opportunist”
• Why you should invest more in planned giving instead of current giving
• 5 Tips to boost your planned giving results immediately

In addition to the webinar itself, you’ll also be able to download additional resource materials including a list of 20 factoids about planned giving, a planned giving potential calculator, an executive summary of recent research findings from Dr. Russell James’ report “Cash is Not King in Fundraising,” and a digital copy of Dr. James’ book Visual Planned Giving: An Introduction to the Law & Taxation of Charitable Gift Planning.

Advancing Philanthropy Article:

Have you read my recent article published in Advancing Philanthropy, the Association of Fundraising Professionals magazine? “To Sir/Madam, With Love” shares stories from a number of fundraisers about their favorite teachers. Great teachers:

• help us develop broad skills such as critical thinking,
• help us develop specific skills such as how to write an effective appeal letter,
• inspire us,
• encourage us,
• move us to think beyond ourselves and better understand others,
• open our minds to lifelong learning,
• motivate us to giveback by sharing our own knowledge.

After downloading the free article by clicking here, check-out my recent post that will give you tips that will help you find excellent teachers who can help you enhance your skills and inspire you: “Are You Really Just a Fundraising Amateur?”

Poll Results — Presidential Candidate Philanthropy:

Are You Really Just a Fundraising Amateur?

We are all amateurs.

In my April 2019 article for Advancing Philanthropy, the Association of Fundraising Professionals magazine, I explain it this way:

In the film ‘Limelight’ (1952), Charlie Chaplin’s character says, ‘That’s all any of us are: amateurs. We don’t live long enough to be anything else.’ In other words, we will never know everything we need to know. All we can do is continue to learn and, perhaps, share what we know with others, inspiring them as we have been inspired.”

Let’s review the way good teachers shape our lives, and consider some tips for how to find true experts to learn from rather than mere wannabes.

Teachers shape our lives and help make us into the people we are. Take a moment and think about the affect your parents have had on you. Consider the lessons you’ve learned from religious leaders, schoolteachers, job supervisors, and others. Some people have taught us valuable skills, some have inspired us, some have taught us right from wrong.

In my Advancing Philanthropy article and the sidebar, you’ll read about how teachers have affected the lives of seven fundraising professionals, some you’ll likely know:

• Teachers help us develop broad skills such as critical thinking.
• Teachers help us develop specific skills such as how to write an effective appeal letter.
• Teachers inspire us.
• Teachers encourage us.
• Teachers move us to think beyond ourselves and better understand others.
• Teachers open our minds to lifelong learning.
• Teachers motivate us to give-back by sharing our own knowledge.

Just as good teachers have helped us become the people we are today, teachers will help us continue to grow and become the people we want to be tomorrow. However, for that to occur, two things must happen: 1) we need to remain open-minded and intellectually hungry; and 2) we need to seek out good teachers who have something legitimate to offer.

Today, with the proliferation of available books and educational presentations dealing with nonprofit management and fundraising, it can be a challenge to distinguish between the true experts and the pretenders. Here are some tips to help guide you: