Tag Archives: philanthropy

The Value Of A Croissant

The basic Chinese character for prosperity
I recently bought breakfast pastries to bring to a client. I planned to cut them up and leave them in the office kitchen for people to munch.

When I got on my subway, an unfortunate man asked me if I have anything he could eat. I looked at my client pastry bag. I gave it to him, recognizing it means a lot more to him than it would to my clients–and me and everyone I know.

He smelled the sweet treats then started eating. This was quite a special breakfast for him, I presume.

It’s hard to remain conscious of the abundance I have and how much a minuscule fraction of it would mean to so many who are in need.

I gave the gentleman a few napkins I carry for when I’m caught short. I wanted him to enjoy his exceptional subway breakfast with the dignity that comes from not having to use his sleeve.

How special the savory almond and bittersweet chocolate croissants must have been for him. When he finished his treats he turned over his shoulder and gave me a thumbs up. I gave him an understanding wink.

Having so much, it’s easy to forget that what I take for granted would mean so, so much to someone with much less. Someone who may well be helped by the charity community I try to help.

It’s very hard to remain conscious of my abundance. I’m working on it.

Perseverance

I walked the Tunnel To Towers 5K this Sunday and a man I saw so moved me that this post jumps to the top of my queue.

I don’t know his name. He’s a soldier or marine who lost 3 limbs in one of our wars. He walked the 5K. With awe-inspiring perseverance, very slowly and followed by his wheel chair, which he did not need.

Watching him gave me goose bumps.

This unnamed warrior is a reminder of the value of perseverance. I think it’s vastly underrated.

Perseverance should be part of every job description and performance review. It belongs in marriage vows and oaths of office, from soldier to civil servant to supreme commander-in-chief.

It is critical if you work in or around nonprofits. Generally, staffing is lean; regulation is thick; oversight is uninformed; and bureaucracy is maddening, even absurd. Yet the money must get raised; forms filed; overseers mollified; personalities assuaged; and the important work accomplished for the good of those you serve.

(I see no better realm in which perseverance must prevail, very often over logic and rationality, than my state charity registration work. That discussion is for another day.)

I wish you could have seen this man sweat and struggle at each short, tentative, unsteady step. You may have seen him on TV.

He is remarkable.

In his honor, persevere.

Nonprofit Radio for September 28, 2012: The Law Of Attraction & Private Benefits: Not Dirty, But Bad

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

Listen live or archive:

Tony’s Guests:

Melanie Schnoll Begun

Melanie Schnoll Begun: The Law Of Attraction

To attract major gift prospects and potential board members, you have to put your best foot forward to get what you’re seeking. Melanie Schnoll Begun is managing director at Morgan Stanley private wealth management. She helps her ultra high net worth clients make charitable gifts and get on boards, but she has practical and valuable advice that applies to any charity soliciting a major gift or recruiting a board member. (Originally aired on April 20, 2012.)

Emily Chan
Emily Chan: Private Benefits: Not Dirty, But Bad

Rules against private inurement, excess benefit transactions and private benefit (don’t think “friend with benefits”), keep your charity operating for the public good. Emily Chan, from the Nonprofit & Exempt Organizations Law Group, is our monthly legal contributor and she’ll explain the rules.

 
 


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

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Here is the link to the audio podcast: 111: The Law Of Attraction & Private Benefits: Not Dirty, But Bad. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get it automatically.
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Nonprofit Radio for September 21, 2012: Abbondanza Alliances & Claire’s Cliches

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

Listen live or archive:

Tony’s Guests:

Rosanna Imbriano
Rosanna Imbriano: Abbondanza Alliances

Rosanna Imbriano–a true Italian–and principal of RI Consulting, encourages you to secure strategic alliances that expand your marketing and save your marketing budget–because they cost you nothing.

This segment with Rosanna has a survey. Please take a moment to answer three quick questions. You’ll find it below. Thank you! If you could also share it with other nonprofit professionals, I would appreciate it.
 

Claire Meyerhoff
Claire Meyerhoff: Claire’s Cliches

Claire Meyerhoff returns. She’s principal of The Planned Giving Agency and creative producer of Nonprofit Radio. This week she’s got cliches aplenty for you to avoid and simpler words to replace them with. The show’s Jargon Jail is sure to suffer overcrowding.

 
 

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Here is a link to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZK698ZR


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

Sign-up for show alerts!

Here is the audio podcast link to this episode: 110: Abbondanza Alliances and Claires Cliches. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get it automatically.
View Full Transcript

7 Tips for Small-Shop Planned Giving

Claire turning the tables and interviewing me at last year’s National Conference on Philanthropic Planning!
These ideas come from my interview of Claire Meyerhoff, principal of The Planned Giving Agency, who turned the tables and interviewed me. It played on last week’s Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio and it’s embedded below.

Here’s the executive summary:

 1. You don’t have to be big to do Planned Giving. Dismiss the idea that only big charities with lots of expertise can have a Planned Giving program. It’s not true.

If you’ve been around for at least 5 years and have individual donors over age 60, you’re ready.

 2. Make your message about the donor. Keep your copy free of fundraiser jargon. Here’s your test: would your dad and grandmother get it?

 3. Start simple. Bequests in a will and naming your charity as a beneficiary on life insurance, IRAs and pension plans are easy to promote and easy for your donors to execute. No expertise required.

 4. Say “Thank you.” When you learn of a gift, don’t let your first thank you be the last. A small recognition society is an ideal way to keep donors engaged and regularly express gratitude. You do this for donors who make outright gifts. Your deferred gift donors deserve the same.
 
Give your society a name that’s unique to your organization. Avoid “legacy circle” and “heritage society.” They’re ubiquitous.

 5. Talk about something new. Inaugurating your Planned Giving program is newsworthy. Creating your recognition society is newsworthy. The mere fact of your existence and hard work isn’t enough to get attention. What’s new?!

 6. Ask. If you’re not asking for gifts, you’re leaving money on the table. If planned gifts come in without asking, you’ll get even more when you start asking.

 7. Talk about the impact. Tell us what a bequest will do for your charity. Provide food or clean water? Rescue a cat? Save lives by investigating human rights abuses?

There’s a lot more on this subject in my series for GuideStar, “Make 2010 The Year YOU Start Planned Giving.” It remains timely in 2012.

Here’s the video of my interview with Claire.