Every year I dread the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – the day now known as Giving Tuesday.
It’s not that I don’t want to support deserving organizations. Rather, it’s that my inbox and social media feeds are inundated with pleas for assistance. Family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances apply pressure. I’m overwhelmed by the deluge of requests and, more often than not, …
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Tremendous amounts of ink have been spilled over the recent passing of David Koch.
Writers have expressed quite a range of emotion – he has been deified and vilified. But, love him or not, it is undeniable that he believed in the power of private philanthropy. He gave generously to libraries, the arts, public policy organizations, and hospitals. He started …
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Life does not always mimic Robert Frost. We should define ourselves less by our regret over a road not taken, than by those moments along our journey when we were t-boned.
I recognize that time has a way of blurring memories’ edges, and in some cases, obliterating them. Historians spend lifetimes discerning hyperbole, exaggeration, and mistaken identity from so-called reality.…
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I take the “New Year” literally. It’s what decades in the non-profit industry does to a man. To me, the phrase simply means it is no longer the year it was previously. It’s a no-nonsense approach, I realize. For most others New Year’s is a chance to celebrate second chances and explore new opportunities. There is nothing wrong with that.…
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“I got a lot of problems with you people! And now, you’re gonna hear about ‘em.”
And thus begins the traditional Airing of Grievances at the Festivus celebration, a made-up holiday featured in that great sitcom, Seinfeld.
(If you’re already lost or just want a laugh, check out this one-minute video to appreciate the essence of Festivus and the …
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This month’s installment of “Beyond Policy” highlights groups working to build community for liberty-loving Millennials written by Cindy Cerquitella of America’s Future Foundation. You can find the previous segment of this series by Helen Straight here.
I recently had drinks with a friend that works in the State Department. She was brought up to believe in conservative values and carried those with …
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I’m a sucker for jelly beans. Not just any jelly beans, mind you, but for the specific brand Jelly Belly. Throw in black licorice and you have a friend for life. I’ve a colleague who is kind enough to keep a large (and I mean large) jar of such delectables on her desk that is available for “the public good.”…
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Good news! Giving USA’s annual survey of charitable giving in America reports that overall contributions by Americans in 2017 increased by an inflation-adjusted 3%. Individuals, foundations, and corporations donated more than $400 billion into the non-profit sector, the most ever.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy offers a nice synopsis of the survey’s findings, as well as an interesting perspective (and …
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What effects can donors expect to see as a result of December’s massive tax overhaul? Did donors miss out on the best time to give or are there tax-advantaged reasons for giving now? And will it even matter for America’s donors?
DonorsTrust president Lawson Bader joined the Bob Harden Radio Show Thursday for a short but wide-ranging discussion that examines …
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The other day, in correspondence with a colleague, I used the phrase “stumbling to the finish line.” I meant it metaphorically, of course. While I’m no Fred Astaire, I am light on my feet. That being said, the phrase adequately captures my mindset as we near the end of a year that has been a whirlwind.
As a CEO, such …
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