Thank you to everyone who came out today to our 2016 Fall Conference!
APRA North Texas 2016 Fall Conference
Family Foundations: Part 2
Elisa Shoenberger shared part 2 of her original family foundations article.
What Happens When a Public University Lands Game Changing Gifts?
The debate over whether massive gifts to higher education institutions are immoral or a waste of money, but Inside Philanthropy looks at how these sorts of gifts impact universities.
Donor-Advised Funds Reshape the Philanthropy Landscape
Subscriber-only content.
3 Tips for Identifying Planned Giving Donors
Good prospect research 101 tips.
50 Companies to Watch in 2017
As Jen Filla said, "This list was so much fun I almost thought it was a scam site!" Even if the formatting is reminiscent of a Bloomberg terminal, I appreciate having everything on one page.
What's It Like To Be Rich? Ask The People Who Manage Billionaires' Money
Thanks to Anna Liisa for sharing this story!
Have you checked out the #BigBetPhilanthropy hashtag?
Thanks to Elizabeth Roma and Rachel Dakarian for sharing this!
LinkedIn takes on Glassdoor and Comparably with salary comparison tool
Lori Hood Lawson shared the link to this great tidbit.
Why People Give To Charity, And Why They Don’t
"The pleasures of giving engage our sense of what a good life is, who we are, what we care about and what we don’t."
THE PAC SERIES – CAPACITY: Does Your Prospect “Have” What It Takes to Be a Major Gift Prospect?
Part three of iWave's PAC series.
Family Offices & Prospects
APRA Upstate NY shared this gem from Elizabeth Roma.
How FindAGrave Could – and Should – Be Made Better
I will admit to not being terribly familiar with FindAGrave, and especially how they work, but was a very enlightening piece.
Billionaire Lists Are Battling to Feed a Hunger for Rankings
Thanks to Anna-Liisa for sharing a link to Helen Brown's tweet about this New York Times story.
CBRE: Why construction in DFW has hit a 5-year high
Subscriber content
Women are changing face of philanthropy
This was a great piece from the Cleveland Jewish News.
Dallas-area in top five for nationwide home price gains
Philanthropic Solutions for Individuals
Thanks to Lori Hood Lawson for sharing the link to this philanthropy report.
Prospect Research Resources
Helen Brown reminded us all of the curated collection of links and resources on their site.
Does Philanthrocapitalism Make the Rich Richer and the Poor Poorer?
Thanks to Elizabeth Roma for this link!
Are the lives of the 1 percent less lavish than we think?
Cecilia Hogan shared this good reminder about who the 1% actually are.
Expanding Your Prospect Research Horizons
Helen Brown shared some good tips on getting started in prospect research.
Prospect Research Monthly Review – October 2016
Finally, did you know we were quoted in the Prospect Research Institute's Monthly Review?
The ‘House of Cards’ Guide to Prospect Research
Some interesting and well thought-out comparisons between our profession and House of Cards.
The rich aren't getting richer these days
Insights and takeaways from a new report from UBS and PwC. The Dallas Morning news also referenced the same report with a local take: With the status of billionaires fleeting, can D-FW's richest residents hang on?
Best Practices for Data Storage and Collection
"Given the inclination to store as much data as possible, it’s sometimes more helpful to ask the question, 'What data should I not store?'"
What the “L” are you doing? Leading with Analytics, of course!
This is a great article from Stephen Lambert about the importance of analytics. His point that "Yes, all of your prospective donors are in databases other than yours!" highlights the importance of finding those prospects.
4 Things Every Woman Should Know to Get to the C-Suite
Thanks to the Prospect Research Institute for sharing this #gogirlresearch link!
University Trust Lets Donors Do the Grant Making
"You know where your money is going, and you have a voice in the outcome, although not necessarily control," he says. "You actually get to see how the capital makes its impact."
Towers of Secrecy: Piercing the Shell Companies
Thanks to Rachel Dakarian for sharing this link to a series of articles from the New York Times.
The New Age of Philanthropists and Mega-Gifts
The pace of mega-gifts is astounding.
The Top 10 Most Powerful People in the Art World
The Office Candy Dish
Helen Brown shares a tip to entice your fundraisers to stop by your office. I wish this idea would work for me. In addition to not being in the same buildings as my officers, I would have zero willpower to not eat all of the candy myself!
THE PAC SERIES – AFFINITY: Finding the Major Gift Donor of Your Dreams
The second article in iWave's, Propensity-Affinity-Capacity (PAC) series.
Questions and Answers About Trusts
Thanks to Rachel Dakarian for sharing this "ridiculously helpful" document!
A Career Born From a Popsicle Stand
Helen Brown and the Helen Brown Group had a nice write-up where she also shared some of her top tips.
These Are America's 10 Most Generous Philanthropists
Capital campaigns require research, planning
This piece from the Tallahassee Democrat does a great job of outlining the work that goes into planning a campaign.
Luxury VIP jets: How the super-rich fly
I was familiar with companies like Gulfstream and Bombardier, but these are another level entirely.
Warning! Anyone Can Do Analytics
Jen Filla shared this inspiring story from her visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art last month.
A generational shift is about to alter the landscape of North Texas small business
‘Tis The Season (For Political Giving Research)
My colleague and I were just discussing this morning the nuances of rating someone based on their political giving. This is a very timely article from Lori Hood Lawson.
If you have an idea rattling around in your head that you think you'd like to share with our larger community, consider submitting a proposal for Prospect Development 2017!
Submissions are due on Friday, October 14 so don't delay!
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Dear Analyst 7: Overwhelmed!
Great tips on convincing gift officers that they don't need all available information for an initial visit.
Confessions of a failed major gift officer
Thanks to Liz Rejman for sharing this link!
What will it cost you to rent a Dallas-area apartment? More than it ever has
It can be tricky to assign a capacity rating to a renter. Be sure you're aware of what the market looks like.
Four Smart Ways to Avoid Burnout for Nonprofit Professionals
"Overworking will not only steal your clarity but ultimately zap your energy." Amen.
The Reason So Many Analytics Efforts Fall Short
Important things to keep in mind as you are developing analytics programs.
Kalamazoo Asks the Rich for Donations Instead of Hiking Taxes
This is a fascinating idea.
Two Generations Of Givers: How The Simons Family Passed On The Philanthropy Gene
Family wealth and philanthropy is only growing in importance. Are you paying attention to the younger generation?
10 things to look for doing prospect research
APRA Metro DC shared this great Prospect Research 101 article from 2014.
Time Management in Practice
Kenny Tavares shares some good tips and techniques related to time management. I personally use the Pomodoro Technique to remind me to break up my work and take breaks.
The Rich Are Also Different From One Another
Interesting findings from a longer academic paper if you're interested in diving in further.
State of Luxury: California Dominates List of Counties With Most Expensive Real Estate
How Analytics tools are shaping the growth story across industries
Truer words have never been spoken: "If there’s one thing that businesses across all industries have in common today, it’s in their increased adoption of data to shape business decisions."
Donor Non Grata: When a Philanthropist and His Money Turn Radioactive
Hopefully none of us are ever in one of these situations.
Pinching Pennies in the Hedge-Fund Capital of America
Pieces like this offer valuable insights into nuances of local markets.
How to Perform Fundraising Data Analytics From Scratch
This is a great piece from Emily Davis!
How Did This Huge Gift Break Three of Art Philanthropy's Most Basic Rules?
You never know where gifts will come from!
Collectivizing Cash To Let More People Into The High-Value Philanthropy Club
I wasn't familiar with the Maverick Collective, but I want to learn more about it.
University to buy $1 million football scoreboard with thrifty librarian’s money, outraging critics
Whether Mr. Morin would have approved of the expense, this is one of the risks with undesignated funds.
Motivations of Leaders: Thomas Turner
An interview with Thomas Turner, Director, Research and Prospect Management at International Justice Mission.
Everybody Thinks They're Middle-Class
"People think they are middle-class, whether they make $22k or $200k."
The Whole Wide World
"I needed to acknowledge something I never thought much about in prospect research: my own cultural bias and privilege." Thanks to Jen Filla for sharing this piece by Sarah Bernstein.
Oil and gas companies still ‘bullish’ about prices
Learning the lessons of philanthropy in the Lauder family
Great example of family philanthropy.
A Rising Force: On the State of Black Philanthropy
"One point that the trio stressed is that the story of black philanthropy isn't just about a wealthy elite, but the masses of people committed to giving back whatever they can."
Faces of Generosity, Part 1—Revisiting the Major Donor List
This article highlights the importance of women in philanthropy.
Can You Trust Gift Capacity Ratings? 5 Things Fundraisers Should Know
Great information as always from Jen Filla.
THE PAC SERIES Introduction: What is Propensity, Affinity, and Capacity?
Easy-to-understand research 101 article from iWave.
That $100,000 Painting Bought to Flip Is Now Worth About $20,000
Good information to be aware of: "At auction houses in London and New York, sellers are preparing to bail on their investments after the emerging-art bubble burst and the resale market for once sought-after artists dried up."
Make Six Figures? There's a Decent Chance You've Got Almost Nothing in the Bank
These statistics are pretty sobering.
Want to become a millionaire? Report reveals what to study in order to make it
Unfortunately, theatrical production doesn't seem to be on the list!
How best to financially future-proof your children
This is from a UK perspective, but worth looking at.
Wall Street’s 0.01%: The Guru Who Only Talks to Hedge-Fund Elite
Thanks to Rachel Dakarian for the link!
How Women Won a Leading Role in China's Venture Capital Industry
Study: Whopping 93% Say They're More Productive Working Remotely
It will be interesting to see how our employers start to react to this trend. I know Helen Brown wrote about this over the summer.
Interviewing Venture Capital and Private Equity Professionals
Speaking of the Helen Brown Group, here's another terrific piece on venture capital and private equity as they relate to philanthropy.
Prospect Research in Canada: An Essential Guide for Researchers and Fundraisers
Liz Rejman shared the link to this book that she edited with Tracey Church.
Best Practices for Researching and Qualifying Parents as Major Gift Prospects
Thanks to APRA Upstate NY for the link!
The Growing Influence of Latino Executives in Dallas-Fort Worth
"There are more than 70,000 Latino-owned businesses in North Texas, and they generate an estimated $10.7 billion in annual revenue, according to New York-based Stout Risius Ross Inc."
Property post-Brexit is safe as houses for overseas investors
"The reality is that the UK still presents a safe haven for overseas property investors, and one that is now more attractive than before."
On Philanthropy: Rethinking and revising the “Donor Bill of Rights”
Interesting new list of 10 "strategic partnership principles."
Preparing for Tomorrow: A Report on Family Wealth Transfer
Is your organization prepared for the coming wealth transfer?
A Beginner’s Guide To Yacht Exploration
A look inside a world few of us will ever have the chance to experience.
Does Legal Status Matter? The debate over philanthropic LLCs
This has come up in public debate with Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's decision to use an LLC for their philanthropic giving.
The face of philanthropy: Zuckerberg sells another $95M in shares
Speaking of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Holdings...
Family offices reduce hedge funds, include more impact investing as succession becomes greater challenge
Thanks to Jed Emerson for the link.
Family Offices and Investing for Impact
Thanks to Lori Hood Lawson for linking to this report from the US SIF Foundation.
Faith Matters: The Role Of Faith, Religion In Philanthropy
A conversation from WJCT public broadcasting station in Jacksonville, FL.
Dept. Of Confusing Data: If You Build It, They Will Come (But Donations Will Drop)
In can seem counter-intuitive to say that the better your even is attended, the less money it will raise, but the reasoning is interesting.
It's gratifying to talk about philanthropy with another donor
"Why is it that the donor, who should be an expert on giving, knows less about it than the nonprofits in search of donors?"
Celebrities And Billionaires Talk Innovative Giving At UBS's First US Philanthropy Conference
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