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News and Notes from the Director – As of March 5, 2018

As of March 5, 2018

I trust that your weather is also turning more pleasant.  We survived a massive windstorm and are headed into spring—saw my first daffodil!

Our thoughts are no doubt focused on the revision of taxes.  We’re fortunate to have a knowledgeable friend who has shared a document on this. Click to view

Many thanks to Phil Purcell, CFRE, MPA/JD
Consultant for Philanthropy, LLC
Adjunct Faculty, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
and Lilly School of Philanthropy
111 Stony Creek Overlook
Noblesville, IN 46060
Cell: 765-730-4321 |Email: pmpurcell@outlook.com

Our friends at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy/The Fund Raising School have started a new service that is exciting.  See the following:

New podcast episode!
First Day Podcast from The Fund Raising School
The Fund Raising School First Day Podcast highlights current news and research. This weekly 10 minute podcast provides fundraisers with the latest information in fundraising and philanthropy. Be more informed and stay up to date with the First Day Podcast. Listen to previous episodes on our website.

Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
University Hall, Suite 3000 301 University Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5146, United States
1-800-962-6692 | philanthropy.iupui.edu

Please Note—especially academy personnel:  The Model for Academy Philanthropy (MAP) and consulting/training for academies in general has been thoroughly updated and revised!  We followed the advice of the current MAP professionals, who came together on February 19 and 20 for discussion and planning, plus updating each other on what’s working and what to fix.  Please check this out on our website!  And please write me or any staff if you have comments or questions.  Many thanks for Mark Lindemann and Lorena Hernandez for all their work in making this meeting successful.

There some new thinking about the traditional capital campaign feasibility studies—check this out and if you don’t get the Chronicle Daily Update, write me. Chronicle of Philanthropy Daily Update, January 10, 2018, Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign? Steps to Take Before Deciding, by Martha Keates.

Want to honor special people who have helped you succeed? As many of you know, PSI offers The Philanthropic Service Awards and Milton Murray Trailblazer awards. Pull these up from our website now and nominate these special people! We look forward to hearing from you.

Finally, one more special item about taxes is attached. Enjoy Spring and stay in touch!

Until next time,

Lilya

Lilya Wagner

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

News and Notes from the Director – As of February 14, 2018

As of February 14, 2018

Happy Valentine’s Day from PSI, whether you’re reading this on the exact day or not.  And since I believe in not just a “birth day,” but extend it to a birth week or even birth month, please accept our best wishes whenever you read these News and Notes!

NEW AND IMPROVED!   Thanks to Charlotte Henderson, PSI’s mentoring program is vastly improved and we hope you will take a look at this exciting revision.  Check this out and take the next step toward even more professional development: Mentoring program

We will keep the upcoming PSI conference front and center for quite a while, to make sure you don’t miss information about this special event.  2018 PSI CONFERENCE ON PHILANTHROPY   June 26-29, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Pier Sixty-Six Resort.  Sponsored by NAD every 3 years.  Learn from top experts at the lowest price!  Network with Adventist professional development officers who have conquered the same challenges you face, and discover tools that make an immediate difference.  Basic Fundraising Techniques will also be taught in Spanish. Free 1 to 1 consulting.  Learn Now, Pay Later.  See separate 1-page ad in this issue for more details.

Event Website: http//psiconference.com

Some interesting new thoughts about capital campaigns and feasibility studies.  See CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY DAILY UPDATE, from January 10, 2018: Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign? Steps to Take Before Deciding, By Martha Keates.

For decades, most nonprofit leaders considering a capital campaign would hire consultants to interview key supporters as a basis for deciding whether to mount what in many cases would be an organization’s most ambitious fundraising drive ever.  If you don’t get this publication, we could share the info with you.  Basically, they present some alternatives to the traditional feasibility study.

Very soon we will have the forms for volunteer service awards given by PSI as well as the Trailblazer award on our website.  Watch for further notice but be thinking about whom to nominate so we have a good slate of nominees.  This is a chance to truly honor some person who has been instrumental in your success, plus honor someone from our own ranks.

There always seems to be some new and innovative way to re-think how we do things, and in the corporate giving realm, that is certainly true.  In a recent issue of Grassroots Fundraising Journal there was excellent information on yet another somewhat-new aspect of corporate giving, “Is Fiscal Sponsorship Right for You?”  If you are interested and don’t get this journal, ask me.

On February 19 and 20 the current MAP academy participants are coming on our site to discuss MAP and how to improve it.  Watch for more information on this very important event.

We say a sad farewell to a most valuable employee, Tandi Perkins.

She has been with PSI for about a year and a half and has been a great asset to all of us.  We wish her the very best as she relocates to work with exciting projects of the Alaska Conference. 

Until next time,

Lilya

Lilya Wagner

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

News and Notes from the Director – as of January 29, 2018

Already the year is zipping by quickly, and I’m sure we’re all thinking, “How am I going to get everything done!”  Please remember that PSI is here for YOU, and check out our myriad of services that might be useful for you. Also, please alert your friends and acquaintances to this News column, which we will publish approximately every two to three weeks, and also peruse our website, which contains many resources.

Taxes are a big issue today. At PSI we’re collecting information and articles that try to enlighten us on this thorny issue.  Write if you need some of the latest materials on taxes, fundraising and nonprofits.

We’re building our “store” of webinars and invite you to check out the ones we have so far. If there is a particular topic you would like to have us cover, let us know. We will have “live” webinars in 2018, the first one being non-philanthropic income such as in-kind gifts, and the second one about donor-advised funds. Watch for further notices. And don’t forget the course that PSI has on the Adventist Learning Community website, https://www.adventistlearningcommunity.com/courses/32.

The December 5, 2017 Daily Update of the Chronicle of Philanthropy contained this article—”Donor States of America:  First-of-its-kind demographic analysis of giving dispels myths and reveals surprises.” If you don’t have access to this article, write me and we’ll share it with you.

And we will continue to keep our upcoming PSI conference front and center so that you can plan to attend. Randy Fox and PSI staff as well as the steering committee are working hard to make this the best-ever conference for you. Soon we will post the forms for the traditional PSI awards and scholarship applications.

The higher education senior professionals. Unfortunately Tami Condon and Troy Patzer had to leave a bit early.

At times PSI convenes meetings of representatives from sub-sectors of PSI’s constituents. This week the senior professionals working in higher education in the NAD gathered on the Union College campus and had two days of guided discussion as well as interaction with each other. At the meeting were LuAnn Davis of UC, Troy Patzer representing WWU, Carolyn Hamilton from SAU, David Faehner from AU, Tanya Sweeny from WAU, Carol Bradfield from ADU, David Colwell representing LLU, and Tami Condon from SWAU.  Many thanks to LuAnn and Union College for hosting this event, and thanks to PSI staff Tandi Perkins and Randy Fox for helping prepare for it.  Special guests were Andrea Ahrens from Christian Record Services for the Blind and John Huynh from Cal Poly in Pomona.

In the next month we will convene those academies’ representatives who are in PSI’s MAP program. Let us know if you have any special needs.

As always, wishing you the best!!  Lilya

Lilya Wagner

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

January 1, 2018

As of January 1, 2018

As we begin a new calendar year, we at PSI wish you the best for you personally and in your significant work for each of your organizations. Please remember our sole purpose for existing is to assist you and help you do your work in the best way possible.

Just a reminder that I share news and information with you every two or three weeks, and I look for the latest in resources as well as answers to questions we receive from the field. This time I’m featuring some new and very helpful books.

For those of you in healthcare fundraising, or if you know someone in healthcare, you may be interested in a new book by Betsy Chapin Taylor, a renowned authority on healthcare philanthropy.  She edited an excellent volume published by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, Transforming Health Care Philanthropy. She has brought together authors who wrote about “grateful engagement,” using metrics, major gifts as art and science, and other relevant and current topics.

For those of you interested in global philanthropy, here’s a suggestion. Based upon the survey results of 4,150 donors worldwide, the 2017 Global Trends in Giving Report is unique in that it is the only annual research project dedicated to studying how donors worldwide prefer to give and engage with their favorite their favorite causes and charitable organizations.

Download the Report:
http://givingreport.ngo

All of us will be interested in a new book about congregational giving in North America.  Dr. Bill Enright is the author of Kitchen Table Giving: Reimagining How Congregations Connect with their Donors. A retired pastor, he is the Emeritus Founding Executive Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University (2004-2015.) A Director of the Lilly Endowment, he has served on the board of numerous nonprofits and faith-based organizations.

And of course we refer you to the latest issue of the AFP journal, Advancing Philanthropy, which focuses on ethics, regulation, and how to approach these serious issues professionally. The entire issue is well worth reading!  If you don’t get this journal, perhaps we can help you with specific articles that interest you. Here are some exceptional titles:

  • Rules Were Made to Be Followed
  • Ethics:  Everybody’s Business
  • An Illustrated Guide to Ethical Problems
  • What We Need is T-r-u-s-t
  • How to Approach Donors to Give Monthly, the Ethical Way
  • It’s the Ethical Thing to Do
  • Education, Regulation and the New York State Charities Bureau
  • The Ethics of Overhead
  • Weaving Ethics Into Your Professional Life
  • The Role of Leader:  The “Marriage” of Diversity and Ethics (by Lilya Wagner and Birgit Burton)

We repeat, PSI is here to make your professional life easier and better, and we will do all that’s possible to serve YOU and your organizations! Greetings from COLD Maryland!!

Lilya Wagner

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

November 30, 2017

As of November 30, 2017

Just finished speaking at a fundraising professionals conference in North Carolina and during the lunch period a senior VP from a university updated us about tax issues. These are complicated and at times alarming issues for us, so it behooves us to be aware and knowledgeable, and maybe even take appropriate action within our professional associations. Here is the latest information from our collegial groups:

CASE—http://www.case.org/Public_Policy/United_States/CASE_Advocacy_Action_Center.html

AFP—http://www.afpnet.org/files/email/LegislativeAlert2017Nov10.html

INDEPENDENT SECTOR—http://independentsector.org/

http://blog.christianleadershipalliance.org/2017/10/04/urgent-update-tax-reform-national-christian-foundation/

No doubt some other resources are also available.  Let us know if you have information or questions. And let’s hope for the best as it pertains to our causes and important work.

Don’t forget the valuable information from a leading “watchdog” organization—even if most NAD organizations don’t see the need for this approval process, at the least we should be aware of the requirements for approval by this entity. The website is www.give.org and here is the masthead.

Do you need help in planning for your fundraising program, or perhaps have a form of guidelines that will alert you to steps to take?  Of course, contact PSI for assistance and materials, but also remember that we have a couple of planning and tracking forms designed particularly for academy fundraising and also a more general one for use by any organization.  Check with me at lilyawagner@nadadventist.org.

Giving USA issued a special report on religious giving.  If you don’t have this, we can share some highlights with you.

Also, a really significant article appeared in the daily updates from the Chronicle of Philanthropy.  Again, if you don’t receive this, we can give you the highlights or perhaps you can pull it up:

CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY DAILY UPDATE
NOVEMBER 13, 2017
Donors Say They Don’t Give More Because of Money Constraints and Lack of Nonprofit Transparency

By Timothy Sandoval

Watch for PSI’s holiday greetings!  Until next time, and please contact any of us at any time if we can be of assistance.

Lilya Wagner

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

November 8, 2017

News and Notes from the DirectorIt’s time to plan year-end appeals.  Contact us if you need some ideas or information.

Congratulations to Janel Ware of Shenandoah Valley Academy!  She received her Certificate in Fund Raising Management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at a recent course taught in DC!   It was also a pleasure to have Miriam Battles from Oakwood University in the group!  Also pictured is Dr. Gene Tempel, founding dean of the School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also congratulations to the Advancement office of Walla Walla University, led by Jodi Wagner.  They received recognition for overall performance by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).  This is a stellar achievement and we’re pleased to know one of our ranks was honored.  See the list here.

A really important item of information for anyone who is doing fundraising appeared in a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy Daily Update, Oct. 26, 2017, “The Best Research Available for Fundraisers:  A Roundup.” We base our services on both best practices and research on what works, and many of you will be interested, I’m sure, in seeing the sources of the research. If you don’t get the Chronicle, write me and I’ll send you the article.

A yearly highlight for PSI is the President’s Dinner, and it was held in the new NAD building this year, during year-end meetings (see photos on Events page on our website). Our sincere thanks to Dr. Amir Pasic, current dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, who gave an excellent keynote address. We appreciate those who attended this special event and have shown interest and support of PSI’s work for NAD constituents.

Coming soon!! Charlotte Henderson is working on a comprehensive mentoring program and it will soon be available! We want to use this “tool” to help new fundraisers, strengthen those who are already in practice, and recruit new individuals to our great profession. We also have information on careers in fundraising—contact me or any PSI staff member if you wish to have information, and be sure to download Your Future in Fundraising, available on our website, or purchase this at low-cost from AdventSource.org.  We always welcome new individuals to this great profession.

Don’t forget that besides personal counsel that PSI provides, we have many resources such as a library and we do grant searches for you.

Until next time! We try to bring you news every two weeks. Apologies that this is late due to my computer locking me out (thanks, Windows 10!) while traveling.

Lilya Wagner

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

October 13, 2017

As promised, here is installment #3 from PSI, catching you up on a few select items about our work and clients, and also updating you on some interesting happenings in the world of philanthropy and fundraising.

The annual tradition of a President’s Dinner is coming soon, on the evening of October 29.  This year’s featured speaker will be the Dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Dr. Amir Pasic.  Our theme is one that concerns all of us who do fundraising—the better the organizational context, the better success we have with fundraising.  We will also feature a short video of leading professionals speaking about this topic and how they have addressed it.  Watch for it on this website after the dinner.  Please urge your Conference and Union presidents to come, along with other leaders with whom you interact.

Coming soon—a survey about how you wish to receive PSI news!  Please fill it out when you receive it so we know how best to serve you!

Remember the Bible text you probably memorized as a child, or at some point in your life you learned this key text… “It’s more blessed to give than to receive!”  Well, we give credence to this thought because we believe in the Bible, but now we also have secular research backing this up!!  If interested, write me at lilyawagner@nadadventist.org and I’ll send you some references you can use.

Academies continue to grow in fundraising and make headway—yes, I’m repeating this sentence from last time, but it’s worth repeating!!  Please remember and also share this information that PSI has many resources that can help, including a new planning form, as well as our handbook, Successful Fundraising, and countless other materials.  We also come on-site to help you!  Share and spread the news that we are ready and able to help academies move ahead!

Here is a sobering bit of news– CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY DAILY UPDATE

OCTOBER 03, 2017 Fewer Americans Find Room in Their Budgets for Charity, Chronicle Data Show.  If you don’t receive the Chronicle, ask us for info about this piece.

Featuring one of PSI’s consultants this month—our special consultants help meet the many and growing requests for PSI’s help, and we’re fortunate to have them on our team for special gigs and assistance.

Dr.  Dennis Carlson is a fundraising and leadership consultant for non-profits, focusing largely on Seventh-day Adventist entities such as local churches.  His experience in philanthropy includes four years as Vice President for Advancement at Walla Walla University and various fundraising initiatives within the church context during his years as a pastor and church leader.  He served as Vice President for Administration in both the Washington and Upper Columbia Conferences and as President of the Minnesota Conference and the Mid-American Union Conference.  He was chair of the board of Philanthropic Services for Institutions (PSI) during his time as Assistant to the President for Administration at the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.  He also served on the Advisory Committee for PSI.  He earned a B.A. in Theology from Columbia Union College (Now Washington Adventist University) and a Master of Divinity degree from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.  He earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Northwest Theological Union.

Lilya WagnerUntil next time!

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

October 2017

As of September 25, 2017

As announced last time, we’re beginning a new Director’s Column this month, and will publish it biweekly, on approximately the 1st and 15th of each month.  We’ll cover PSI news items, feature achievements, alert you to latest “hot buttons,” and share information that might be helpful to you.  As the news tradition puts it…

The Fundraising Fitness Test, spearheaded by Randy Fox with the assistance of our friend Bill Levis, continues to make headway and make waves at the same time.  It’s a great way to be accountable to yourself as well as your team and administrators by understanding what works in your fundraising efforts.  As a spin-off from the Fundraising Effectives Project of the AFP, it’s a tool that crunches the numbers for you.  Take a look now on our website and write RandyFox@nadadventist.org.

PSI was represented at the ASI conference and subsequently assisted several who stopped by our exhibit.  We value the efforts of ASI members and are happy to help them with advice and resources whenever possible.

Academies continue to grow in fundraising and make headway, but at the same time we’re a bit astonished about how many don’t know what PSI services can do for them—and those services range from consulting to our successful MAP program. See below.

Click to view the PSI Education Services Flyer for 2017

Don’t forget that we can advertise jobs and post resumes on PSI’s website—perhaps we can help you, whether an employer or job seeker, make the right match for mutual benefit!

PSI is fortunate to have several professionals assisting us as requests for our services increases constantly.  We’ll periodically feature these consultants, for whom we and many of our clients are grateful.

Derek L. Lane

Mr. Lane is the Principal owner of The Lane Consulting Group, an agency that provides workshops, training, and consulting services for community and faith-based organizations throughout the U.S. Some of his clients include World Vision, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Christian Community Development Association. Specific areas of specialization for churches and faith-based organizations include launching, growing, and funding nonprofits, governance, church growth, stewardship, and community relations. He has launched over a dozen non-profit agencies and secured $20+ million in grants and resources over the past thirty years. He is an ordained minister and graduate of Oakwood University and completed graduate-level work at MS State University in Leadership. He also completed the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute through Sanford University. In 2013 he was selected as a Peer Reviewer for the Standards of Excellence© Institute, and is the membership director for ASI in the Southern Union. He enjoys public speaking, writing and is passionate about helping communities, churches, and nonprofit organizations make an impact where they serve.

Until next time!

 

 

 

lilyawagner@nadadventist.org

Mobile:  317-250-8274

May 2017 – Working with a Board of Directors

Nonprofit World Magazine is a useful, readable, hands-on type of journal and is entirely on-line (See Nonprofit World). According to Jason Chmura, Membership Director: “Nonprofit World Magazine is a “must read” and should be on every nonprofit executive and professional’s desk.The online magazine, published quarterly, provides informative and educational articles on the most pressing, challenging topics in nonprofit leadership and management from leading nonprofit experts. It covers everything from board governance and development to the issues affecting day-to-day operations of a nonprofit like accounting, communications, fundraising, human resource issues and management, volunteer management, branding/marketing, and more. Don’t miss out on what nonprofit industry leaders are discussing. Stay in-the-know with Nonprofit World Magazine.

As you noticed, Nonprofit World is now being published exclusively online. The number of members who were opting out of the print version has continued to grow over the past several years, and – coupled with rising print/shipping costs – we would have been forced to raise prices for print issues beyond what we felt was reasonable or sustainable. By making Nonprofit World an exclusively digital publication, we’ll be able to focus our resources on making the online experience far more enjoyable for everybody which we hope will lead to long-term success. The PDF of the full magazine like the one that you received as an attachment is available by logging on to the Members Only section. We send an email reminder to all members when a new issue is available, but do not include the PDF attachment due to the file size.  If you have suggestions on ways to make Nonprofit World more enjoyable as an exclusively online publication, please let me know. We’re in the process of exploring many different options, and welcome any/all feedback.”

In a recent issue one article in particular by Emily Davis that attracted me was “Does 100% Board Giving Matter?” One of PSI’s constituents had recently asked me that and my own response was, “Of course,” but then I realized that at times Adventist organizations don’t adhere to this mantra or practice, and in this context we must acknowledge that Adventist boards are, in some cases, different from the norm in the nonprofit sector in the U.S. This article gives not just the quick-and-easy answers but also provides the rationale for this practice. For example, “When every single board member gives to the organization, it demonstrates a crucial commitment. Board members must set an example for staff, volunteers, and other donors.” The article goes on to give further reasons why board members need to give and provides concrete suggestions as well.

For further board information, including how to work with Adventist boards which at times really ARE different, contact me, Lilya Wagner.

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