by Andrew Hibel | Jul 16, 2018 | Uncategorized |
Fundraisers nationwide have sounded alarms about how the Trump Administration’s new tax law will affect philanthropic giving. But at least three local experts don’t seem overly concerned. On May 17, a capacity lunchtime crowd attended a panel discussion sponsored jointly by AFP and the Planned Giving Council. The panel answered national speculation that the law’s higher standard deduction will would reduce many taxpayers’ motivation to itemize their taxes, and thereby take away a powerful inducement to charitable giving. The speculation was a launching point for panelists Andrew W. Hibel (Charitable Catalyst and Founder of The Advise Us Foundation), Julie Quinlan Brame (Campaign Consultant, Milwaukee Public Museum) and Kathy Kielar (Senior Director, Major & Planned Gifts at WTTW|WFMT. Chicago). The panelists encouraged the crowd with three main takeaways: For all donors who choose to itemize, the law should have a negligible effect on giving motivation The new law will likely only affect donors of moderate-size gifts because larger donors will likely continue to itemize Because of the tax cut, all donors are likely to have more capacity to give Read the full article...
by Andrew Hibel | Dec 6, 2017 | Uncategorized |
The Advise Us Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that strives to help small and medium-sized charities fulfill their important missions and provide life’s essential needs to those of us in our community who are most at risk. We do so by showing organizations a sustainable pathway for ongoing support. The Advise Us Foundation promotes a more democratic use of sophisticated donor-advised and planned giving tools and offers partnerships with non-profits to work hands-on with them and teach them how to work with these valuable tools. We also offer free educational programs to inform staff and volunteers how they can bring these tools to their own organizations. In addition, Advise Us Foundation works closely with the generous donors inspired by those organizations, helping them design their philanthropy through planned gifts and donor-advised funds. Contact us today to learn how we can partner with your nonprofit to help you reach your...
by Robert Freedman | May 19, 2016 | Charitable Giving, Donor-Advised Funds, Uncategorized |
Your wallet, your heart and your head must all be open when donating to a charity. The first two are easy: you either have the passion and the funds or you don’t. However, the latter requires you to ask yourself five important questions to give wisely to a reputable charity. What truly interests you? A charitable heart can be pulled in many directions but it takes mindfulness to identify the organizations that are most meaningful to you. Take time reading the mission statements and understanding a charity’s goals so that they mirror your unique values, not just a cause that is universally good. Do you want to give to a general fund or a specific program? Like any investment, you want to make sure that your dollars go a long way. Instead of a Return on Investment, concentrate on your ROG, or Return on Giving. Determine “multipliers” for your donation and figure that in the rate of return. For example, a $100 donation to an organization could make your community $200 richer, or a $100 donation could enable volunteerism. A day’s work by a volunteer that would replace professional services charging, say, $50 for eight hours, is a $300 net on your $100 donation. Set goals for the outcomes of your donation and identify charities that give the best ROG. Will your donation be tax deductible? You may also want to take advantage of tax breaks. Part of your research of charities should involve a visit to the IRS website to search its database of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. Keep in mind, this...
