Peak 9860

05/13/2026

I’m honored to have had a wonderful conversation with Linda on her podcast, Inspiring Nonprofits.

We had a great conversation about the fundamental steps for Planned Giving, including why it helps 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 while it secures the future for your mission.

We even talk about my soon to be released eBook and offer a significant discount for her viewers.

Check it out! The link is in the comments. While you are there, check out her other shows; she always has great guests.

04/22/2026

This is our Planned Giving message in a nutshell!

You have to tell your story and invite others to join you with a gift through their will — consistency and persistently.

We say 'things will turn out', but no. It's what we do that actually creates the future. Mae Jemison

04/20/2026

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐋𝐏-𝟏 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Yes, as expected, I stopped impulse-eating. And I also stopped impulse-buying and impulse-drinking. Importantly, upon reflection I noticed, 𝐼 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒-𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔. This was really in my face when I did my taxes.

After decades in fundraising, this personal observation sent me down a rabbit hole.

Did you know more than 1 in 8 Americans are now on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro? That is a LOT of donors and potential donors.

These drugs reduce dopamine response and dampen emotional impulse. And we know that most charitable gifts under $100 (the vast majority of all nonprofit donations) are emotion-driven decisions.

Is it possible that a medication taken by tens of millions of Americans is quietly depressing charitable giving?

I believe the answer is 𝙮𝙚𝙨, and I've written about it in the post linked below.

If you work in the philanthropy space, this hypothesis is worth the 3 minutes of your time it will take to read my article.

Whether you agree or not, the conversation needs to happen.

Save this post to come back to it later.

Learn more → https://lnkd.in/e9na59pc

04/18/2026

𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 & 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠

Two things you may not have considered together. But, stick with me, there are some similarities.

1) Dreaded — few people like dandelions in their yard. And, fewer people like to talk about or engage with planned giving.

2) Ignored at your peril — though for very different (opposite) reasons. When you ignore dandelions, they multiply…quickly. When you ignore planned giving it withers…slowly.

3) Focused on the future — Dandelions seem to me to have no purpose other than to multiply; they are focused on securing their future. Planned Giving is also future-focused; each conversation and gift working to secure the future of your mission.

4) Cyclical, but not — at any given time you can see dandelions budding, blooming, seeding, and “maturing” as the photo below shows all in a single group. Planned Giving isn’t the “ultimate” gift, rather it is 𝑨 gift in the natural donor experience. Some will make it early in their life, others near the end, still others will make one and adjust it as time (and knowledge) blooms.

5) Understanding the odds — dandelions sow a lot of seeds but (fortunately) only a few find purchase and take root. Of those, only some will grow to bloom, and of those only some will make it to seed. Planned Giving success requires sharing the opportunity with a lot of people (everyone, really). Only a few who hear will be open and ready at that moment; not everyone who starts the conversation will complete the gift. It reminds of the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1 - 9)

𝐷𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 & 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝐺𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 need attention in your garden 𝚊̲𝚗̲𝚍̲ your philanthropic efforts.

You’re on your own with dandelions, but if you need help with planned giving in your mission, I’m here for that.

04/17/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬…

All things come to an end, even that wonderful cruise.

This got me thinking about “the end,” in terms of Planned Giving. While there might be more than one “end” in the overall process, I’m thinking about 𝑡ℎ𝑒 end. When, generally at the donor’s death, your nonprofit receives the gift planned so long ago.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏…
Or, more specifically, what are your policies and procedures for accepting and processing a matured planned gift?

If you can’t confidently answer that question, you’re not alone. And, I’ve got good news, I’m finishing an ebook that will help you with that, along with other quickstart tools.

Comment “Tell me more,” if you’d like to learn more about this nearly completed guide to the basics of Planned Giving for your organization.

04/16/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞?

Do you see an open abyss? Or, do you see endless opportunities?

I see a 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘢, a clean slate….endless opportunities.

When you have the right mindset dang-near anything is possible….even planned giving success.

04/15/2026

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬!

Last week I saw the power of 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 effort as the waves slowly wore away obsticals.

One of the most important factors of success in planned giving is 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 promotion of the 𝑜𝑛𝑒 wording suggestion for your donor’s next logical step.

𝑉𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑜: 𝑀𝑦 𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑆𝑒𝑎 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑟𝑢𝑏𝑎, 𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 “𝐵𝑎𝑏𝑦 𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑔𝑒,” 𝑖𝑛 𝐴𝑟𝑖𝑘𝑜𝑘 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑘.

04/14/2026

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲.

Today, my thoughts turn to moving forward, even (or maybe especially) when progress isn’t easy to see.

In Planned Giving, rarely can you find a clear trail denoting the progress you’ve made. Which makes it all the more important to set clear trail markers for your path.

One of the things in talk to organizations about is how they are going to track efforts (actions) so they can clearly show progress when the traditional dollars aren’t visible until the end of “voyage.”

Take the step.
Make the effort.
Record the action.

At the end of the year, when you look back, you’ll be amazed how far you’ve come when you take small steps consistently and persistently.

04/13/2026

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04/13/2026

This past week I was able to take some time away to relax, recharge, and renew.

This week, I’ll share some of the musing that occurred to me as we floated along, stopping to explore beautiful island paradises in the Southern Caribbean.