Author: Duke Haddad

The Seton Society: How We Built Real Relationships with Major Donors

September 3, 2025 No Comments

At St. Vincent Hospital, the Seton Society transformed major donor relations by engaging members year-round, not just thanking them. Each quarter offered unique experiences: elegant dinners with personalized gifts and speakers, volunteer opportunities, educational sessions, and surprise family events. A rotating planning committee kept ideas fresh. Recognition plaques, recruitment efforts, and volunteer awards deepened involvement. Many donors later joined the Foundation Board, proving genuine relationships outlast any single gift.

Person standing on endless Möbius strip representing the complex mystery and paradoxical relationship between donor intentions and bequest behavior

The Mystery Behind Bequest Non-Disclosures: A 5-Part Mini-Series

May 25, 2025 No Comments

After five decades in nonprofit development, the author explores why donors openly discuss outright gifts but become secretive about planned giving. Key barriers include fear of mortality, financial insecurity, complexity, trust issues, family dynamics, and concerns about increased solicitation pressure. The $84.4 trillion wealth transfer opportunity is significant, yet fewer than 25% of donors with charitable estate plans notify organizations. Success requires building trust, simplifying processes, emphasizing confidentiality, creating legacy donor communities, and prioritizing family needs first before introducing charitable considerations.

Duke Haddad

Dr. F. Duke Haddad is Divisional Associate Executive Director of Development for The Salvation Army Indiana Division and president of Duke Haddad & Associates. He has published articles in NonProfit PRO Magazine since 2008 and was featured on its cover in 2018. He holds a doctorate from West Virginia University, with research focused on fundraising and donor characteristics. Haddad has received numerous honors including Fundraising Executive of the Year from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.