Visionary Voices

GIVING Magazine Names Patrick O’Donnell as Executive Editor

Viken Mikaelian June 9, 2025

We’re thrilled to share that Patrick O’Donnell will be taking the helm of GIVING magazine as executive editor, and will also serve as editorial director for GIVING’s sister site, Philanthropy.org. Patrick is a writer, editor and author who brings more than 30 years of experience to the table. He’s been working with the PlannedGiving.com brand for almost a decade, specializing in storytelling, attention-grabbing appeal letters, and planned giving content.

Strategic nonprofit leadership needs to think five moves ahead like a chess grandmaster.

Your Next Five Moves [nonprofit leadership edition]

Viken Mikaelian June 9, 2025

Inspired by Your Next Five Moves by Patrick Bet-David, this article reframes nonprofit leadership through bold, unapologetic strategy—not survival. It’s for leaders who want impact, not inertia. It separates those in denial from those ready to take action. And if you’re not a CEO? Read it anyway. You’ll understand how real leadership thinks—and become one faster. If you’re tired of playing checkers in a chess world, it’s time to think five moves ahead. Your mission deserves nothing less.

Elderly hands holding vintage pocket watch beside letters and book, symbolizing legacy, memory, and time's role in giving. It illustrates a blog post about the importance of having a planned giving program.

Why Now Is the Perfect Time for Planned Giving

Viken Mikaelian June 2, 2025

The most meaningful gifts aren’t given out of impulse—they’re reserved for those who’ve earned lasting trust. If your organization hasn’t shown it’s built for the long term, don’t expect to be remembered when it matters most. Donors don’t leave legacies to nonprofits scrambling to survive. They choose the ones that act like they belong in the future. If your message ends with “we need help,” you’ve already lost. The real question is: Are you worthy?

Two people pointing at the same number from opposite sides—one sees 66, the other sees 99—illustrating how perspective shapes perception.

Living on the Right Side of the Street

Wayne Olson May 28, 2025

As we drive through our neighborhoods, each home tells a different story. On one side, mornings begin with breakfasts, school runs, and fresh energy. On the other, night-shift workers are winding down, reflecting on the day’s lessons. Our perspective defines what we see—hope or fatigue, beginnings or conclusions. By asking, “What does this look like from the other side of the street?” we open the door to empathy. In families, communities, and work, this simple shift can build deeper understanding, turning judgment into connection and isolation into belonging.

Finger poised over a glowing red panic button—symbolizing the urgent, high-stakes decisions nonprofits face in uncertain times.

Have We Been Here Before?

Laura MacDonald, CFRE May 28, 2025

Laura MacDonald discusses how nonprofits face recurring disruptions but historically remain resilient. Despite challenges like COVID-19, tax changes, recessions, and current political anxiety, charitable giving has averaged 6% growth since 1967. She advises organizations to project resilience, sustain relationships, respond strategically rather than react, and adopt donor-centric approaches. Rather than making preemptive decisions for donors, nonprofits should stay the course and continue their missions, as anxiety is the enemy of philanthropy but donor confidence typically rebounds within 6-18 months after disruptions.

People collaboratively nurturing and tending a flourishing garden, symbolizing humble stewardship through caring cultivation rather than control

Stewardship: More Than You Realized

Scott Thomas May 28, 2025

The author argues that true stewardship requires humility and self-awareness, not just good management skills. Many stewardship efforts remain transactional rather than transformational due to lack of humility. The solution involves self-stewardship through 15 attributes of humility, including being teachable, correctable, and focused on helping others succeed. A donor-centric approach requires genuine curiosity about donors’ passions and motivations. Effective stewardship involves asking better questions, deep listening, and building meaningful relationships. Ultimately, stewardship isn’t about money or control—it’s about love and compassionate service to others.

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

Duke Haddad May 25, 2025

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.

Strategic decision-making in philanthropy symbolized by chess pieces on a digital board—reflecting the control and foresight offered by donor-advised funds

Donor-Advised Funds: Strategic Giving or Delayed Doing?

Viken Mikaelian May 17, 2025

DAFs are where generosity goes to nap. With over $160 billion sitting idle, donor advised funds are the polite face of philanthropic procrastination—wrapped in tax breaks, moral applause, and just enough paperwork to feel productive. Whether you’re funding climate activism, the NRA, or a dog yoga retreat in Boulder, DAFs let you delay real giving while looking like a hero. This satirical exposé unpacks how DAFs function as legal laundromats, helping donors stall while nonprofits wait… and wait. And wait.

Open book unleashing ocean waves and peaceful meadow, symbolizing how mindset and imagination shapes the story and world we experience

The Real Wealth Gap Isn’t Money. It’s Mindset.

Viken Mikaelian May 12, 2025

The real wealth gap isn’t money—it’s mindset. Most fundraisers think too small, failing to grasp the scale their donors operate on. A million seconds is 11 days; a billion is 32 years. That’s not clever—it’s clarity. A $1.2M net worth worries about healthcare; a $500M net worth builds dynasties. If you approach them the same way, you’ve already lost. Legacy giving isn’t just for the elite—it’s your greatest untapped asset. Stop thinking small. Your mission deserves better.