December 2008
To all our clients,
friends and partners, Excellence in Giving
wishes a joy-filled Christmas and blessed New
Year!

Service With A Smile
S. Truett Cathy is a walking paradox
PHILANTHROPY
MAGAZINE - S. Truett Cathy has
done much more than come up with a great idea for
a chicken sandwich. The founder of Chick-Fil-A
has also been doing a lot of giving. "My
wife and I were brought up to believe that the
more you give, the more you have," says
Cathy. read more...
Excellence
in Giving is Tearing Down Storehouses
How to leave a legacy and die broke
WORLD MAGAZINE -
Rich people who want to give away their
wealth in their lifetimes have special problems.
Bill Gates famously said, "Giving away
billions of dollars without ruining the
organizations you give to is not easy."
That's why professionals have arisen to help
philanthropists give away their fortunes in ways
that are consistent with their values. read more...
More From
Non-Profits Now, Means Less in the Future
What it means to have an 'equity ethic'
FINANCIAL TIMES -
In the aftermath of the economic
tsunami, many non-profits will be called upon to
do more with less. As in past recessions, they
will work to protect victims from hunger,
homelessness, ill-health and physical abuse.
Board members, donors and managers will need to
summon their courage and embrace an equity
ethic to ensure that they will be able to
stay the course for the people who need them. To
do so, they will need to tame one of their
strongest impulses: to do more. read more...
Lapsed Donors Say They Feel
"Unconnected"
Major donors stop giving because
they didn't feel connected
AFP NEWSLETTER -
The top reason high net-worth donors stopped
giving to a charity in 2007 was that they
didnt feel connected to the particular
organization, reports a study by Bank of America.
The study also finds that one of the most
striking differences between findings from the
2006 and 2008 studies is the dramatic increase in
donors' use of professionals to help them make
charitable giving decisions. read more...
White Paper: Evaluating Social Enterprises
How short-term mission is becoming a
two-ay street
MIT PRESS -
Over the last two decades, social
entrepreneurs have become darlings of the social
sector.But for all the innovation, the question
remains: So what? Have these new approaches led
to enduring change? Brian Trelstad, the chief
investment officer at the Acumen Fund, seeks
answers. read more...
Next Gen Givers
Gen-Xers are putting their own spin
on charitable giving
BARRON'S -
Behind the economic headlines, a
surprisingly encouraging trend is taking hold: A
new generation of energetic and creative donors
is moving into place. These younger givers --
entrepreneurs, executives and even members of
old-money clans -- are intent on leaving a mark
now, not in their 50s and 60s. read more...
Princeton
Settles Suit, But Keeps Control of Donation
Six-year family dispute over donor intent
ends
CN PORTFOLIO -
Princeton University will pay out nearly $100
million under a settlement recently announced
between the Ivy League school and the disgruntled
heirs of a major donor. The 6-year-old legal saga
was closely followed by non-profits nationwide as
a cautionary tale of what can go wrong when a
donor's family and the gift's recipient fall into
disagreement over how it should be spent. read more...
Make Giving Part of Your Business Strategy
Charitable giving increases sales
and lifts morale
BUSINESS WEEK -
While you may consider it just good
citizenship, corporate giving is part of your
business and should be operated as such. Like any
business effort, it should be organized to
maximize return. And an economic downturn doesn't
have to mean that your giving stalls. For some
businesses, just the opposite is true. read more...

 What Your
Money Means
by Frank J. Hanna
Countless books
tell you how to make money: only this one turns
to the wisdom of the ages to illuminate for you
the reasons you have money in the first place,
and the role its meant to play in your life
and in the lives of others. Here, American
entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Hanna
introduces you to a lean, no-nonsense explanation
of the meaning of your money, and a guide for
dealing with it constructively. From a tradition
rooted in ordinary virtue, common sense, and the
pragmatism that allows societies to flourish,
Hanna has skillfully drawn forth principles and
criteria that will enable you to discover quickly
and with confidence Why you, in particular, have
money and what your money calls you to be, and
why. Plus, much more to help you understand what
your money means, and how to use it well. buy at Amazon.com...
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