Untitled Document



'Tis The Season of Gifting		Why Wealthy Donors Stopped Supporting Charities
		Donors Feel Fiscal Squeeze
Fundraising in a Troubled Economy		Charity Fraud


IRS Says Nonprofit World Must be Squeaky Clean

Carolyn Cox is Retiring!
Postal Rates to Rise in 2009
Extreme Makeover in Kansas

Creative Arts

'Tis The Season of Gifting

Which Account Executive is retiring after 29 years of dedicated service to The Heritage Company?

Be one of the first ten people to respond with the correct answer to be entered in this month’s drawing for the Happy Holidays Gift Basket.

Know the answer?

Fundraising in a Troubled Economy

Now is the right time to fundraise and communicating to donors is very important. Keep the focus on your current and future donors by making them feel proud, important, and needed and put the spotlight on basics by rewarding donors with praise and visible thanks. Be passionate about your cause, and use recognition as a motivational means to increase gifts. Do not be afraid to ask for gifts structured over a longer amount of time. Being prudent in your recognition spending will bring in more money in a visible format.

Table of Contents | Top of Section

IRS Says Nonprofit World Must be Squeaky Clean

The IRS will continue efforts to ensure that tax-exempt organizations are squeaky clean and following federal laws. Poor economic conditions could tempt tax-exempt organizations to bend the rules by, for instance, using money for capital expenses on operating needs. At the same time, the agency is trying to use less onerous ways to encourage better compliance with the federal tax rules. The IRS is “checking up” on young nonprofit groups to make sure they’re following rules. That kind of action mirrors “soft” notices from the agency asking individual taxpayers to amend their tax returns if there is a problem with their original filings.

Table of Contents | Top of Section

	Carolyn Cox is Retiring! Carolyn Cox is retiring from The Heritage Company after 29 years of service. She is the account executive for The American Legion, Jaycee and National Guard organizations. Carolyn wants to travel and see more of the world. Carolyn has been a tremendous asset to The Heritage Company and has dearly loved and befriended the client organizations and friends she has met and worked with for so many years. She is very proud of the organizations she has worked with and the mission and purpose for which they hold so true. Congratulations, Carolyn, we will miss you!
	Table of Contents \| Top of Section

	Postal Rates to Rise in 2009 USPS has announced that the average postal rate increase for each class of mail to be about 5% in 2009. The proposed rate increases will be announced in February 2009 and implemented as early as May. The USPS also reported a decline of 9 million pieces of mail according to the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers for fiscal year 2008. The enactment of do-not-mail laws, whether they pertain to commercial only or include nonprofit mail, could have a devastating effect on the USPS, and we will watch and report on such threats to you.
	Table of Contents \| Top of Section

	Extreme Makeover in Kansas Army Spc. Patrick Tutwiler and his family of Chapman, KS took possession of their completely rebuilt home - courtesy of many volunteers working for ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The Tutwiler home - along with several other houses, schools and other buildings in Chapman - was destroyed by a tornado that swept through the town June 11. While serving in Iraq, Tutwiler was shot in the neck by a sniper. To save his life, medics had to shut off blood flow to his brain for several minutes, causing traumatic brain injury. While he was on active duty, the family's home was destroyed and Mrs. Tutwiler underwent multiple bouts with cancer. Before the Tutwiler Family received a new home, they received immediate help from The American Legion Department of Kansas. While the Army moved the Tutwilers into temporary housing at Fort Riley, the Department of Kansas in Topeka gave the family $1,400 for clothing, car repairs, and a much-needed trip to visit their relatives. The Legion also donated a couple of bicycles and a tricycle to the children. The Legion, Fort Riley, and "Extreme Makeover" all stepped up to help the Tutwilers in a time of dire need, reaching out to the entire community of Chapman.
	Table of Contents \| Top of Section

Creative Arts

Let Heritage design your next project! Our graphics arts team has combined experience of over one hundred years in designing websites, posters, catalogs, yearbooks, direct mail, and pledge fulfillment. Heritage will create the image that best represents your organization and do it at a competitive price.

Table of Contents | Top of Section


Why Wealthy Donors Stopped Supporting Charities
According to a survey released by Bank of America and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, wealthy Americans stop giving to nonprofit groups because they no longer feel connected to the organization or believe they are being asked for money too often. As the economy worsens, donors are increasingly saying they want their dollars to make a difference. 46 percent of those surveyed believe their giving has a bigger impact on their personal fulfillment than it does on individual charities or causes. Charities should take advantage of donors’ desire to involve their children in giving by offering chances for entire families to volunteer, finding creative ways to use the Internet to stay in touch with young people, and by reaching out to the youngest members of family foundations’ boards. Taking active steps to reach donors may become more important for charities because wealthier donors are growing more sophisticated about their giving and are less likely to seek out charity officials for advice.
	Table of Contents \| Top of Section

	Endowment Funds Donors are making significant charitable gifts by donating stock. The benefits of donating stock allow donors to a substantial charitable income-tax deduction based on the full, fair-market value of the stock on the date of the contribution. Donors also avoid paying capital gains taxes because the tax-exempt charity sells the stock. Donating stock is the lowest out-of-picket donation an individual or family can make and enables the organization to continue their mission.
	Table of Contents \| Top of Section

	Donors Feel Fiscal Squeeze Eight in 10 Americans donated money or volunteered time to a charity in the past year, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. The poll found that although two-thirds of Americans expected to donate the same amount or more in the coming year as they did in the past year, 72% said their finances affect their philanthropy. The older and more educated Americans are, the more likely they are to donate, the poll found. 90% of people 65 and older have donated money to a charity in the past year. Those who have done post-graduate work were more inclined to donate than any other group; 93% gave money in the past year.
	Table of Contents \| Top of Section

	Charity Fraud Did you know that the Federal Trade Commission received 1,843 complaints of charity fraud last year? The number of incidents is likely far greater because most contributors do not realize they've been defrauded. Donors increasingly are seeking more accountability from the charities they help. Many donors continue to steer dollars to religious, educational, and health care institutions, but more are donating to groups that focus on a pet cause. Donors are raising their expectations of what they expect an organization to do and how they expect it to perform.
	Table of Contents \| Top of Section