Your adult son is asking you for money again. He wants $100,000 to open a second restaurant to expand into a new market. You’re inclined to gift him the money since his first restaurant has been a great success. But here’s the thing: he’s sitting on $44 million after winning the lottery a few years ago. He invested the proceeds prudently so that the performance gains alone have amounted to almost $3 million a Read More
VIDEO: 3 Reasons You Should Care About Purchasing Power
Like What You've Seen? Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. We respect your privacy. Talk to the financial experts at Fairlight Advisors to learn more about managing your nonprofit’s investments. Schedule a free consultation today! Talk to the financial experts at Fairlight Advisors to learn more about managing your nonprofit’s investments. Schedule a free consultation today! Talk to Read More
Can You Afford the Zombie Apocalypse?
Debbie, a successful businesswoman, informs her new boyfriend that she keeps a duffel bag with eighty thousand dollars in cash hidden in her closet for an unexpected need. “Might come in handy for the zombie apocalypse,” she adds. This scene from a gripping crime drama I watched the other night made me of think of purchasing power. Let’s set aside the wisdom of leaving cash in a duffel bag and then telling a guy you Read More
Are My Charitable Donations Having An Impact?
Levi XU Stock market investments are measured by returns, philanthropic investments by outcomes – the latter is far more complex. As one of the most philanthropic nations, the U.S. has had a long history of charitable giving and yet, in the past few years, there has been immense discussion about the impact of those gifts. We’ve already covered how you can give strategically in a previous Read More
Top Nonprofit CFO Shares Her Secrets for Financial Success
I met Sally Petersen about a year ago to discuss our common interest in nonprofit risk management. She brought great insight to the discussion, leveraging her obvious, deep experience in accounting and finance. I only learned later I was talking to powerhouse in the nonprofit financial management sector. During her 12 year tenure as CFO for Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley, she helped the organization Read More
ESG Investing: Three Hurdles Every Philanthropic Investor Should Know
Let’s say you binge watch a number of alarming food documentaries one day and decide to explore a brand new diet that could change your life for the better. You’ve always wanted to adopt a healthier lifestyle. It starts well: you’re motivated and better yet, lose weight quickly! But keeping it up proves harder as time goes on. The dishes aren’t as satisfying as your old diet. You’re forced to cook more, which Read More
Do You Have A Charitable Giving Strategy?
Are you someone who gives regularly to charitable causes but are flummoxed by the changes in personal financial planning in the past couple of years? Or, are you someone who gives regularly but wondering how to have a greater impact on one or more organizations you support? One of the biggest impacts to charitable giving in the past few years was the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed in Read More
Could Nonprofits Be the Solution to 21st Century Woes?
Some 25 years ago while living and working in Germany, I distinctly remember a conversation I had with my language teacher. Looking to improve my German language skills by meeting and conversing with more locals, I asked her about finding a nonprofit in town where I could volunteer. She twisted up her face in a question. “Nonprofits? I think that’s more an American thing.” Indeed it is. According to Charities Aid Read More
Are Nonprofit Workers Paid a Premium?
The Washington Post published an article on September 24, 2019 called “How the rise of urban nonprofits has exacerbated poverty” by Claire Dunning, a professor at the University of Maryland, which was both fascinating and baffling. Dunning discusses how the nonprofit sector was actively cultivated in urban centers in the ‘60s by policymakers to address poverty by 1) providing jobs for a shrinking manufacturing sector Read More
Running on Empty: Nonprofit Doesn’t Mean No Profit
“It's a nonprofit...so I assume it’s not supposed to have profits." Direct quote from a nonprofit board Chair. The term “nonprofit” was never supposed to mean an organization that is managed in the red. It simply means that surplus income pays to further the organization’s mission and is not distributed to shareholders or members. The idea that nonprofits need not strive for positive revenue hurts the sustainability Read More
