From Jim Eskin, External Relations Councel . --........................................................November 2009


We're entering that special time of year -- the season for giving thanks -- and those of us engaged in the exercise of philanthropy have extra reason to pause and reflect on the many things for which we are grateful.

American philanthropy is enormous -- more than $300 billion annually is donated to worthy causes. This financial commitment is reinforced by an equally impressive donation of time and volunteer services. It's not easy being a donor. You are approached with many more requests than you can possibly support, and typically you must choose between the good and the good, not the good and the bad.

Here's a salute to all those who give gifts of time, talent, and treasure to make our communities, our nation, and our planet better places to live.

2009 Giving Trends     
Charitable giving is down in 2009 so far, but the fourth quarter, typically the busiest for charitable donations, could provide much-needed cash. In an Association of Fundraising Professionals poll, more than half of fundraisers indicate that their totals raised so far this year are lower than the same period last year. More than one in four fundraisers say giving is flat, and slightly more than two in 10 report raising more this year than last.
 
A strong uptick in giving over the last three months of the year is expected, so the number of organizations raising more money will increase dramatically. Most charities receive a third to a half of their fundraising totals in the fourth quarter of each year.

Charitable Giving Wave           
With the trillions in real estate and stock market wealth that has been lost over the last two years, it is easy to lose sight of a trend that is continuing below the surface of the turmoil: the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in our nation's history, prelude to a "golden age of philanthropy."

In 1998, the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College, published a groundbreaking study analyzing "final estates" -- that is, those in which there is no surviving spouse -- and predicted that, between 1998 and 2052, $41 trillion was going to be disbursed to four groups of beneficiaries: non-spousal heirs, government (through estate and inheritance taxes), philanthropic causes, and the settlement "industry" (lawyers, trust administrators, bankers, etc.).
 
After the huge amount of wealth that was destroyed, does the $41 trillion prediction have to be revised downward? Nope, contends the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy. The $41 trillion figure assumed a conservative 2% annual increase in net wealth over the 55-year period in question. (With a 4% a year increase in net wealth, the transfer would be $136 trillion.) This 2% assumption in growth of real wealth is still reasonable, because even with this wicked downturn, the real annual growth in net wealth is still over 3% between 1950 and the present, a period that includes 10 recessions.

Most Charitable Are Most Happy        
Wealthy people who give away 10 percent or more of their income to charity tend to build a higher net worth -- and to be happier -- than other wealthy individuals who give less, concludes Thomas Stanley in his new book, Stop Acting Rich ... and Start Living Like a Real Millionaire.

Stanley, who has written several books on the nation's wealthiest Americans, including The Millionaire Next Door, based his latest findings on a survey of 944 millionaires with net investment assets of $1 million or more, excluding their homes. He compared their net worth, spending habits, giving patterns, and self-reported happiness.

Those who gave the most to charity -- 10 percent or more of their incomes -- spent less on what the author calls "the impediments to building wealth." Those include income taxes, expensive homes, clothing and accessories, motor vehicles, mortgages, interest on personal loans, club dues, and vacations.

Why Donors Give        
Money and education, not geography, influence why people give to charity. Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University research finds that people who make at least $100,000 a year are more likely to give because of an obligation to help others less fortunate, or a desire to improve the towns and cities in which they live. 
 
Donors who earn between $50,000 and $100,000 are motivated more by a wish to "make the world better," while those who make less than $50,000 give to "help basic needs" or to "help the poor help themselves."  
 
People without a college education more often cite a desire to meet basic needs as a reason for giving than do their more-educated peers. But they found that slight differences in motivation based on geography could be explained by regional differences in wealth and education levels, not values specific to a region.

How To Live To 100   
From Dan Buettner, holder of three Guinness world records in long-distance cycling, and author of The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest, here are nine simple common-sense habits to reach the age of 100:

1) Move naturally -- be active without thinking about it.
2) Cut calories by 20 percent.
3) Adopt a plant-based diet.
4) Drink red wine (in moderation).
5) Have a plan de vida: determine your life purpose.
6) Down shift -- take time to relieve stress.
7) Belong/participate in a spiritual community.
8) Put loved ones first/make family a priority.
9) Pick the right tribe -- the people surrounding you influence your health more than almost any other factor.

Celebrities We Admire
To most, Ted Danson is known for TV and movie acting roles, but for those in the conservation movement, he is much more famous for his work as a passionate ocean advocate. The son of an archaeologist and anthropologist, Ted grew up understanding that cultures leave an imprint on the Earth and that some legacies are indelible, for better or for worse.

Danson accelerated his involvement by helping create the American Oceans Campaign in 1987, which eventually became Oceana in 2001. In the last two decades, Ted's stellar acting career has been complemented by his staunch ocean advocacy, appearing in public service announcements, appealing to donors and testifying to the government on the condition of our oceans. He currently sits on Oceana's Board of Directors where he and his wife, actress Mary Steenburgen, continue to fight on our oceans' behalf.

Still America's Team    
Not only do the Dallas Cowboys have a brand new stadium this year, they have been chosen again  in the Harris Poll as America's favorite football team among those who follow professional football.
 
The Pittsburgh Steelers come in at number two (up from 4th last year) and the Chicago Bears are number three (up from number 6 last year). Rounding out the top five are the Indianapolis Colts (down from number 3) and the New England Patriots (down from number two).

The Halloween Index   
No surprise here: Halloween is not immune from the economy.
 
The National Retail Federation reports that consumers are expected to spend $4.75 billion on the spooky holiday, down from $5.77 billion a year ago. People on average are planning on spending $56.31, down from $66.54 last year, according to the NRF. Not surprisingly, an NRF survey found most Americans are planning to celebrate more frugally because they are worried about the economy.

Reading List    
Get a copy of Give A Little: How Your Small Donations Can Transform Our World by Wendy Smith. It spotlights a little known but critical truth: small donations from everyday Americans can create tremendous positive change throughout the world.

Based on the author's 20-plus years of experience working in the nonprofit sector, the book reveals the Three Big Secret About American Giving: 1) Collectively, everyday Americans are extraordinarily generous donors; 2) Their contributions do make a difference; and 3) Philanthropic donations change the donor as well as the world.

Political Winds Shift     
For the first time in recent years, voters trust Republicans more than Democrats on all 10 key electoral issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. The GOP holds double-digit advantages on five of them. Republicans have nearly doubled their lead over Democrats on economic issues to 49% to 35%. The GOP also holds a 54% to 31% advantage on national security issues and a 50% to 31% lead on the handling of the war in Iraq.

Community College Power      
A Pew's Economic Mobility Project report shows that community colleges are an important stepping stone for students of all backgrounds, income levels and high school achievements to improve their economic mobility prospects. Earning a community college degree boosts earnings by an average of $7,900 annually, an increase of 29 percent over those with only a high school diploma.
 
For low-income, high-achieving high school students in particular, community colleges serve as a springboard to further postsecondary education; more than half eventually transfer to four-year programs, and three-quarters of those who transfer earn a bachelor's degree.

In The Nation's Capital
During our recent trip to Washington, D.C. we enjoyed checking out numerous attractions including Blair House at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue, a neighbor of the White House since 1824. 
 
Named for Francis Preston Blair, a member of President Andrew Jackson's "Kitchen Cabinet," it's the President's official guest house, hosting visiting world leaders.

It also serves as a home for presidents-elect in the days before the inauguration, as well as a respite for former first families during state funerals.  From 1948 to 1952, President Harry Truman moved in along with his family while the White House was being renovated.

Corporate Reputation  
U.S. consumers rank Walt Disney Company, Microsoft, and Google tops in terms of Corporate Socal Responsibility (CSR), according to data from the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and Reputation Institute. The 2009 CSR Index is compiled from a larger Reputation Institute survey that focuses on more than 200 companies with a dominant presence in the U.S. Consumers ranked makers of consumer products, computers, and beverages high in areas of ethics, citizenship, and workplace practices. Industries that fared poorly included banking, finance, oil and gas, utilities, and telecommunications.

Quiz: Nobel Peace Prize          
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been awarded annually as per Alfred Nobel's last will and testament. Not many winners have come as much of a surprise as President Obama did. Can you match the following laureates with the year they won the prize? Answers presented in the column at left. Until next month ...

1. Jimmy Carter	a. 1979
2. The Dalia Lama	b. 1986
3. Nelson Mandela	c. 1989
4. Mother Teresa	d. 1993
5. Elie Wiesel	e. 2002

	Jim Eskin External Relations Counsel 10410 Pelican Oak Drive San Antonio, TX 78254 210-523-8499 (H) | 210-415-3748 (C) jeskin@aol.com
Stratagems is a copyright-free publication. Readers may duplicate and/or redistribute the information in each issue. Comments and suggestions are welcome! Send your feedback to: jeskin@aol.com

Answers: 1=e, 2=c, 3=d, 4=a, 5=b.

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