Charitable Choices

"When you are ready to step into charitable giving in a thoughtful way, you are faced with a myriad of options. If you are looking for a map of the charitable giving landscape, this is the book for you."

Mark Ewert, Philanthropy Coach and author of The Generosity Path: Finding the Richness in Giving

"A no-nonsense, easy-to-read guide that belongs on every philanthropist's desk, as well as every fundraiser's desk. Great "how-to" manual written in simple, plain English."

Viken Mikaelian, CEO, PlannedGiving.Com

R. Daniel Shephard, CFRE

A fundraising professional since 1986, Dan Shephard is the founder and Principal of The Shephard Group, through which he provides training and consulting services to help frontline fundraisers better serve the organizations for which they work and the donors who love those organizations.

Dan has served as Planned Giving Director for the Florida State University Foundation, Director of Development for the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, Director of Gift Planning for The Citadel Foundation, and Director of Development for the Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. The variety and breadth of his experiences help form the philosophies that guide Dan's workshops and coaching programs.

Philanthropy should be more about the joy of giving and less about the anxiety of risk assessment.

It feels good when you give to a cause that matters to you; it feels better when you do it right. Charitable giving is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling activities you will ever experience. You should approach it joyfully, with an open heart.

You should also approach it thoughtfully, with attention to detail. Here's how. The book examines the five types of organizations to which a donor might direct charitable gifts. It includes concise definitions of pertinent terms, a comprehensive section on issues to consider in your giving, checklists to aid your decision-making, and resources for additional research.

This guide for charitable donors is the result of Dan Shephard's 28 year fundraising career working with philanthropists and their professional advisors, coordinating with representatives of Community Foundations, requesting grants from Private Foundations, and watching the emergence and growth of Commercially Sponsored Donor Advised Funds.

It is intentionally brief, to give you a foundation from which to work as you conduct research and consult with representatives of those charitable causes that matter to you, your loved ones, and your professional advisors. It provides a framework to build your understanding and to guide your decision making - your charitable choices.

The charitable giving landscape has gotten so complicated that even experienced philanthropists find it hard to decide how to give. You do not want to be among the donors who, having learned valuable lessons from hindsight (some regretful, some expensive), have experienced Donor's Remorse.