Hartsook is pleased to welcome Scott Justvig, the most recent addition to its executive consulting team. Scott brings a long and diverse background in fundraising and fundraising management. He has significant…
As 2020 approaches its eventful close, make sure your donors understand the time-sensitive opportunities afforded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act’s provisions for…
It’s been two months since our lives were changed – radically and suddenly. Everyone has faced new and unfamiliar challenges. Since COVID-19 became our new reality, I’ve been impressed by…
Hartsook is pleased to welcome P. Kevin Williamson, the most recent addition to its executive consulting team. Leveraging over twenty years of professional fundraising experience, Kevin will help Hartsook clients…
Since Hartsook’s founding on April 1, 1987 – 33 years ago today – we have helped thousands of nonprofit clients navigate deeply difficult times. The Black Monday stock market crash in 1987.…
We’ve been here before, you and I. The Black Monday stock market crash in 1987. The dot-com tech-bubble burst in the late 1990s. The terror of 9/11 in 2001. The…
Hartsook is pleased to welcome Dave Smith, the most recent addition to our executive consulting team. He brings a nationally recognized, stellar reputation for organizational leadership and mission-focused fundraising. Based…
I am compelled to write this timely note to our clients because I know many around us are engaged in the election, and there is going to be a reaction…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Facebook is messing with meSaturday, February 27, 2010Independence, MO – Go ahead: Call me old-fashioned.Now firmly rooted in my fifth decade, I suspect I’ve…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Wake up and smell the coffee<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, June 20, 2009LAFAYETTE, Ind. – QuikTrip has a satellite in Kansas City’s Sprint Center, but…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″ saved_tabs=”all”] Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc. Seasonally and all year, many residents step up to help those in need Saturday, December 19, 2015…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″ saved_tabs=”all”] Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc. It’s good to be back Saturday, February 8, 2014 [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″] Joe, our high school senior, became…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″ saved_tabs=”all”] Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc. Reflect on the good in your life Saturday, December 14, 2013 [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″] Independence, MO – I…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″ saved_tabs=”all”] Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc. Are you reaching others, offering humble service? Saturday, September 13, 2013 [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″] Independence, MO – Jim…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Giving is again up, and those billions help a great dealSaturday, June 22, 2013Independence, MO – Philanthropy rebounded strongly in 2012, according to “Giving…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Independence schools must maintain focusSaturday, May 25, 2013Independence, MO – I returned home yesterday from the Boy Scouts of America’s national meeting in Dallas.It…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.We must come together and find new use for YMCASaturday, April 13, 2013Independence, MO – The YMCA of Greater Kansas City’s plans to build…
This blog was originally posted in 2010 but still very relevant today.My last blog about John Shamberg’s New Year’s Eve gift of land evoked the greatest response yet. I received…
As a fundraiser, part of the deal is showing up. My clients know that on New Year’s Eve, I call each of them. If I get them, I offer them…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc. Local coach knows what matters on court and in life Saturday, March 9, 2013 Independence, MO – For each of us, the…
From guest blogger Jeffrey Trimbath, Senior Regional Manager at The Heritage FoundationFor many of us in development, travel is part of our weekly existence. Like most of you who’ve spent…
Who?My life has been like most, built of one influence at a time. Jim Tangeman is one of those HUGE influences that began 41 years ago when he hired me…
I have been so eager to write this blog, I couldn’t contain myself. Some of you know early in 2013 I had been sick with pneumonia, but on the day…
[This is second in my series about one of our client’s success stories].Leadership for America is the Heritage Foundation’s ten-year campaign theme. Heritage is the most prominent conservative think…
My new resolve for 2013 is to celebrate the success of my/our clients. As you know, I have a lot of opinions about the challenges that face nonprofits, the fundraising…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Focus on what you can do to make a differenceSaturday, December 22, 2012Independence, MO – Something I heard last Sunday on the heels of…
Our profession has lost one of the leaders of our generation,” said Robert Hartsook, chairman of Hartsook Companies in Kansas City, Mo. He called Alford “a great spirit of professional…
One of the first acts by Gene Tempel, Founding Dean of the new School of Philanthropy at Indiana University was the appointment of Brittany Miller, a doctoral graduate student pursuing…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Those who give much receive muchSaturday, November 24, 2012Independence, MO – By the time you read these words, Thanksgiving will have come and gone.If…
Article menu>> Matt Beem President and COO Hartsook Companies, Inc. Your Giving, Large or Small, Greatly Helps Saturday, October 27, 2012 Independence, MO – I taught the first session of…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Giving Helps the ScoutsSaturday, August 25, 2012PHOENIX, AZ – The Hartsook Institutes for Fundraising honored one of the best fundraisers of the modern era here…
The opportunity to bring the philanthropic, nonprofit and fundraising fields together again has a much-desired new leader—one who was with us before. It is with great enthusiasm that I offer…
It is second nature to Hartsook clients and followers: the donor’s challenges are our challenges. I met Martin Eby more than 30 years ago. He was a very successful contractor…
One of my new friends is Rozenne Prather, Director of Communications for Truman Medical Center Foundation. Rozenne joined the Foundation after many years as CEO of Catholic Charities Foundation in…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Just a piece of plastic, but it changed our familySaturday, August 11, 2012Independence, MO – I never dreamt how much things would change after…
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about how lucky I am and how fortunate our clients are.I suppose I’ve earned a reputation for always thinking about fundraising and growing…
I have had trouble writing this blog. For a number of reasons, the Paterno/Sandusky/Penn State/and you could add several other past leaders of Penn State debacle has been of interest…
For many, June 30th is the end of their fiscal years. I want to take a moment to single out and recognize some of our clients that I work with…
Frequently, I get calls about what makes a good executive director of a nonprofit. My friend, Bill Moran, an experienced nonprofit management search executive, authored this excellent check list. Check…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Charitable giving in upswingSaturday, June 23, 2012Independence, MO – It’s official: Our desire to help others is stronger than the recent years’ economic uncertainty.We’ve…
Article menu>> Matt Beem President and COO Hartsook Companies, Inc. Help make Scouting accessible to more kids Saturday, June 9, 2012 Independence, MO – I was pleased last week to…
Read that headline again: Gene Tempel—long time Executive Director of the Center on Philanthropy, currently Indiana University Foundation President—has returned to his favorite assignment. But this time he is there…
Until this last recession, a fundraising professional’s average length of stay in a position was ridiculously short. I’ve wondered why that is. Is it because of other opportunities, termination, or…
The Chronicle on Philanthropy noted this week how many nonprofits with budgets of a million or more claim no fundraising costs. This is an issue that Hartsook Chair Adrian Sargeant has ranted…
Most of you know I grew up in Kansas and served four higher education institutions, three of them in senior post. So I can’t help noticing that it’s been a…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Barbers and civil discourseSaturday, April 14, 2012Independence, MO – I become more convinced each year how important my barber shop is.It serves the obvious…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Your service matters greatlySaturday, March 24, 2012Independence, MO – I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the power people have to improve their communities.It…
Article menu>> Matt Beem President and COO Hartsook Companies, Inc. A good friend will be missed Saturday, March 10, 2012 Independence, MO – We said goodbye last week to a…
I thought you would be interested the story, “Testing Donor’s Intent, 350 Years Later” from The Wall Street Journal.I have taken a couple of months off from writing my blog. …
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Give, serve, plant seedsSaturday, February 11, 2012Independence, MO – The Beem family spent a morning last month boxing food at Harvesters Community Food Network.…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Gifts from all my grandparentsSaturday, January 14, 2012Independence, MO – Kate and I attended the funeral Friday of an extended family member. My cousins’…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Joy is a pet made healthySaturday, December 24, 2011Independence, MO – Although I’m yet to unwrap my first gift, I’ve already received more this…
Dan Moore is a great friend of Hartsook and former senior executive with Guidestar and now the owner of his own consulting practice–cleverly called Dan Moore Consulting. Dan is the…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.This year we were thankful that we ateSaturday, November 26, 2011Independence, MO – Watch out, Martha Stewart: Betty Snapp’s in the house.That phrase kept…
Holidays give me time to ponder. I’m sure some of the Hartsook staff wish I wouldn’t think so much because I have a reputation of making more work for everyone. …
Obviously, the focus of this controversy should be on the victims of child abuse. We have had many clients who work in this field so we have an up-close view…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.There comes a time to runSaturday, November 12, 2011Independence, MO – Thanks to a gift from Paul Liebhart, Kate and I enjoyed a spectacular…
As you start reading this blog, understand that I know I am no Steve Jobs. Ask anyone — I was wearing those black mock turtle necks before he was.But his…
Ever get something you didn’t expect?Better, yet, ever give something you never expected to give?That is exactly what I will do next Monday.Wichitan Roger Lowe will receive the Hartsook Institutes…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Our zoo deserves supportSaturday, October 24, 2011Independence, MO – There are a handful of nonprofit organizations in every community that epitomize excellence.Here, the Kansas…
“You can write, kid,” was the note at the bottom of a first year English student over 50 years ago. This note ignited a flame that started a distinguished writing…
I’ll admit, I think about fundraising all the time. It’s not easy being me, but no one seems to feel sorry for me. All kinds of thoughts are swirling around…
For the first time in history, fundraisers and nonprofits can’t take for granted that the charitable deduction will be in place for its donors.Let that sink in for a minute.Now,…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Fostering the habit of givingSaturday, September 24, 2011Independence, MO – I’ve come to a conclusion after 20 years as a professional fundraiser: We all…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text] Article menu>> Matt Beem President and COO Hartsook Companies, Inc. A waylaid run turned out fine Saturday, September 10, 2011 Independence, MO – I woke up on…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Find a family obsessionSaturday, August 27, 2011Independence, MO – The Beem clan decided to do the Second Annual Rivalry Run on Aug. 20 in…
A big “thank you” to Andrew Watt, for addressing the fundraising profession directly and forcefully: the days of passive gift collection are over. Now maybe we can get on with…
If you don’t use Blackbaud’s many online resources for nonprofit organizations, you’re missing out. Go to Nonprofit Industry Research on their website for some of the most current, comprehensive looks at fundraising. You…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Good hearts still beat, regardlessSaturday, August 13, 2011Independence, MO – Giving USA released its 2010 charitable giving report earlier this summer, and it’s official:…
Unfortunately, as I see it, yes.I asked my friends at Blackbaud if anyone had compared the rate of decrease of discretionary buying by the American public from 2008 to, say,…
Since 1998, NPT and its editor-in-chief Paul Clolery announce their view of the 50 individuals who contributed the most to advancing the nonprofit community in the previous 12 months in…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and CEOHartsook Companies, Inc.London, what took so long?Saturday, July 23, 2011London – As I boarded my flight home earlier this month from the Big Smoke, a single…
This haunting question has perplexed the major scholars in the field of philanthropic giving for years.Well, the answer is this: at its core, “Nothing.”Did you hear me? Nothing.But for some…
I can’t even sit back on a Sunday morning at Wrightsville Beach and enjoy the Sunday paper. Being consumed by thoughts of fundraising is a curse I’m certain I don’t…
While I don’t necessarily agree with all of Rip Rapson’s comments about philanthropy support, he has raised questions we all need to think about.A Message from the Kresge Foundation President,…
You all know I love politics and while I have partisan opinions, I am blessed to be a political voyeur. I watch all the news channels and listen to all…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.This trail carries boys farSaturday, June 25, 2011Osceola, MO – Joe and I left early Thursday for the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation. It’s…
How do I offer a fresh perspective on this historic view of giving last year, beginning now almost 18 months ago?From this report, we learn that Giving by Individuals is…
Article menu>> Matt Beem President and COO Hartsook Companies, Inc. A small increase pays big Saturday, June 11, 2011 Washington, D.C. – Imagine what could happen if we grew philanthropy.…
Done well, conference calls can establish consensus and expedite tasks. They can also waste time at an exponential rate with n equal to the number of individuals asked to stop…
I was speaking in Houston with the Association of Major Symphony Orchestra Volunteers with representatives from LA, Indy, Denver, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Nashville and many other points across the…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.America needs a new czarSaturday, May 14, 2011Independence, MO – I’ve got a suggestion for President Obama as he seeks to shore up our…
A couple of Saturdays ago, I had a great time with the Association of Major Symphony Orchestra Volunteers who were holding their conference in Houston. You know, we don’t talk…
For now 11 years I have had the pleasure of being counsel to Harvesters – The Community Food Network for the 26 counties surrounding Kansas City. I have been very…
My son, Austin, would tell you that I am more sentimental than most people would think. When he was young he was embarrassed that I cried at the end of…
I want to thank my friend, John von Kannon at the Heritage Foundation for sending me the following essay by Stephen Friess. While it is a sad commentary, Stephen admits…
If you have followed my blog for any time, you know that I am a student of writing and a graduate of how not to write. I won’t bore you…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Racing – for fun and for fundingSaturday, April 9, 2011Independence, MO – I checked an item off my bucket list last weekend.I ran a…
A dear friend of mine was listening to one or more of my many stories. She said, “You should write a book called Bob Wisdom.” Well, I have written a…
Recently, I blogged about the NPR video and criticized the fundraiser. The more I thought about this, the more compelled I felt to write more and the takeaways from this…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Raising money is hard workSaturday, March 26, 2011Independence, MO – I traveled earlier this week to the Association of Fundraising Professionals 48th International Conference…
As an outspoken fundraiser, I have no choice—I have to address the NPR fundraising scandal. On the heels of an unscientific, online survey posted on the AFP website that was…
Article menu>> Matt Beem President and COO Hartsook Companies, Inc. KC offers soccer fans rare options Saturday, March 12, 2011 Independence, MO – Are you passionate about philanthropy and crazy…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.You can pass on the giving geneSaturday, February 26, 2011Independence, MO – I was thinking last week about the power we have to influence…
A few months ago Purdue University gave the Neil Armstrong Medal to Captain Charles “Sully” Sullivan, the Hero of the Hudson. This is only the second time that the Armstrong…
We often hear nonprofit executives and directors of development complain that their board members don’t fundraise.In their defense, think about all the years that go into making a good fundraiser—the…
My friend and client, Jessica Dean of the Heritage Foundation, recently presented a primer for her colleagues on how to get the appointment. I asked her if I could share…
Article menu>> Matt Beem President and COO Hartsook Companies, Inc. A trip back to where we met and fell in love Saturday, January 22, 2011 Columbia, MO – I didn’t…
Well, when you get older, you find you’ve accumulated a lot of good and wonderful friends. Others my age brag about their grandchildren, but since I don’t have any yet…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.How do we live out season’s true message?Saturday, December 25, 2010Lee’s Summit, MO – It’s Christmas.Our house is buzzing with holiday energy only a…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc. EJC has bright lights in giving Saturday, November 6, 2010 Independence, MO – “Be careful what you say and do,” mom always…
As a fundraiser, part of the deal is showing up. My clients know that on New Year’s Eve, I call each of them. If I get them, I offer them…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Compound your givingSaturday, December 11, 2010Independence, MO – Kate and I were talking the other night at the kitchen table. We often replay the…
A couple of weeks ago I was proud to see President and COO of Hartsook Companies, Inc., Matt Beem, be honored as the Fundraiser of the Year in Kansas City—his…
Chad has business in Des Moines and Amarillo; Butch practiced medicine until a few years ago, but now is retired in Omaha; and Randy is a businessman in Chadron, Nebraska. …
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Lessons from the long roadSaturday, November 27, 2010Independence, MO – Long or short sleeves?At a balmy 62 degrees, that was the big question for…
With an increase in giving of 14+ % in 2009 and a similar number in 2008, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation was identified as one of the Top 400…
If I get one more summary of a survey posing as “research,” I am going to scream just to hear something real!Many companies, not unlike Hartsook, are surveying their clients…
by Invited Guest Blogger Geoff BurnsOn August 30, 2010, the Geneva Hills Group purchased a 50 year old 350 acre Christian camp and environmental education facility. The success of this…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Building homes and shaping livesSaturday, October 9, 2010Mexico City – Imagine the shed in your back yard.You know the one. You splurged for it…
After all the “Leave a Legacy” promotion in the past 20 years—the focus on planned gifts, and research on who gives them—the needle on realized gifts has barely budged. Perhaps…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Good people still givingSaturday, September 11, 2010Independence, MO – A local nonprofit board member asked a question last week that raised my fundraising ire.“Is…
By Adrian Sargeant, the Robert F Hartsook Professor of Fundraising at Indiana UniversityI read today that in June 2011, CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) candidates in North America will begin…
Congratulations to North Carolina State University, Institute for Non Profits headed by Dr. Mary Tschirhart for her foresight and vision in attracting the Philanthropy Journal and its editor Todd Cohen. …
That is how we feel about our clients. Ever read the Berenstain Bears books to children? Our son, Austin, liked them a lot. If it was our turn to pick,…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Scouting milestonesSaturday, July 31, 2010Independence, MO – It’s been a Scouting summer.Joe and I went to camp in late June. It was a multitasking…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Unpack your bags and relaxSaturday, August 14, 2010Independence, MO – Philanthropy isn’t just about giving to others.It’s also about rewarding yourself.My last column unpacked…
In the last few days, Adrian Sargeant, the Robert F. Hartsook Chair in Fundraising at Indiana University and the Center on Philanthropy was named to the NonProfit Times “Top 50…
“Bobby, We Gotta Get This Done!”Those words were spoken to me almost two years ago this week by a Texas Gentleman, Gerald Franklin. This Houstonian embodies everything you think about…
I just talked to my friend who is also my personal banker and is in charge of giving for his bank in my home town. He is a great guy…
It is a Sunday afternoon. During football season, many don’t know is that I watch bowling the first quarter of the NFL game. I’m not embarrassed to tell you, I…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.L.I.N.K. Run also links my familySaturday, June 26, 2010Independence, MO – The Beem Family participated several weekends ago in what has become a fast…
John and Dave were sitting at the bar in my favorite watering hole in Portland, Maine. The Dry Dock has a great salad that just hits the spot and a…
While there continues to be some headline drama about 2009 Giving, the reality is, it was a good year . . . if you focused on individuals, if you had…
The myth that small budget nonprofit organization cannot or should not pursue multimillion dollar campaigns is exactly that: a myth.The size of your nonprofit organization’s operating budget does not dictate…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.KC Zoo and all that JazzooSaturday, June 5, 2010Independence, MO – I look forward to this weekend every year.Not because it follows Memorial Day.…
This was not the headline of the Chronicle of Philanthropy or the news release issued by the group announcing the study. Their headline was along the lines of, “Two thirds…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Little kids can teach us much Saturday, May 22, 2010 Independence, MO – Christ United Methodist Church held its annual talent show last…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.Nonprofits seeing uplift?Saturday, May 7, 2010Independence, MO – I visited earlier this week with the leaders of two prominent Kansas City foundations.Their insight was…
In about six weeks, we’ll see the release of the 2009 Giving USA Report, researched by The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, which is the site of some of…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.‘Tis better to give than to … uh, maybeSaturday, April 24, 2010Independence, MO – You think giving is more difficult than receiving?I’m not so…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.My rushing comes to a dead stopSaturday, April 10, 2010Independence, MO – I ran out of gas last month.Literally.It was an unseasonably warm Monday…
In just a little over a week, Hartsook Consultants will again offer their time and talent as part of our Hartsook Institutes’ Growing Philanthropy Days of Service. Increasing philanthropy is, after…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident and COOHartsook Companies, Inc.What makes us generous?Saturday, March 13, 2010Independence, MO – I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what makes some people philanthropic and others –…
Fundraiser, Lawyer and Lobbyist: these are my three roles. I always wanted to be a banker, but I didn’t take that road. It’s just as well. These days, I think…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident,Hartsook Companies, Inc.It’s all downhill from hereSaturday, February 13, 2010Independence, MO – It’s Pinewood Derby season again in the Beem house.It seems like just last year Joe, now…
Harder to find? Yes. More difficult to close? Darn right. Creativity required? Absolutely.I will be participating with the Chronicle of Philanthropy in a live discussion on getting million dollar gifts…
What was to be a Day of Service designed to help nonprofits with their funding needs turned into four days. As a part of the first National Growing Philanthropy Conference,…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident,Hartsook Companies, Inc.It really is a small world, after allSaturday, January 17, 2010Tampa, FL – I had an epiphany Thursday on the airport runway here: The world gets…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident,Hartsook Companies, Inc.The biggest week of the yearSaturday, December 26, 2009Independence, MO – With only six days left in 2009, many people are already focused on the new…
As I was listening to ESPN the other morning . . . Wait, Bob Hartsook listens to ESPN?Sometimes. Okay—rarely, but that’s beside the point.Back to my comment . . .A national…
Three years ago, I endowed the only Chair in Fundraising in the world at Indiana University. I did this because then Executive Director of the Philanthropy Center, Gene Tempel, wanted…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident,Hartsook Companies, Inc.New EJC trail would benefit allSaturday, November 28, 2009Independence, MO – If you’re one of my 13 readers, you know I blew the dust off my…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. We give thanks and give<SATURDAY, B 2008Thursday’s leftover turkey is now a sandwich staple. Black Friday has come and gone. And though the football…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Spreading The Sunshine<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, November 14, 2009Independence, MO – Bryant Elementary School Principal John Pye read a book to the children, parents and…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Facing challenges in Chile<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, October 24, 2009Santiago, CHILE – It’s springtime here, and fundraising is budding.I spent the week in Chile’s capital of…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident,Hartsook Companies, Inc.Giving for the right reasonsSaturday, October 10, 2009While racing down Truman Road last week, I heard a great recipe for giving on a local radio station.…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident,Hartsook Companies, Inc.Scouting: a good place to startSaturday, September 26, 2009With the recent start of the school year, my 6-year-old Tom marked an important family passage: He became…
I have now read cover to cover the Giving USA report which was recently published. I am so glad there is an historic estimate about what goes on in fundraising each…
Article menu>>Matt BeemPresident,Hartsook Companies, Inc.Fundraisers play important role helping communitySaturday, June 28, 2008Which came first – philanthropy or fundraising?My clients and I volley the questions back and forth each month.Some…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. One good turn leads to another<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, June 27, 2009OSCEOLA, MO – Try telling the 1,000 boys and 400 adults camped this week…
You would think that in this period of economic difficulty now would be a time of extraordinary gratitude. After all, while donors are making difficult decisions about what they support,…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Every gift doesn’t make the headlines<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, August 8, 2009This column was slow to come. I don’t think I suffered from writer’s…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. It’s about more than cookies<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, January 31, 2009Have you ever tried to keep a New Year’s resolution to get in shape while…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. It’s about the work, not glory<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, July 25, 2009Glenwood Park United Methodist Church in northwest Independence knows a thing or two about…
The press releases announcing the Giving USA Foundation Report on Giving for 2008 are out. After all the hand-wringing . . .giving goes down about 2%. That’s $6.4 billion out…
We all have something that people say that annoys us. Most of the time it is personal, like certain words or phrases that may come from our parents or the…
Our instincts would tell us that million dollar gifts surely can’t be given as frequently as they were before the market and economy setbacks. But responsible research isn’t based on…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Boy Scouts looking a generation ahead<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, May 23, 2009ORLANDO – If I’d known how proud I’d feel to be an Eagle…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Mother taught life’s lessonsSaturday, May 9, 2009I’ve been thinking lately about the people and places that formed me. Sort of serious stuff, I know,…
For the past several weeks I have been taking in Adrian Sargeant and Jen Shang’s Associated Fundraising Professionals’ research on bequest giving. If you have not seen this research, you…
Article menu>> Matt Beem President, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Giving, leading, changing Saturday, April 11, 2009 SAN SALVADOR – I speak English and French. My driver speaks Spanish. So…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Young people help out<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, April 25, 2009Tom and I were talking yesterday at breakfast about his life’s current ambition: He wants to…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Many Here Live by GivingSaturday, March 28, 2009It’s good to review life’s book of lessons once in awhile.I was thinking Thursday night at our son’s…
I’m not the first to notice a change in attitudes about people of wealth. Recently, USA Today published a top travel story called “Guilt trip” about luxury travelers toning it…
With all the economic problems facing our nation, many fundraisers have become reluctant to move forward with their campaigns and efforts. They couldn’t be more wrong.Many years ago I wrote…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Don’t hit the givers the hardestSaturday, March 11, 2009Dear President Obama,You’ve entered the White House in one of the most difficult periods in U.S.…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Steady work, steady progress<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, February 28, 2009If you’re one of the 12 people who read this column regularly, you know I…
Of particular interest to fundraisers is a key finding of the Charlotte-based Bank of America (BOA) Study on giving patterns of high net worth individuals. In this study, we discovered…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Steady work will pay off<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, January 17, 2009The first week of the year is usually a bear at work. But not…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Paying it forward has many rewards<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, February 14, 2009Kick back with your morning cup of joe and conjure this crazy image:I’m…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Paying it forward has many rewards<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, February 14, 2009Kick back with your morning cup of joe and conjure this crazy image:I’m…
No matter how long you’ve been in the fundraising business, you can always be surprised at a new approach to a capital campaign. There’s nothing wrong with creativity and innovation.However,…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Evaluate and stay focused<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, December 26, 2008I’ve been thinking about Lifesaver’s Story Books this holiday season. Growing up, the book-like packages…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Keep on investing in people<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, December 12, 2008It’s time to set the record straight: The world isn’t coming to an end.…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Make a habit of philanthropy<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, October 3, 2008I rarely read airline magazines. There’s always a briefcase of work to keep me busy…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Earning, saving, teaching<SATURDAY, May 03, 2008Saturday, November 14, 2008We entered a new era last weekend.On Saturday, Kate and I introduced a work and reward…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Cherish your role models<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, October 18, 2008I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my mentors. The reminiscing started last month in Columbia,…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. The vote becomes our voice<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, November 1, 2008Take it easy this weekend. Tuesday’s a big day.That’s when we choose our next president.…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. The need for giving endures<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, September 20, 2008The economy’s tightening. Signs are everywhere.After topping $4 earlier this summer, Eastern Jackson County gas…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Take a moment to remember and learn<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, September 6, 2008You’d think I’d have learned by now that the purpose of Labor Day…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Society’s sacrifices pay off<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, August 22, 2008It’s my turn to join the long line of writers who’ve penned their thoughts about the…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Teachers help mold our lives<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, August 9, 2008It’s hard to believe summer’s coming to an end. Wasn’t it just last week that…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Beginning of a great friendship<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, July 26, 2008Remember the old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercials? They’re etched in my memory from years…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. In time, a little can do a lotSaturday, June 28, 2008Adding two dimes to the next dollar you drop in the church collection plate…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Good deeds are often contagiousSaturday, July 12, 2008It’s fun catching people doing good things.I fingered Joe, our 12-year-old, two weeks ago. He and Maggie,…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Fathers set the pattern<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, June 14, 2008I met my dad when I was 4. He’d come to recruit my mom to improve…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Leaders mold lives of youths<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, May 31, 2008We shoved off early from Bryant Elementary School. It was the blustery Saturday of Memorial…
Article menu>> Matt BeemPresident, Hartsook Companies, Inc. Making friends all over<SATURDAY, B 2008Saturday, May 17, 2008It really is a small world. I boarded a Delta Airlines flight earlier this week in…
