A Memphis-based attorney was asked for advice on the ethics of planned giving. The bottom line is that the donor's interests come first. (MLW)

Planned giving officers represent their institution of higher education, and the best way to represent the institution is to focus on the best intentions of the donor. Failing to consider the donor's needs and wants could lead to loss of institutional credibility, reputation, and financial stability. (MLW)

Following recent abuse, educational institutions and gift-giving corporations have become more attentive to misuse in matching gift programs and more active in making sure ethical abuses or crimes don't occur. Resources of information on matching gift administration are listed. (MLW)

Corporate sponsorship is a marketing strategy by which companies communicate about their products or services by affiliating with events or institutions valued by targeted customer groups. Increasingly, campus communicators are seeking to establish corporate sponsorships but first must resolve legal and ethical concerns. Various types of…

Scientific research on development in higher education is limited and fragmented. Fund-raising research has provided information on whether a winning football team helps raise outside support, donor behavior, how much institutions spend on fund raising, major ethical issues fund raisers face, etc. (MLW)

Information--who your prospects are, what they're interested in, who can best reach them, and what they're capable of giving--is the key to big gifts to institutions of higher education. Prospect research means digging into the personal and financial backgrounds of your donors. Professionals offer advice for drawing up ethical research and privacy…