In 2020, The Giving Institute lost two former members who helped shape the organization we are today. Many current members may not remember Doug Alexander or Bill Freyd. Both men were pioneers in our field and spent many hours helping to shape what was then called AAFRC (now Giving Institute). Both Bill and Doug had an imagination for how philanthropy could grow, and both launched businesses to serve nonprofit organizations as they set out to raise funds in support of their missions.

Here are short descriptions of Doug and Bill:

Doug Alexander

Doug Alexander passed away in April of 2020 at the age of 74. Doug was a lifelong entrepreneur, athlete and aviation enthusiast. Doug was the founder of multiple companies serving the nonprofit industry. He was (to Giving Institute members) best known as co-founder of Alexander Haas, which is still a Giving Institute member firm (David King, former chair of GI, serves on the GI board today). Doug also served two U.S. Presidents (Carter and Bush ’41), and raised funds to bring the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta. He served on many corporate and nonprofit boards. Doug had a particular affection for his alma mater, Oglethorpe University, where he was an All American basketball player and served on the University board for many years. As leader of Alexander Haas, Doug was known for his quick wit and sense of humor and his willingness to share what he had learned in founding and leading growing firms in the fundraising industry.

Doug is survived by his wife, Kristina Carlson (also a former GI board member), daughter Elizabeth Alexander, son Captain Provine Alexander and grandson Tanner Read Johnson.

Bill Freyd

Bill Freyd passed away in August of 2020 at the age of 87. Bill was a nationally known figure in fundraising whose career spanned over 50 years. Bill was also a longtime board member at Giving Institute (then AAFRC) and is one of a few people named a “Sage” of AAFRC, reserved for association leaders whose contributions and wisdom typified the benefits of being a member of the organization.

Bill founded IDC in 1974, built on an idea he had for transforming how nonprofits executed the public phase of their campaigns. In 1977, Yale University contracted with IDC to create and implement the outreach program which became known as the PHONE/MAIL Telecommunications Program – a registered trademark of IDC. Bill is widely recognized as the pioneer of phone/mail fundraising, which many firms copied upon seeing IDC’s success. At its height, IDC employed over 300 people. IDC expanded the PHONE/MAIL strategy beyond public phase campaign fundraising by applying it to a wide range of other applications. Bill also served on the original committee (within AFP, then NSFRE) that created the CFRE designation for fundraisers. In honor of Bill’s contributions to AFP, he was awarded a lifetime achievement award from AFP Las Vegas chapter.

Bill is survived by his wife, Diane Carlson. Diane is also a former AAFRC board member who led IDC at one point, and was also honored as a “Sage” by AAFRC. Diane is the mother of Gregg and Brad, current leaders of Giving Institute member firm Carslon Fundraising. The Carlson family together has made and continues to make important contributions to Giving Institute and the Giving USA Foundation (of which Gregg, a current GI board member, is a former chair).

The Giving Institute honors the memory of these two titans of the fundraising world and extends its condolences to the families of Doug Alexander and Bill Freyd.