For many development officers, giving to their alma maters, employers, or local nonprofit agencies makes them better at their jobs by deepening their understanding of donor motivations and reinforcing what to do--and what not to do. Some can testify to the importance of stewardship because they weren't treated well. Others find that seeing their institution from a donor's perspective helps identify cracks in the donor relations foundation. Giving to other organizations lets development officers see how their peers are handling donors and how well their organization measures up.