Fundamentals Track

Introduction of planned giving fundamentals for professionals with 0-2 years of experience

Sponsored by: BNY Mellon

Dean: Hannah S. Olson | Director of Major and Planned Gifts – The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, United Jewish Endowment Fund

 

Session 4:

Friday, May 26, 2017 • 10:30 – 11:30 AM

Writing Your Organization’s Legacy Plans
Arlene D. Schiff, National Director, LIFE & LEGACY Program, Harold Grinspoon Foundation

Similar to a strategic plan, a thoughtful, well-crafted and well-executed Legacy Plan can be the foundation for your organization’s long-term success in building a Planned Giving Program. In this session we will discuss (1) the value of having a legacy program and what motivates members of our community to participate; (2) why writing a legacy plan is important; and (3) each component of the plan including writing a case statement, responsibilities of team members, targeting prospects, marketing, stewardship, goal setting and implementation. Participants will leave with the foundation for initiating a successful legacy initiative.

Level: Begginer

 

Session 5:

Friday, May 25, 2017 • 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

2016 Planned Giving Study: New Insights from Data on Planned Gifts
Claudine A. Donikian, J.D., MBA | President, CEO – Pentera, Inc.

 

This session presents findings and recommendations from “The 2016 Planned Giving Study,” a multiphase research study commissioned by Ms. Donikian and researched by Indiana University that provides important new insights about actual donors of actual planned gifts and offers helpful recommendations for planned giving programs. An in-depth analysis of legacy society membership data has been conducted. The study explored the following questions:

• What are the characteristics of legacy society members? Are there any changes in membership profiles over time?
• Who changed, or canceled, their planned gifts after they first joined the legacy society?
• How do age, ethnicity, gender, family structure, and location influence bequest donor behavior?
• Which types of planned giving vehicles and instruments did these members choose?
• How much did members give or plan to give through their planned gifts?
• Which types of programs received their planned gifts support?

Level: Beginner

 

Donor Relations Track

Best practices in planned giving prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship

Sponsored by: Crescendo Interactive
Dean: Anna Simmonds | Director, Bequests and Annuities – The Nature Conservancy

 

Session 4:

Friday, May 26, 2017 • 10:30 – 11:30 AM

Your Foot, Their Door- Becoming Fearless
Rebecca Rothey, CFRE, CAP® | Vice President of Development and Senior Philanthropic Advisor – Community Foundation for the National Capital Region

With metrics increasingly driving fundraising, the pressure to achieve measurable results is at an industry peak. Often, the most challenging part of closing a major or planned gift is securing the initial visit. Using practical examples, group exercises, and humor, this presentation will explore the array of techniques available for overcoming the obstacles to achieving visit goals. Rather than being an obstacle, fear can be your key to success. Learn how to harness the right kind of fear as a powerful force for achieving your goals.

Level: All Levels

 

Session 5:

Friday, May 26, 2017 • 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

Spectacular and Strategic Stewardship: Strengthening Relationships for the Next Gift or for a Lifetime
Debbie Eliason | Senior Director, Planned Gifts – WETA

 

It’s a core tenet in fundraising: Steward your donor. But where does stewardship fall in your priorities? In an ever-competitive donor-centered fundraising world, what you are doing to steward your donor can have a profound impact on whether your donor stays with your organization for the next gift or for the donor’s lifetime. This session will provide you with new strategies to move from good to great stewardship practices to keep loyal donors on track, to move major donors up to the next level and to ensure your legacy members keep your organization in their Will, Trust or IRA.

Level: All Levels

 

Marketing & Communications Track

From tried and true to cutting-edge, ideas that work for every size organization
Sponsored by: SmartGiving
Dean: Susan Fersner | Senior Associate Director of Gift Planning – University of Virginia

 

Session 4:

Friday, May 26, 2017 • 10:30 – 11:30 AM

Don’t Simplify. Over-Simplify. And Keep It Strategic
Viken Mikaelian | CEO – PlannedGiving.com

In a world where your average prospect is inundated with over 3,500 marketing messages a day, the secret to getting your message heard is to make it simple. But don’t just simplify. Over-simplify. It is also important to keep your message strategic, not tactical. Therefore, it’s critical to remember that planned giving is a people business, not a technical business… not a calculator business! If you focus on people first, you will have more success with donor acquisition, retention, cultivation, and reactivation. Learning objectives and participant outcomes:

• Learn how to communicate about essential planned giving vehicles.
• Learn where 95% of all planned gifts come from; best ROI.
• Take away marketing examples to inspire you.
• New shiny objects of the year or new emerging channels?
• Analytics and metrics… how detailed do you need to be?
• Donor acquisition, retention, cultivation and reactivation.

Level: All Levels

 

Session 5:

Friday, May 26, 2017 • 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

Marketing is not a Dirty Word: Using Direct Marketing to Identify and Close More Planned Gifts
Kathy Swayze, CFRE | President and Creative Director – Impact Communications, Inc.
Heather Narvaez, J.D. | Legacy Programs Manager – AARP Foundation

 

Marketing is not a legal transaction. So why do we make our planned giving marketing look like a law school text book? In this session, a veteran direct marketer and long-time planned giving pro team up to help you jazz up your marketing efforts, find more leads and close more gifts. Kathy Swayze and Heather Narvaez will share tips on how to use direct mail, email and landing pages to grow planned giving revenues. We’ll share actual case studies of successful marketing efforts for AARP Foundation, ACLU, Smithsonian and other large and small organizations. If you need a bigger pipeline for your planned gift officers, you don’t want to miss this session.

Level: Intermediate/Advanced

 

Advanced Track

Challenging the status quo with fresh ideas for seasoned professionals with 10+ years of experience

Sponsored by: Campbell & Company
Dean: Evelyn Morgner | Director, Planned Giving and Transformational Gift Services – United Way Worldwide

 

Session 4:

Friday, May 26, 2017 • 10:30 – 11:30 AM

Gifts of Complex Assets in Today’s Environment
Bill Knox | Director, Planned Gift Technical Consulting – Kaspick & Company, LLC

 

Gifts of LLCs and business interests, and gifts directly from business entities can be challenging but they tend to be large and rewarding as well. To properly evaluate these complex assets, the gift planner must develop an understanding of the relevant tax consequences to the donor, to the business entity, and to the charity. In this session, we will discuss valuation, transferability, tax pitfalls, and road blocks that can arise with such gifts. Attendees will discover which questions to ask donors, and when and what the answers reveal about next steps and the need for further inquiries. There will be an interactive component for attendees to share their experiences working on gifts involving closely held business interests.

Level: Advanced
 

Session 5:

Friday, May 26, 2017 • 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

International Fundraising Perspectives
Beth L. Golden | Senior Planned Giving Officer – Doctors without Borders USA

 

Raising gifts from international donors can be accomplished in multiple ways. This session will focus on how Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) structures its international fundraising and conducts planned giving activities in the United States and other countries. The speaker will highlight similarities and differences in the cultivation and stewardship of legacy donors in the United States and other countries in which MSF raises funds. The session will include an interactive component.

Level: Advanced