Katrina Pipasts, CSPG, National Director of Planned Giving Services, Northern Trust

The success of a planned giving program starts with the commitment of the Board of a charitable organization to its fundraising and development initiatives and the adoption of a formal gift acceptance policy. Whether you are a new to planned giving or a seasoned professional, this session will offer practical ideas to review your best practices, revisit your gift acceptance policy and understand how staff and board can collaborate in the cultivation of the donor base. There will be an opportunity to share experiences during Q&A.

Behind the Curtain: What Goes On in Charitable Estate Planning (Case Studies)
Robert E. Kass, Attorney, Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC

We all know the basics of charitable giving, whether by outright bequest, beneficiary designations on life insurance or retirement accounts, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, use of donor advised funds or private foundations -- but how do charitable techniques actually end up in an estate plan?
An insider’s view with case studies encountered in over 40+ years of law practice reveals how awareness of the tools, and sensitivity to the client’s needs, can sometimes lead to better outcomes.

L. Paul Hood,Jr. JD, LLM, CFRE, FCEP, Paul Hood Services

DAFs have become all the rage in philanthropy, but DAFs also have attracted the ire of some powerful Congressmen, where a bipartisan duo of senior Senators filed a bill in 2021 and a companion bill was filed in the House in 2022 that would, if enacted, make significant changes to DAFs. As a result, DAFs have become controversial. In this
timely presentation, join Paul for a deep dive into DAFs in order to get to the truth.

Kapria Jenkins, Development Director, buildOn
Douglas Manigault, III, VP Development, State Innovation Exchange

Starting a new job can be exhilarating and nerve-wracking. The pandemic and working from home have radically transformed the new-hire experience. Join us and learn expert strategies to ensure a smooth transition into your new role. Hear how two fundraising leaders started new jobs at the height of COVID and managed to not only survive but thrive.

This workshop is for anyone who has recently started a new job or is looking to transition into an elevated role. Walk away with actionable career planning tips that are suitable for all experience levels.

Lani Starkey, Fifty Rock Consulting

In many instances, a planned gift is the largest gift a donor can make to charity. Unfortunately, many organizations do not ask – or do not effectively ask – for planned gifts. This situation, consequently, creates a big divide between a charity’s potential and actual gift revenue. However, with a few important tweaks and programmatic additions, any charity can start marketing and closing planned gifts regardless of budget size or technical expertise. This presentation will talk about – from the small shop perspective – PG program building, staff priorities, budget allocation, simple marketing, and donor prioritization.

Chris McGurn, SVP, Director of Planned Giving Solutions, PNC Institutional Asset Mgmt.

While the simplicity of establishing a CGA has driven its popularity and allowed many charities to grow their planned gifts, is change on the horizon? While it has held the mantel of ‘most popular life-income gift’; the overall number of CGAs received appears to be contracting. Additionally, organizations are seeing a greater variety in the type of annuities they receive, size of gift, as well as the assets being used.

Discussion will begin with a brief overview of the CGA for attendees new to the concept. We will quickly move to general industry observations to help promote the CGA concept from within your organization. Next, we will share ‘have you considered’ creative gift strategies to go beyond the standard CGA offering and story. Create a gift based on what your donor tells you they want. Finally, we will present ‘have you considered’ stewardship strategies. Realize the powerful and full stewardship potential of your CGA program.

Ron Brown, Gift Planning History.org

This well-illustrated session will highlight the history of American gift planners, donors, bequests, trusts, and annuities of national importance.

Rick Kress, ACFRE, Kress Consulting

A blended gift combines a major gift from current income with a planned gift from an asset. Though this is not a new concept, blended gifts have increased dramatically because of better informed donors and gift officers. Using an interactive case study approach, this session will provide practical situations and solutions to understand, present, and engage donors with a blended gift. Done effectively, this approach will increase donor satisfaction and secure more capital for your nonprofit’s mission.

Chris Dargin, President, Hard Fork Consulting

This session is for those curious about the expanding world of crypto its implications on philanthropy and giving. Chris will provide you with a basic understanding of cryptocurrencies and the impact and impact on philanthropy. After this session, you will have a greater understanding of the benefits and risks of implementing a crypto donation program.

Carol Hill, MBA, Director of Philanthropy, Wayne State University

Practical ways to get donor meetings, then cultivate, solicit and close major gifts in a virtual world.

Lani Starkey, Fifty Rock Consulting

It goes without saying that the planned giving sector is highly productive and impactful with billions of dollars raised for amazing and noble causes. What is harder to determine however is how much planned giving money was “left on the table” or lost due to fundraising inefficiencies, existing business practices, or missing infrastructure support? This session will explore the most frequent and likely culprits of “gift leakage” in planned giving and offer solutions to plug those holes. This breakout will focus on disrupting certain “best practices” in the areas of donor conversations, legacy creation, and gift agreements, to name a few. You should attend this session if you want to look critically at how you and your organization can improve your donors’ giving experience, legacy, and philanthropic impact.