Getting Oriented
Blending Gifts for Fundraising Success
Philip Purcell
Thursday, October 3, 10:00 – 11:00 A.m.
Intermediate
This highly interactive session will explain the potential of blending different gift techniques to maximize each donor's philanthropy. We’ll begin with the "case" for blending current and deferred gifts so that attendees can articulate the importance of blending strategies with their colleagues and supervisors. After a basic overview of the various ways specific planned gift techniques can effectively blend, attendees in small groups will study and discuss the facts of a donor scenario to identify opportunities for blending a gift plan. Groups will have the opportunity to share their plans for the assigned case study with the entire audience, and discussion will focus on opportunities to strengthen each plan. Helpful suggestions will be shared to facilitate blending gifts within a comprehensive development program regardless of staff size and budget. In particular, we’ll examine the elements of a successful blended gift proposal.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the potential of blending different gift techniques to maximize a donor's philanthropy.
- Learn about the various ways specific gift techniques can effectively blend in a gift plan.
- Experience studying a donor case study to identify opportunities for blending a gift plan.
Philip Purcell
Senior Counsel for Philanthropy Fellowship of Catholic University Students
Phil Purcell currently serves as Senior Counsel for Philanthropy on behalf of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students where he assists a development team engaged in a $250 million campaign including a $100 million goal for planned giving. Formerly, he served as Vice-President for Planned Giving and Endowment Stewardship at the Ball State University Foundation where he assisted with the successful completion of a $200 million campaign, of which $65 million in planned gifts was raised. Phil teaches courses on law and philanthropy, nonprofit organization law and planned giving as adjunct faculty for the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy and Fundraising School. Phil serves as a member of the Tax-Exempt Organization Advisory Council for the Internal Revenue Service (Great Lakes states) and Vice Chair of the Legislation Committee of the American Bar Association’s Charitable Group. He currently serves on the board of directors of the American Council on Gift Annuities and formerly served on the board of directors for the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (past secretary), Charitable Gift Planning Group of Indiana (past president), Association of Fundraising Professionals - Indiana Chapter (past president). Phil also serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Planned Giving Today. Phil received his BA degree from Wabash College ( magna cum laude) and his J.D. and M.P.A. degrees ( with honors) from Indiana University.
Getting Oriented
It's Only a Bequest
Jane Danek
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Intermediate
Bequest intentions and other deferred giving arrangements can be the catalyst to major endowed funds, or the finishing touch to a truly beautiful lifetime gift. Deferred giving, both revocable or irrevocable, can make your prospective donors’ dreams for your organization come true. So why aren’t you helping them do that? Princeton is considered “the Gold Standard” when it comes to realized bequests, raising more dollars per donor than any of the Ivies. In this session, you’ll learn why Princeton emphasizes and celebrates bequest intentions across the spectrum of giving groups, and how bequest cultivation can help you increase both current and deferred gifts.
Learning Objectives
- Learn about the various types of bequests, and which are most attractive to different donor groups.
- Understand best practices for planning bequests, including the which assets to use, estate tax (non-)issues, family considerations, handling restrictions, ancillary gift agreements, stewardship and legacy societies.
- Survey the new—and much simpler—landscape for estate planning, and learn to discuss it with your donors with confidence so you can get results, not push-back.
Jane Danek
Deputy Director of Gift Planning, Princeton University
Jane Danek enjoys working with interesting people, plans and assets during her 14+ years as a front-line fundraiser in gift planning at Princeton University. In addition to her direct donor work, she manages all gifts of unusual assets, works closely with the Office of Finance and Treasurer, PRINCO, and with the Office of General Counsel on issues relating to charitable split-interest gifts and bequests as well as unusual assets gifts. Jane served as lead staff for Princeton’s Family Philanthropy Initiative, and on several policy and procedures committees. Jane spent nearly 20 years in the trust/financial services industry, working with high net worth individuals and families. She served as Vice President and Director of Morgan Stanley Trust's Philanthropic Services Group, Vice President and Manager with Merrill Lynch Trust, and as a fiduciary in personal and charitable trust planning and administration at various major banks in Boston. Jane is a board member and past president of the New Jersey Council of Charitable Gift Planners and served as Program Chair for their annual conference. She is a member of The NACGP Leadership Institute, where she served as co-chair for the 2014 Leadership Institute Roundtable Sessions. She also served on the advisory board of the 2016 Planned Giving Study published by the Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy funded by Pentera. Jane is a magna cum laude graduate of Syracuse University and earned her law degree at Boston University School of Law.
Getting Oriented
Getting RE-Oriented: Revitalizing an Established Gift Planning Program
William Samers
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Intermediate
Planned giving departments are often asked to significantly increase their goals without additional staff or resources. This can happen even to well functioning departments that have been in existence for many years. Success requires rethinking familiar strategies and developing new ways to use the time and talents available to you.This presentation will show you how to ramp up even the most successful planned giving program to create exponential growth. Everyone will leave with a plan for three steps they need to take immediately to enhance their own efforts.
Learning Objectives
- Significantly enhance an existing successful planned giving program.
- Take specific steps to increase planned gift activity and revenue.
- Ensure that your program is using best practices for obtaining future commitments.
William Samers
Vice President of Planned Giving and Endowment, UJA-Federation of New York
William D. Samers is Vice President of Planned Giving and Endowments at UJA-Federation of New York, the largest local not-for-profit in the country, where he leads a 15-person gift planning department. Before UJA-Federation, he worked for the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (ACWIS) most recently as the Vice President of Gift Planning and Compliance. He is a past president of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York and served on the Executive Committee of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning as Secretary and Chair of the Investment Committee. Bill has presented at the AFP International Conference; the National Conference on Planned Giving; the Planned Giving Councils of New York, New England, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Palm Beach, Houston, and San Francisco as well as to the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has been published in the Journal of Gift Planning and the Conference Proceedings for the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning National Conference. Bill has been quoted in many publications including the New York Times, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and the Non Profit Times. Bill graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and received his J.D. from Boston University Law School.
Getting Oriented
Know Thyself…and Others: Applying Psychological Theories to Gift Planning
Tammy Ozlanski
Julia Curtis
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Foundational
“The more you know yourself, the more patience you have for what you see in others.” Erik Erikson, renowned developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst, was not a gift planner. However, his sentiment can easily be applied to a number of gift planning situations. In this session, we will delve into the world of psychology and apply basic psychological theories and techniques to the work we do as gift planners. An understanding of concepts including Validation, Normalization, Empathy, Attachment and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can provide insight into the motivations and behaviors of planned giving donors and prospects. The session will build upon participants’ informal knowledge of these concepts and apply them to specific challenges in gift planning programs and the donor cultivation cycle.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and understand basic psychological theories of human needs and behavior.
- Apply these theories to gift planning scenarios, programmatic decisions and interactions with prospects.
- Develop a plan to address at least one specific challenge in your current working environment by applying what you learn in this session.
Tammy Ozlanski
Director of Gift Planning, Susquehanna University
Tammy Ozlanski is the Director of Gift Planning at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. She entered gift planning as a third career several years ago, and has enjoyed applying her skills and experiences to the world of philanthropy. Changing lives for the better has always been the central theme and goal of all of her endeavors, and having the opportunity to do so at her alma mater has been a truly wonderful experience. Tammy’s previous career as a mental health therapist in a variety of states and settings has shaped her perspectives and approaches in the gift planning world. She has served as an outpatient and in-home therapist, as well as a behavioral specialist in schools and home settings. Under Tammy’s direction, the gift planning program at Susquehanna has had its most successful year in history. Tammy serves on the Executive Board of the Planned Giving Council of Central Pennsylvania, and is also on the Board of Directors for SUMMIT Early Learning in Mifflinburg, PA. Tammy has previously presented at the Case District II Conference on “How to Leverage Psychology and Analytics to Raise More Dollars.” She holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Susquehanna University, and a Master of Science in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA. She also holds a graduate certificate in Infant Mental Health from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA, and has specialized graduate training in human behavior. Tammy is currently pursuing her CAP and CFRE credentials.
Julia Curtis
Gift Planning Advancement Officer, Susquehanna University
Julia Curtis is a Gift Planning Advancement Officer at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. She came to Susquehanna University in May 2018. Prior to joining the team at SU, she worked in annual giving, managing the Phonathon program at a large public university. Julia is passionate about applying her previous career knowledge to a new area of fundraising in a private, liberal arts college setting. She has been integral in making effective changes to improve the planned giving program at Susquehanna University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from University of Rochester, and is currently pursuing her CFRE credential.
Getting Oriented
Cues and Clues . . . Responding Now to What Prospects Tell You are Impediments to Giving
Pamela Davidson
Friday, October 4, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Intermediate
The gift planner’s role is to move the gift consideration process forward, to keep it going. We often have to think beyond our employer’s notion of the appropriate gift and offer real suggestions that address issues a donor may perceive as impediments to giving. In most cases, the plans we offer are simple and repeatable, and their appeal is greatly enhanced when they respond to the many cues and clues prospects continually offer us about their dreams, life stages, family issues and assets. This session will empower you to respond in real time to what your prospects tell you, to move the gift consideration process in a positive and progressive direction, and to be the spark that ignites a great idea for a gift.
Learning Objectives
- Actively listen to what donors and prospects are telling you about their perceived impediments to giving.
- Act on the maxim, "if we do not ask, the answer is always no" and proactively suggest gift planning ideas that address the concerns prospects are telling us about.
- Feel comfortable making referrals to other advisors when gift discussion exceed your own expertise.
Pamela Davidson
Davidson Gift Design
Pamela Jones Davidson, JD, has been a nationally-recognized speaker in charitable gift planning for decades. She is President of Davidson Gift Design in Bloomington, Indiana, a consulting firm specializing in motivational presentations about all aspects of gift planning, planned giving program design and implementation and training. She is also a Senior Vice President for Thompson & Associates, offering estate planning services to nonprofits. From 1985 through 1996, she was Executive Director of Planned Giving and Associate Counsel for Indiana University Foundation. Pam received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1975, and graduated magna cum laude from the Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis in 1979. She was an examiner in the Estate and Gift Tax Division of the Internal Revenue Service, and practiced law with an Indianapolis law firm before joining the nonprofit sector in 1985. Pam was the 1999 President of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, after serving on its board for six years. She was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2018, in its second class. She is a past board member and treasurer of the Indiana Chapter of AFP, and a past board member and president of the Planned Giving Group of Indiana. She serves on the Community Advisory Boards of both of her local public radio and television stations and on other local boards.
Getting Oriented
Oh Behave! Behaviors that Signal Planned Giving
Kevin Bauman
Nathan Stelter
Friday, OCTOBER 4, 11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Foundational
Planned giving pages on your organization’s web site are a basic marketing tool. However, visits to those pages typically represent less than 1% of all activity on your site. Where do visitors go when they leave the planned giving site? Your top prospects are actively checking on projects, reading blogs, researching scholarship opportunities or viewing sports scores. Tracking traffic across all pages on your site allows you to identify prospects who are 20x more likely to document an estate gift. Your challenge is to find a way to deliver the planned giving message on the pages your most passionate donors visit regularly.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the online behaviors that indicate planned giving intent.
- Target real-time planned giving messaging on every page of your website.
- Measure user behaviors on non-advancement pages to gain critical insights into individual points of affinity.
Kevin Bauman
Director of Philanthropic Initiaties - Capture
Kevin Bauman is Directof of Philanthropic Initiaties for Capture, a firm that develops sustainable solutions to enrollment and advancement challenges in higher education. Kevin brings a passion for technology and 15 years of advancement experience in annual, major and planned giving. He holds a conviction that technology can provide the necessary advantages for advancement offices to meet aggressive goals with often limited resources. He holds a BS from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBS from the University of Louisville.
Nathan Stelter
Vice President - The Stelter Company
Nathan Stelter is vice president for The Stelter Company, a leading source for gift planning marketing solutions for the nonprofit community that partners with more than 1,500 organizations nationally. While Nathan wears many hats at Stelter, his primary concentrations and passions include overseeing Stelter's consulting and marketing teams while working with his amazing leadership team to forge the way with new research, new innovations and smarter ways for charities to raise planned gifts. Over Nathan’s 18-year career in planned giving, he’s been fortunate to speak at over 100 national and regional industry meetings on gift planning marketing trends and cutting-edge donor and fundraising research. He’s been quoted in Planned Giving Today, Advancing Philanthropy and other trade publications and currently authors the Stelter Insights blog. Nathan serves on the board for the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, he’s a past board member of the National Capital Gift Planning Council (Washington, DC) and a current member of the Mid-Iowa Planned Giving Council.