January 12, 2016

Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning

Most fundraisers see gift planning as a technical part of the business best left to experts. They are uncomfortable with both the technical aspects of gift planning and having a conversation about gifts at death. However, with the emergence of the New Philanthropists (born 1946 to the present) as the primary giving audience, and with the Traditionalists (born pre-1946) finalizing their estate plans as part of the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history, gift planning has a vital role in the short and long-term success of your fundraising operation. Fortunately, gift planning does not have to be complicated and building a strong program is within reach of every fundraising shop. During this session, Brian and Robert will share information from their upcoming book Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning (Charity Channel Press) on the different phases of a gift planning program and how to build a program that is appropriate to your nonprofit. This will demystify planned giving and set your organization on the road to maximizing gifts from your donors while integrating their philanthropy with their tax, estate and financial planning.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

  • Understand the urgency of integrating gift planning into their overall fundraising efforts right away
  • Learn about the three different phases of a gift planning program
  • Be able to determine which phase of program they should pursue for their nonprofit
  • No longer be afraid of gift planning as an integrated solution for helping donors in a donor-centered model

About the presenters:

Brian M. Sagrestano, JD, CFRE, serves as President and CEO of Gift Planning Development, LLC a full service gift planning consulting firm. The son of a sole-practitioner CPA, Brian's interest in the complexities of the tax code was encouraged at a very young age. He spent several years practicing law with two New Jersey law firms, with an emphasis on tax and estate planning. Brian's client-centered philosophy ultimately drew him into philanthropic planning full-time where he led the gift planning efforts for the University of Pennsylvania, Middlebury College and Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations, following major gift and gift planning positions at Clarkson University and Hamilton College. The gift planning programs under Brian's direction raised over $400 million in complex outright gifts, life-income gifts and realized estate gifts. After many years working directly for charities, Brian formed Gift Planning Development in 2007.

Robert E. Wahlers, MS, CFRE, is the Vice President of Development for Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations and has led the gift planning program for the eight hospitals in Meridian Health since February 2010. Robert has spent the last 22 years in non-profit fundraising with the Boy Scouts of America, the American Cancer Society, Virtua Foundation and Meridian Health. He is also on the faculty at Columbia University for their Masters of Science Program in Fundraising Management. Robert is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and is professionally associated as a member of AFP, PPP and AHP having served as a President on the board of the NJ Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, on the Committee on Directorship for AFP, as a Board Member of the Gift Planning Council of New Jersey, and as a National Board Member with the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning.
Robert and Brian have recently completed two new books "Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning" and the "Getting Started in Charitable Gifts Planning Resource Book" published by Charity Channel