Philanthropy 831 Blog

Why Choose the Community Foundation for a Donor-Advised Fund?

Fri, 22 Aug 2014 04:00:00 GMT

In my last blog post, I talked about a donor-advised fund as viable alternative to a private foundation.

Your clients with private foundations, who are looking to simplify by switching to a donor advised fund, have a couple of options: a commercial fund and the Community Foundation.

So what’s the difference?

We can provide your clients with a much more personalized philanthropic experience compared to the charitable giving products offered by commercial institutions like Fidelity or Vanguard.

That personalized service can mean a lot.

Let’s say you have a client interested in supporting early childhood education for Pajaro Valley families, but has no idea as to where to direct her contribution.

Our deep knowledge of the local nonprofit community means we can recommend agencies that will ensure the most effective use of her gift.

The same goes if they want to protect Santa Cruz County’s wetlands, encourage local theater or feed the hungry.

Our staff can provide information on organizations that match your client’s philanthropic interests because we have vetted those agencies though our grants program.

We know who is doing what – and who is doing it well.

As a community leader, we understand the current issues facing our region and can help your clients be a part of the solution.

Our donors are also provided with opportunities to expand and pursue their philanthropic goals through events and presentations by experts in the field of philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.

Many individuals point out that commercial funds have lower fees.

That’s true. They are profit making institutions with no presence in Santa Cruz County, no programs to help our nonprofits deliver on their mission and no focus on promoting local philanthropy.

Making Santa Cruz County a better place to live is our mission.

So, our fees are themselves a charitable investment in our local community.

Our donor-advised funds, commercial funds and private foundations all contribute to the betterment of our community in some way. It’s just a matter of which option most appeals to your client.

Next post: Transferring a private foundation to a donor advised fund.

Randy Balogh was the former philanthropic services director at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County. Email Sam Leask, our new director, or call him at 831.662.2060 for a private and confidential consultation.

Making Life Easier for Your Clients with Private Foundations

Tue, 19 Aug 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Are you tired of filling out 990PFs for your clients?

The donor-advised fund is a favorable alternative to a private foundation.

A few weeks ago we conducted a seminar for professional advisors and clients with private foundations, on the pros and cons of donor-advised funds v. private foundations.

So how do the two compare?

Bruce DeBoskey of The DeBoskey Group has a pretty good summary of the differences between donor-advised funds and private foundations in the Denver Post.

At our seminar, attendees learned that a donor-advised fund could be thought of as “Private Foundation Lite” -- that is, accomplishing the same thing as a private foundation, but doing it far more easily, and with a number of other advantages:

Easier: A donor can recommend grants online in just a few minutes, or let us know via email or regular mail.
Faster: A donor-advised fund can easily be set up in a day.
More Effective: We can help your client with all of their needs relating to their fund, from researching nonprofit organizations of interest to expertise in managing non-cash gifts such as real estate or other assets.
Smarter: Some of our donors considered starting a private foundation. But, the costs of startup and administration, the lack of privacy, and limited tax deductibility led them to create a donor advised fund with us. They found they could make as great a charitable impact, enjoy the same level of recognition and family involvement and receive greater tax benefits.

Let me know if you’d like to learn more about how donor advised funds can help your client achieve their philanthropic and financial goals.

Next post: why choose the Community Foundation for a donor advised fund?

Two Paths for Charitable Giving: From the Head or from the Heart

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 04:00:00 GMT

When it comes to supporting charitable causes, your clients probably fall into two common camps: those who give based on metrics and measurement, and those who give out of an emotional response to a cause. (Of course, some clients may be a mix of those two purposes, perhaps tilting more in one direction than the other.)

Understanding these divergent motivations can help you serve your clients more effectively.

Paul Sullivan, who writes about strategies the wealthy use to manage their money for the New York Times, explored the two charitable giving paths—and the impact played by his dog, Lucy, in guiding his own giving. Read the article here.

We help you serve both kinds of clients.

For your heart clients, we can guide them to effective nonprofits—ones they might not be aware of—that are addressing the causes that resonate with them.

For your head clients, we can also provide some background information. When it comes to local nonprofits, we not only know who is doing what, but who is doing it well.

Before we disburse any grant checks on behalf of your client's fund, we also make sure the organization they are supporting is financially solid.

Let me know if you want to learn more about how we can help you work with someone with charitable intent. To that end, we have some wonderful materials available for your clients on our website.

When it comes to making a difference for our region, no matter what approach they take, it's all good.

Randy Balogh was the former philanthropic services director at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County. Email Sam Leask, our new director, or call him at 831.662.2060 for a private and confidential consultation.

Lets Talk About . . . Life Insurance!

Sat, 19 Jul 2014 04:00:00 GMT

I came across a nice article that summarizes various ways your clients might benefit from incorporating life insurance into their financial and charitable planning.

As trust and estate attorney Lisa Schneider writes in the article, “Life insurance is often a forgotten asset people got in an earlier stage in life." They don’t need it now and donating it to charity puts it to productive use, for themselves and for their community.

The more affluent among your clients may have used life insurance to hedge against estate taxes. But with increases in the exemption limits, they may be over-insured for that purpose. Donating all or a portion of the excess could be a smart move.

There are a number of ways to make a charitable gift of life insurance. At its most simple, a policy holder can designate the charity as a beneficiary. The policy holder can also gift both fully paid or unpaid life insurance policies to charity. (Just remember, there’s no charitable tax deduction unless that gift is irrevocable!)

I’m currently working with a donor who established a new policy on his life with the Community Foundation as owner and beneficiary. He receives a charitable tax deduction for the premium amount he pays us every year and then uses the resulting tax savings to make contributions to his new donor-advised fund. He’s very happy about this arrangement where he can enjoy making charitable contributions during his lifetime while at the same time ensuring a sizeable charitable endowment as his legacy to the community.

Permanent Endowments that Aren’t . . .

Wed, 11 Jun 2014 04:00:00 GMT

I mentioned in my last post that one of the great advantages of having an endowed fund at the Community Foundation is the added assurance for the donor that the fund will be used just the way they wanted forever.

It doesn’t always happen that way. The Wall Street Journal and Chronicle of Philanthropy told the story of a generous couple who established a $135 million endowment at a hospital.

Less than 20 years later, all of the money is gone.

So is the hospital.

How did that happen? The hospital, facing serious financial challenges, sought and received court approval to use the endowed fund as collateral for loans and, later, to tap the principal.

Who was minding the couple’s interest in ensuring better healthcare for the people of their community? That interest could have been protected by establishing the endowment with their community foundation.

There are some who think that endowments in the community foundation are best suited for small organizations that are not geared up to manage investments. The larger and more sophisticated organizations, they reason, are capable of managing the money.

Well, first, they’re wrong about the investments. Community foundations are almost always better at investing than a typical large nonprofit.

But the main lesson here is that what those large organizations may not be so good at is protecting and preserving the donor’s charitable intent.

That’s where our careful exercise of stewardship responsibility plays such a critical role.

The couple established nearly 20 endowments in total. I hope some of them are with their community foundation.

Who Are Your Planned Gift Prospects?

Mon, 09 Jun 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Picking up from my previous posts, your board is behind the planned gift effort and you have your case statement to guide you in making the ask.

Your organization has in place the policies it needs to accept planned gifts. You know where and how the gift will be invested.

Time to go find the donor prospects!

Turns out, you don’t have to go very far.

Ask your board members. Even better, have your board members practice by asking one another to consider a planned gift.

Surprised?

Don’t be Your best planned gift prospects are those individuals closest to your organization. Who besides your board members are as familiar with your case for support and understand how the funds will be invested and used?

And who better to ask others for a planned gift than someone who has already committed to one themselves?

After that, expand your circle to include former board members and other committee members.

Voila. You’ve formed a core prospect group for your planned gifts.

Next post: Top Ten Predictors of a bequest gift.

Randy Balogh was the former philanthropic services director at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County. Email Sam Leask, our new director, or call him at 831.662.2060 for a private and confidential consultation.

Make Sure Your Organization’s Funds are Working for You

Thu, 05 Jun 2014 04:00:00 GMT

I’m surprised at the number of nonprofits that invest their extra cash (reserves, campaign funds, etc.) in a bank account or CD. In today’s low-interest environment you might as well stuff it in a mattress.

A few organizations have a financial advisor of some sort on their board of directors that handles the investing.

They may be getting decent returns, but what happens when that advisor leaves the board? And aren’t there potential conflicts of interest involved?

Most organizations have heard about our endowment funds. But we also offer non-endowed flex funds that are ideal for any money for which you need quick, easy and full access.

You can recommend distributions back to your organization from a flex fund, in any amount, at any time—even for the entire balance.

You also benefit from having the fund invested in our long term investment pools, which returned over 17% last year. Much better for your organization than a savings account!

Our endowment funds are a little different. They are governed by our spending policy, which generally allows for a 4% distribution annually. Like our flex funds, they are invested in the long term pools and get the same great returns. But your organization does not have access to the full corpus of the endowment fund.

Which fund is the best option for your organization? Endowment funds may be more appealing to your donors who, through their estates, are giving the last—and likely biggest—gift of their lives. The Foundation’s third party security ensures their gift will support the work important to them, forever. But, of course, your organization does not have access to the full gift, as you would with a flex fund.

Endowment provides security for your donors, flex funds provide more flexibility for your board.

A number of organizations are establishing both.

Here are organizations that have established funds at the Community Foundation in the past year or so:

Do You Have a Plan for that Planned Gift? You Better!

Mon, 19 May 2014 04:00:00 GMT

In my last blog post, I talked about two important things your nonprofit needs to have at the ready before embarking on a planned giving program: why you are asking for such a gift (your case statement) and, what you will do with it (your policy).

I want to zero in on the second one.

I always ask participants at my planned giving seminars for nonprofits about their policy when they receive a planned gift.

Turns out, very few organizations actually have any set policy.

Now, just imagine the reaction to that news by one of your donors who is thinking of leaving you a bequest—the last gift they ever make.

Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

You have a number of options on that policy, of course.

If you want to begin ensuring a permanent future revenue stream, endow it.

If your priority is a rainy day fund for securing your short term emergency preparedness, beef up your operating reserve.

If you have some exceptional new projects that require a finite amount of immediate funding outside your normal budget, use it for that.

Or fund any combination of the above.

You could even use it to cover a current annual operating shortfall, although that’s generally a bad long-term policy.

Only you know which option is best for your organization.

The point is to decide.

Policy is not something to be made up when the gift comes in the door.

Your donors will appreciate and support your foresight.

Next post: Getting your investments in endowment, operating reserve and capital campaign funds working for you.

Who Are Your Best Planned Giving Prospects

Fri, 09 May 2014 04:00:00 GMT

One of the most common questions I get asked by nonprofits is, Who are my best planned gift prospects?

Usually, I have to break it to them gently that they need to first answer two other questions: What is your organization’s policy when you receive a bequest or planned gift, and what is your case for such support?

The answer to both is usually something on the order of , Uh, we don’t have either.

Fair enough.

Imagine I’m a donor with a seven figure estate. You meet with me to ask that I leave a large portion of that estate – the last gift I will ever make – to your organization. I ask you why do you need a gift like that? How will it be used? Are you going to spend it all right away? Will it make a real difference now? What about down the road?

Unless you can answer those questions confidently, my answer is going to be, No.

Now, imagine your ask includes details on a specific problem in our community that needs to be addressed as part of your organization’s mission. Then you tell me my bequest will be put in a permanent endowment to provide funding to address that need today, tomorrow, forever.

Now you’ve got my attention!

What I’m getting at is that nonprofits almost always have some homework to do before embarking on a planned gift program.

The good news is, there’s lots of help available for you.

Recent Trends in Planned Giving for Nonprofits

Tue, 06 May 2014 04:00:00 GMT

After a short hiatus, I’m back to talk some more about planned giving for nonprofits.

In my last post, I addressed the two main difficulties faced by nonprofits in establishing a planned giving program: technical expertise and effective education/marketing.

Today I want to bring to your attention some interesting information I learned about recent trends in planned giving and what they mean for your marketing.

The first interesting tidbit is that there is a marked decline in the number of folks over 55 who have a will or living trust.

Hmm. At first glance, that seems to be at odds with the predictions of an impending intergenerational transfer of wealth on the order of trillions of dollars.

But, there are very good reasons for this trend that have nothing to do with the Big Transfer becoming the Big Bust.

First, baby boomers are showing a preference for transfer vehicles, such as beneficiary designations for IRAs, retirement accounts, life insurance and sometimes real estate, rather than straight up bequests.

Second, boomers are living a bit longer, and we may not see sharp increases in bequests until the bulk of that population reaches their eighties, still years down the road.

The fact is, the estimated population of seniors will grow from approximately 41 million in 2010 to 71 million by 2030. That’s an extraordinary opportunity for planned gifts.

What it does mean, however, is that now is the time to be talking to your donors about a planned gifts.

I’ve posted on our website an article with some very comprehensive information about marketing specific planned gifts to boomers.

The sooner you help your donors make a commitment today, the greater likelihood of increased commitment—and additional planned gifts—down the road.

Charitable Remainder Trusts Are “In”

Fri, 28 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Charitable remainder trusts, which can provide your clients or their designee with lifetime income, and later benefit a cause of their choice, continue to grow in popularity.

Why?

David Wheeler Newman of Mitchell, Silverberg & Knupp, LLP, cites the increase in the value of the stock market, and their applicability to business acquisitions and large real estate transactions.

Last spring he foresaw continued the growth or charitable remainder trusts as people become more aware of the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT).

Richard L. Fox, a wealth manager, cites regulatory changes to the Medicare Tax as another incentive for looking at charitable remainder trusts.

Curious what a calculation on a charitable remainder trust would look like for your client?

You can run the numbers.

Want to know more? Contact me!

6 Reasons You Should Talk to Your Clients about Endowed Charitable Funds

Thu, 27 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Endowment needs to be a part of any discussion you have with your clients about philanthropy.

An endowed fund keeps on giving forever, supporting the causes that matter to your clients in perpetuity. While commercial funds don't offer this option, endowed funds are our specialty.

Reason #1: For Peace of Mind

Life can be uncertain.

Endowing a fund is a sure-fire way to know your client's values, passion and generosity will endure.

Reason #2: Your Client's Legacy Is Assured

The dollars placed in an endowed fund are secure from estate taxes (and from creditors).

Some individuals also choose to establish an endowed fund now, and then add to it more substantially as part of their estate planning.

Reason #3: To Generate Growth

Endowed funds have access to our long term investment pools, with high rates of return.

Our balanced portfolio also minimizes volatile market risks.

Reason #4: Now Is A Good Financial Time

Establishing an endowed fund can allow your clients to take meaningful advantage of the positive market returns of the past year.

For clients who establish an endowed fund of $100,000 or more, the amount available for annual grants can have a strong impact on what they care most about.

Reason #5: Your Clients’ Giving Strategy May Be Ready

Your clients may have identified the nonprofits whose future they want to ensure through a steady funding stream, or honed the causes they'd like to be identified with for the long term. (We can help with that too.)

Reason #6: Because It's Easy!

Creating an endowed fund can take place quickly -- typically in one short meeting.

To appreciate the power of endowment, share this interactive calculators with your clients. You, and your clients, will be glad you did!

Your Nonprofit Can Get Help Here with Planned Gifts

Thu, 20 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Most nonprofits understand the two major difficulties in starting and maintaining a planned giving program are:

Promoting and clearly conveying planned giving opportunities to donors on an on-going basis; and
Having the knowledge and expertise to discuss planned gifts with prospects or manage the complexities of those gifts.

I handle the second one for you. Period.

All you have to do is email or call me at 831.662.2060, and tell me when and where.

I can help out you with the first, but there are hundreds of nonprofits in Santa Cruz County and I can’t be everywhere at once.

So, I have some additional tools for you.

Our Planned Giving Toolkit is a mini-resource library on a thumb drive, with information to help you establish a planned giving program, identify, solicit and cultivate prospects and market planned gifts. It's full of materials and ideas. Let me know if you’d like me to send you one.
The Incubator Project, a joint effort with the Silicon Valley Planned Giving Council, provides you with one-on-one planned giving mentoring for two years and gets you on your way to a permanent, effective program.

Of course, we also manages agency funds, so you have somewhere to put those planned gifts. (More on that topic in a future blog).

Planned giving really is easy. Especially when you have help.

Planned Giving for Nonprofits: Endowments and Quasi-Endowments

Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

What is a true endowment and what is a quasi-endowment—and does it make a difference?

The simple answer to the last question is, Yes, there's a difference. But, it depends.

About Endowments

Endowments are funds established for permanence.

The fund is invested for the long term and grants from the fund for charitable purpose are made without ever dipping into the principal.

More simply stated, the original gift(s) are left untouched.

Endowment funds at the Foundation are true endowments. They are governed by our spending policy, which allows for 4% of the fund balance to be spent each year, to the extent that earnings are available.

For example, if an endowment was established with a gift of $100,000 and the fund balance is $104,000 or more, then a grant of $4,000 (4%) would be made. Any balance less than $104,000 would reduce the grant. A balance of less than $100,000 would mean no grants would be forthcoming until the fund grew.

A steadily growing endowment is a pretty good bet here. Last year, our investment returns were over 17%. It’s one way we ensure permanence and long-term growth.

About Quasi-Endowments

Quasi-endowments are a bit trickier.

Like endowments, they can have regular, specified payouts. But they differ in one key respect: grants can be made from the fund in any amount, even when it depletes the fund below the value of the original gift(s). In other words, there is no guarantee of permanence.

We offer nonprofits the option of either kind of fund.

Now, back to the question as to whether the difference matters.

I have found that nonprofit boards usually like the idea of having flexibility to reach into an endowment in special circumstances.

It may be an emergency like the economic crisis of 2008-2009, or it may be time to establish a new program.

As board members, they believe it to be their fiduciary duty to be able to control the flow of money.

Donors Generally Prefer True Endowments

Their gifts to endowment are usually made via their estates. In other words, the last gift they make. Donors like knowing their final gift will be funding good work long beyond their lifetimes.

The permanence of endowment ensures that.

A quasi-endowment does not have that guarantee.

Its important for nonprofits to think carefully about their decision to establish an endowment or a quasi-endowment.

What may seem to be most important for them as board members might be unpalatable to their donors.

Planned Giving: Why Not?

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 05:00:00 GMT

Contrary to what many nonprofits believe, a solid planned giving program can be easy to start and maintain. Especially when you have us helping out.

Yet, I’ve heard all sorts of reasons why nonprofits say they can’t start a planned giving effort.

They usually fall into three categories.

We don’t have the money or staff to support a planned giving program.

Truth is, you don’t need it.

Piggyback your planned giving efforts with your other development programs. It’s easy to include planned giving ads or testimonials in your existing newsletter.

And why not make planned gift asks part of your annual meet-ups with donors?

When your donor wants to learn more about types of planned gifts, just bring me into the conversation. It won’t cost you a dime.

Planned gifts take too long before we see results. We need money today.

Well, first of all, risking a bit of gallows humor, they don’t necessarily take that long.

Studies show you'll likely see significant gifts in five years. Some sooner. That’s just how it works out.

Ask yourself how long you expect your organization to be around?

Do you expect to complete your mission and go away in five years?

If yes, then planned giving is definitely not for you!

But, if you've an ongoing program and expect to be around for a long time, then you need to be thinking about planned gifts.

It’s simply a matter of fiduciary responsibility for your organization’s short and long term sustainability.

I’m uncomfortable talking about death.

So, you figure it will go away if you ignore it?

Cue up Monty Python.

Seriously, I guarantee your donors have thought about it, so why isn’t your organization?

It's easy to have the discussion with a donor when you frame it positively.

Ask them about their vision for their community and how your organization can help accomplish that vision? What would they like to see you doing in five, ten, twenty years time?

Moving the discussion from the finality of death to the legacy of their support accomplishing deeds for their children and grandchildren is a powerful game changer.

All it will take is one such conversation with your donor. Watch their face light up with enthusiasm and you’ll be sold.

And you’ll feel pretty good about it, too.

Planned Giving Help for Nonprofits

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 05:00:00 GMT

Recently I presented Boost Your Bottom Line With Planned Gifts to a full house at our center for philanthropy.

The workshop was an opportunity for local nonprofit staff and board members to learn how to start creating a stable source of future funding through planned gifts.

That makes this an appropriate time to kick off a series of blogs on related planned giving topics for nonprofits.

For those of you who were unable to attend the seminar, I’ll attempt to address some of the basics to get you up to speed.

At the same time, I’ll drill down a bit on some topics so as to benefit those of you who attended or are otherwise more advanced.

Either way, I’ll do my best to continue providing some useful information that can help you deliver on your mission.

I intend to start out addressing whether you should—or shouldn’t—start a planned giving program, then follow up with more information on tools you can use, such as our Endowment Toolkit, the Incubator Project and our personalized planned giving services.

Later, I’ll delve into specific components of a good planned giving program, including the types of gifts to promote, identifying your best prospects and how make the ask.

Occasionally, I may highlight some of our nonprofit partners who are taking advantage of our services and possibly address more esoteric issues, such as the future of planned giving.

I would appreciate you letting me know if there are specific topics related to planned giving that you wish me to address. As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

Count On Us As Your One-Stop Resource For Charitable Gift Planning

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

We recently presented a seminar for professional advisors, a great presentation by Jon Muir of Raymond James Trust on estate planning for non-traditional families.

For those of you who weren’t able to make it, let me know and I can send you the presentation slides.

It’s a very top-of-mind topic these days as marriage equality has gained momentum and state and federal laws are changing to catch up.

Sean Hanley, a San Jose attorney, posted a nice article summarizing many of the issues with regards to estates.

If you need a one-stop resource on all things related to philanthropy and charitable gift planning, turn to us.

Seminars are just one of our offerings. Our website has a number of tools available for your use, including a trust and annuity calculator, GiftLaw Pro reference library and informational handouts for your clients on various types of charitable giving instruments.

Want to learn more?

Email or call me at 831.662.2060 and I can meet with you to discuss our services. I can also make presentations to groups at your firm.

It’s all about encouraging philanthropy and helping your clients.

Randy Balogh is the philanthropic services director at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County. Email or call him at 831.662.2060 for a private and confidential consultation.

Rising Estate Tax Exemptions - Is There a Future for Testamentary Gifts?

Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

Starting this month, an individual’s estate doesn’t incur estate tax until it reaches $5.34 million (double that for couples). Only about 0.2% of estates will be subject to this taxation. That’s just two per thousand, folks.

Does that mean there will be decreased interest in testamentary gifts?

Well, we saw a record number of people this past year establish provisions for charity in their estate plans.

Most of them had estates smaller than the limits, so they likely had other motivations.

I’ve posted an interesting article on our website that addresses the question of motivation on charitable estate gifts.

While the article is written from a nonprofit organization’s perspective, there are good insights here for you in working with clients who may be charitably inclined.

Bottom line: your clients are likely to remain very interested in testamentary gifts and broaching the subject with them is still a good idea.

But you knew that already, didn’t you?

One of our tools, the memorandum of charitable intent, can help simplify charitable estate giving for your clients.

Drop me a line if you’d like to learn more.

Charitable Gift and Tax Information Only a Click Away

Wed, 15 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

Your relationships are strengthened when you help your clients achieve their giving goals. I’m all about providing resources to help you do just that.

Your clients rely on you for the best charitable giving options and, if my recent experience is any gauge, chances are good that many of them are making larger and more complicated charitable gifts than ever.

It all starts with knowledge.

GiftLaw Pro is our online, comprehensive charitable giving and tax information service.

For non-experts, GiftLaw Pro has succinct, easy to understand descriptions of all the important gift planning topics.

For those requiring more detail, it also links to the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury regulations, private letter rulings, Tax Court cases, Court of Appeals cases and Supreme Court cases.

Go ahead and browse the library to see how valuable a reference this can be.

To navigate there from our webpage, For Professional Advisors, click on the GiftLaw link in the text and click the GiftLaw Pro tab.

2013 Retrospective? Naaaah . . .

Mon, 06 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

'Tis the season of annual retrospectives. Biggest news of the year. Most amazing sports plays. Best viral videos. Yadda yadda

Personally, I ignore them.

I’m a forward looking person.

In that spirit, instead of a retrospective on philanthropic highlights of the past year (and trust me, there were a LOT!), I’d like to let you know what sort of information you can expect to see and hear from us in the coming year—all in the interest of providing content you can use in your practice.

Families aren’t what they used to be and neither is financial planning. Non-traditional couples and families are a growing demographic for planners.

Many of you serve on the boards of local nonprofits. I help those organizations deliver on their mission by helping them raise and manage endowment and reserve funds.
Women control more than half the wealth in the U.S. and that number is growing fast. Women are generous, hands-on, high-engagement philanthropists. Through discussion and seminars, I’ll show you ways you can play a role in helping them fulfill their goals for their giving and how we can help you get there.
Should you be talking about charitable giving with your clients? If you don’t—and trust me on this—it’s a BIG lost opportunity. I’ll detail why, and the best way to start, through free private consultations and in the accredited seminars we offer.
Donor-advised funds can be smart alternatives to private foundations. Look for information on the advantages of DAFs, how they can help your clients manage their existing private foundations and how we can provide a no-hassle way to dissolve unwanted private foundations and transfer them to one.
Many Silicon Valley employees have come into significant wealth at an early age. What are their views on philanthropy and what do you need to know to help them achieve their goals? I’ll be addressing these issues later in the year.

I’m looking forward to helping you serve the philanthropic needs of your clients in 2014.