Annual Conference
Making Planned Giving an Easy Ride

September 28, 2021
8 AM - 1:00 PM

Virtual Event 
Zoom Zoom Room 
(View together at the Harley-Davidson Museum)

The Planned Giving Council of Eastern Wisconsin is excited to offer this conference experience to area professionals. There is something for everyone: from seasoned full-time planned giving officers, to those who spend only a portion of their time on gift planning, or fundraisers who are new to the profession. This is your opportunity to hear from industry experts, to build knowledge, and to expand your network. This is where you want to be on September 28!

• Great place for industry information in our community.
• Leading trends and latest practices presented in variety of formats.
• Experts presenting valuable information that can be utilized immediately. 
• Terrific opportunity to grow and enhance your network of industry colleagues.

Two Viewing Options
1.) The Zoom Zoom Room 
Gather in-person at the Harley-Davidson Museum with other attendees to view the virtual presentations (via Zoom) together on a big screen. We ask that attendees follow the City of Milwaukee’s Covid rules at the time of the event which will be relayed to you via email updates.  

2.) For those who prefer to be fully virtual, you may view the virtual Zoom livestream remotely.

Registered attendees will receive a link to the recordings for all conference sessions which will be viewable for a period of 2 weeks after the event.

Conference Schedule

8 – 8:30 AM    REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST (for those guests gathering in-person)
Enjoy a continental breakfast with colleagues, as you get ready for a fantastic conference experience. 

8:30 – 9:15 AM   WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OPENING KEYNOTE

Opening Keynote:
Everything You Need To Know About Gift Planning You Learned In Kindergarten

Meryl Cosentino, Executive Director, Gift Planning, New York University, New York

All you really need to know about Planned Giving you learned in Kindergarten. It sounds too good to be true, but it isn’t. Discover how the lessons we learned in Kindergarten—Share, Listen, Play Fair, and Remember to Flush can be applied to your career as a planned giving officer and can increase legacy support for your charity. Whether you are new to planned giving, or are a seasoned specialist, if you are looking for insights that can enhance your planned giving prowess, then this session is for you! Meryl will show you how playing well with others and sharing everything enabled her to bring in almost $18 Million in new bequest intentions during her time at Stony Brook University. Warm cookies, cold milk and planned giving are a true recipe for success. 

9:30 – 10:30 AM  BREAK-OUT SESSIONS (choose one)

Option 1: IRAs, CRTs, QCDs, OMG!  Acronyms to know for effective donor engagement
Maura Cook Lamensky, Director of Gift Planning, Greater Milwaukee Foundation
Jennifer Imediegwu, Attorney at Law, Moertl, Wilkins & Campbell, S.C.

IRAs have become one of the most popular assets to gift for donors aged 70.5 and older. This session will focus on why these assets make great charitable gifts and how to talk with your donor about this and other options for charitable giving. Goals will include:

1. Reviewing tax efficient approaches for the distribution of retirement assets.
2. Learning how retirement assets can be coordinated with charitable giving goals.
3. Understanding how charitable remainder trusts can be utilized to achieve charitable giving priorities.

Option 2:  Planned Giving: Getting Everyone Riding Together
Presenters - Steve Farwig, Director of Development, Planned Giving, Marquette University
Cathy Steinhafel, JD, Senior Director of Development, Planned Giving, Marquette University

Many charitable organizations today do not have a full-time planned giving officer. Responsibility for a planned giving program may be combined with major gift work or may be just one of several duties for someone in a one- or two-person development department. Also, with pressure to bring in as many current gifts as possible, perhaps to ensure continuing month-to-month operations, organization leaders or Boards may feel that having a planned giving program is a low priority or something to “consider later.” In this fundraising climate, how does someone whose job description includes “planned giving,” or who understands the impact planned gifts can have, build or initiate a successful planned giving program?

Learning Objectives:

1. Why having a successful planned giving program is a must.
2. On which donors/prospects to focus planned giving marketing.
3. What types of gifts are best to promote with your constituents.

10:45 – 11:45 AM  BREAK-OUT SESSIONS (choose one)

Option 1:  Understanding the Major Trends That Are Impacting Donors Today . . . and Tomorrow
Nathan Stelter, President, The Stelter Company

It’s no surprise that the growth of the planned giving industry has largely been on the backs of the Silent Generation donor. However, today’s planned giving donor looks a lot different than the ones that many of us have come to know over the years.

Today’s planned giving donor, and their expectations, have not only been shaped by the generational shift from matures to boomers, but also the advancement of technology and an evolution in how society views nonprofits.

This presentation will explore the socioeconomic changes that are impacting how donor’s approach their planned gift decisions and what that means for your marketing. We’ll look into how advancement in technology and broader access to information is blowing up our traditional donor pyramid. And we’ll review research that’s showing us a shift in the societal view of nonprofits and how it’s impacting the donor decision making process. No matter your nonprofit’s size or sector you’ll gain valuable information on:

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will gain an understanding of the self-directed consumer (donor) and how to adjust their marketing strategy to ‘meet them where they are’.
2. Participants will learn how the donor journey is changing and what they must do to engage donors within this new vortex.
3. Participants will gain a better understanding of why a targeted and integrated marketing strategy is critical to connecting with donors throughout their decision making process.

Option 2: Planned Giving Marketing - Hit the Easy Button
Kathy Kielar, Vice President of Development, WTTW/WFMT, Chicago

Getting started on marketing your planned giving program can feel daunting – but it doesn’t have to be! Discover the necessary marketing materials that a not-for-profit must have in place to begin marketing planned giving. Explore opportunities already available within your organization including annual fund, marketing, and social media, especially if you have a limited budget. Learn how to identify your best prospects and what they want to know about making a planned gift.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify easy ways to begin planned giving marketing – even on a small budget or with limited time.
2. Find your potential partners inside and outside your organization.
3. Learn how to identify your best prospects to maximize the results of your planned giving marketing.

11:45 AM – 12:00 PM BREAK (Lunch provided for in-person attendees)

12:00 – 1:00 PM  CLOSING KEYNOTE 
Stories from the Trenches: Troublesome Gifts and the IRS
Kent C. Weimer, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®, Director of Trusts, Estates and Gift Planning, Parkland Foundation, Dallas 

Sometimes gifts come with complications both legal and ethical. This session will explore real life gift planning case studies in an interactive manner that includes an open dialogue on planning strategies while exploring the dilemmas and opportunities presented, possible solutions, along with the impacts on policies, procedures and philosophy. The focus will be on outcomes that benefit the donor, family and the charitable organization. The case studies will demonstrate how treasury regulations, when not followed, may lead to the donor losing the charitable deduction.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the Treasury regulations for receipts and qualified appraisals.
2. Learn how the IRS typically challenges deductions they believe to be overstated.
3. Learn how well-thought-out and current gift acceptance policies and well-crafted gift agreements can help when presented with challenging situations or unusual gifts, and meet donor intent while protecting the charity.
4. Explore, through case studies, gifts that have created dilemmas for an organization or the donor and discuss opportunities to benefit the donor and the family as well as the charitable organization.

Register by September 13 for the best rates!  
Each registration comes with a complimentary ticket to the Harley-Davidson Museum.

• Member rate 
   $85 for first registrant and $75 per additional registrant from the same organization. 
  Rates increase to $100 and $80 on September 8.
  
  
• Non Member rate 
  $105 for first registrant and $85 per additional registrant from the same organization.  
  Rates increase to $115 and $95 on September 8.

Register Now! 

The mission of the Planned Giving Council of Eastern Wisconsin is to foster the professional growth of individuals involved in charitable gift planning or fund development by providing education, networking and other resources. 

An affiliate of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners