The Planned Giving Key: Lock in tomorrow's gifts today

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 Dear <$firstname$>,

Welcome to THE PLANNED GIVING KEY, a newsletter to help you increase your fundraising success with planned gifts!

Don't forget to update your charitable gift annuity rate tables if you follow the recommended rates of the (American Council on Gift Annuities) ACGA. You can find them on the ACGA website www.acga-web.org.

Happy New Year to everyone reading this first edition of the Planned Giving Key
for 2012.

How many of you have made New Year's Resolutions regarding your profession and/or job?

Lots of people I know have stopped making New Year's Resolutions because they say they always end up breaking most of them and then they feel guilty or like they failed at something they really wanted to do.

I can relate to what they're saying. That's why if there's something I really, really want to accomplish I make a commitment instead of a resolution.

You are the community I serve. I want to do everything I can to help and encourage your success with planned gifts. Did you by any chance resolve to be more pro-active about planned giving in 2012? I hope so but it would actually be even better if you made a commitment rather than a resolution. Find out more about this as you read this issue of the Planned Giving Key.

Please share with me what works for you at lgreif@breakthroughphilanthropy.com or lgreif@easypg.com. I am always interested in best practices or learning something new and you confidentiality is guaranteed, if requested.

Also, please check our my blog to find out the changes we're planning for easyPG^®. Just go to www.plannedgivingbreakthroughs.com.  

Working to Bring You Breakthroughs in Philanthropy,

Warmest welcome to our new Planned Giving Key subscribers!

Resolution vs. Commitment

In my too many years of making and breaking resolutions (New Year's or otherwise), I've come to see resolutions as a decision or sometimes a self-imposed ruling.

There are corporate and nonprofit board resolutions which can alter the way an organization functions. Usually, these resolutions require a majority decision as opposed to just one person so they are more readily enforced.

But, when individuals make resolutions, the only one we have to answer to is ourselves. There's nothing that can stop us if we change our minds or get distracted or even just lazy.

However, a commitment means "no excuses" and it's accomplished with actions. You have to do more than just decide...you actually have to take steps.

For example, I know first-hand the difference that planned giving makes to a nonprofit's bottom line - it's staggering! And for that reason I'm committed to helping as many organizations as possible begin and grow planned giving campaigns.

But it's more than a resolution because I'm not just thinking about it, I'm in action. I'm always doing what I can with free or very low cost trainings and seminars, e-newsletters and offers of advice and new ideas. It's the reason I started the easyPG^® Program and why I'm very hands-on and collaborative when working with my consulting clients. I know I have to be in action to fulfill my commitment around creating and strengthening more and more planned giving campaigns.

LinkedIn Group - easyPG^®  Group to Create Successful Planned Giving Campaigns.

our easyPG^®  Page on Facebook and get into the conversation about planned giving.

Follow  easyPG  on Twitter.

Lorri M. Greif, CFRE, president of Breakthrough Philanthropy, Inc., and creator of the easyPG^® Program has worked for more than two decades in the nonprofit community focused on planned giving and major gifts.

She has created and implemented successful major gift and planned giving campaigns for both local and national nonprofits and her skill in training staff and leadership has made her a favorite speaker at planned giving seminars and conferences around the nation. 

Her unique experience in building or re-working varied major gift and planned giving fundraising campaigns from “the ground up” sets her apart from the crowd.

Lorri is a former board member of Women in Development (WID) and is still active on committees. She is also a member of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals (AFP), the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York (PPGGNY), the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning (PPP), the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA), and served on the National Board of Gift-Planning Consultants for Planned Giving MENTOR™, a newsletter for beginners to gift planning. Her articles on gift planning and planned giving campaigns are widely published on line and in print. She can be reached at lgreif@breakthroughphilanthropy.com or lgreif@easypg.com