Dear <$firstname$>,

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

There seems to always be lots of questions around recognition in planned giving campaigns. Let's face it; it can sometimes be a "tricky" thing. It's not always as straight forward as other charitabe situations because most times it's the promise of a future gift, usually payable after the donor is deceased and occasionally when additional stipulations have been met. As such some nonprofits are "stingy" or wishy-washy with the recognition because they're concerned the gift will turn out to be much smaller than anticipated or even completely non-existent.

Nonprofit fundraisers know that one size never fits all. What guidelines do you follow when it comes to planned giving recognition? I'd love to know. You are the community I serve and I invite your thoughts and questions on this issue. Please send them to me at lgreif@breakthroughphilanthropy.com or lgreif@easypg.com or let me know what you really think on my blog: www.plannedgivingbreakthroughs.com.  

Working to Bring You Breakthroughs in Philanthropy,

A warm welcome to our new Planned Giving Key subscribers!

Planned Giving Recognition - "How Will I Recognize You"?

The age old questions that come up are: Should the same recognition apply to both revocable and irrevocable planned gifts? Should people who won't reveal the amount they're giving be included with those who do?

The more recent question now now asked is: Should IRA Charitable Rollover gifts be recognized as planned gifts or major gifts (assuming it meets major gift criteria)? 

Well, the answer is: it depends!

• What documentation exists (if any)?
• Who solicited the gift (PGO, MGO, a Volunteer)?
• Is the gift conditioned on a certain type of recognition?
• Has a recognition offer been made in a brochure or other printed matter or on a website?
• Is recognition defined in your Gift Acceptance Policy?
  
  

I consider planned giving to be the most donor-centered form of fundraising. It's all about the donor and that includes the recognition (in a big way!). When a planned gift donor self-identifies, either with a Declaration of Intent, page from their will or trust, or some other way, always express your appreciation in writing and include the recognition - also in writing. This way you can handle any situations that may turn into a problem later.

Don't forget to register for this year's NY PHILANTHROPIC PLANNING SYMPOSIUM (NYPPS 2011) on May 26, 2011. It's still not too late! Just go to: www.ppggny.org/education.php?ed=reg2&evnt_mo=2011-05

Campaign Jumpstart in the easyPG^® Store www.easypg.com/store.html 

Give your planned giving campaign a boost and get the information you need to maximize your planned gift prospecting and solicitation results.

• Save money on marketing by pinpointing the right prospects for a planned gift
• Offer the appropriate gift planning opportunities to the right donors
• Determine who in your donor base is the most likely to make a planned gift to you
• Priced with nonprofits in mind 

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

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

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 and this year she is a member of the planning committee for the 2011 New York Philanthropic Symposium. She can be reached at lgreif@breakthroughphilanthropy.com or lgreif@easypg.com