Financial Professional Advisory Committees

Professional Advisory Committees have been a hot topic for a number of years in the planned giving world.  Everyone thinks they are good, but I haven't come across a successful model to copy just yet.  Some organizations have a separate group from their PG committee that meets a couple times of the year.  Some groups review gifts, others sponsor continuing ed events, still others come together to encourage financial professionals to reach out to their clients and promote charitable giving, particularly to the charity hosting the meeting.

Our Professional Advisory group started off as a separate group and has since become a part of our Legacy Cabinet. They are full fledged cabinet members along with our donor volunteers and bring an interesting perspective to the discussions.  We typically look for young professionals who give to and volunteer with United Way and are not just looking for an "easy" way to find new clients.  Financial professionals on the Legacy Cabinet include:

1. An estate planning attorney who is a member of our Young Leaders group and a past Allocations Team volunteer.
2. A real estate attorney who volunteered on our 2-1-1 emergency crisis line following the April 2011 tornadoes.
3. A CPA from a local accounting firm specializing in individual taxes.
4. A private banker who is a past Loaned Executive, Allocations Team volunteer, and a strong United Way supporter.
5. A trust officer who is a past Loaned Executive and a current Tocqueville member.
6. An insurance professional who is a Tocqueville member and a past Campaign Cabinet member.

Our financial professional group is constantly evolving and I don't think we have a perfect model by any stretch of the imaginaton, but we are getting there.  The other Cabinet volunteers like having financial professionals as part of the Legacy Cabinet so they have knowledgeable people who can answer questions at each meeting.

How Professonal Advisory Committees Can Be Most Effective is an interesting article from the Planned Giving Design Center and a good place to start.  If you have success, please let me know so we can retread your ideas. 

Also worth reading from the Chronicle of Philanthropy - 75% of Young Donors Turned Off by Out-of-Date Web Sites. 

Insomnia Cures

I came across 3 articles from Financial Planning Magazine that might be worth your time to glance over.  Admittedly this is first class Geek reading, but the Donor Advisor Fund article may offer some info you didn't know.  The article on Charitable Trusts focuses on Charitable Lead Trusts which are extremely rare, but it is important to know the concept of "Valuation Discounts" since it applies to any number of potential real and personal property gifts.  Finally, the Advisor article might be a good one to send to those Financial Advisors you've been courting.   Bottom line - read these when counting sheep is just not working!

1.  Donor-Advised Funds Outperforming Family Foundations

 

2.  Spike in Charitable Donations Creates Advisor Opportunity

 

3.  New Approach for Charitable Trusts





Live United T-Shirts for the Next Generation

Last week I was visiting my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.  Stefanie worked for United Way of Greater Houston prior to the birth of Lydia.  As devoted grandparents, we came bearing gifts including Birmingham-Southern College shirts for Stefanie, who graduated from BSC in 2006, and Lydia, as the next generation of BSC Panthers.  They had 2 shirts in Lydia's size in the BSC bookstore and of course I bought them both.

An idea struck me on the flight back to Birmingham yesterday.  Why not send an infant or toddler Live United t-shirt to the next generation of United Way donors and then a note to their grandparents encouraging an endowment gift to continue their generosity for the benefit of their grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc?  Of course it means keeping up with children and births, but then again that is where volunteers serve as the best sources of information. 

In case you were wondering, we didn't forget our son-in-law.  He is an Auburn graduate!  War Eagle! (which takes some effort to say since we are Alabama fans!).

Just Do It!

I love a good Tagline!  The Nike Swoosh inspires me to run that much faster even though I wear Asics.  If you can tell me what "Where's the Beef?" advertised, then you and I are likely close in age.  Good taglines help us remember and move us to action.  So what are some good planned giving taglines?

I make it no secret that I am not particularly enamored with "Remember United Way in your will or estate plan and tell us when you do."  In my humble opinion (which is worth all you've paid for it), this statement is passive, reminds me too much of dying, and a will is an estate plan (but not necessarily vice versa).  I could go on, but point expressed and if you want to know more of my reasons or would like to tell me I'm wrong, just give me a call.  The real question is - what's better?

My current tagline comes from a college website with a few modifications. 

Legacy Gifts.  Shape the Future... Build Tomorrow with United Way! 

Call me today to begin.

I also use...  Legacy Gifts.  It's Forward Thinking Philanthropy Beginning Today.  Call 205.458.2022.

Planned Giving Today calls them "blurbs" and posted several of their favorites in the Marketing Reprintable of their July edition.  I added United Way to each of them. 

• Please Consider....  including United Way in your will.  For a free Bequest Information Kit, visit www.uwca.org or call us at (205) 458-2022
• Is United Way in your Will or Revocable Living Trust?  If not remember that your bequest can make a difference! 
• You can help us serve the next generation.  But only when you remember to include United Way in your will.
• Your legacy is ready to start...  when you name United Way in your will, trust, or life insurance.

The first 2 don't excite me much, but I like the 3rd and 4th examples better.  I don't think I have come across one yet that really works like "Just do it!" or "Think different."

Rachel Sellers in her blog, The Compass, has an excellent post from 2011 on taglines.  You can find it HERE.  She includes the following checklist for creating a good tagline....

 

She has a total of 10 pieces of Branding Advice on her blog and they are worth reading as you consider how to market your planned giving program.  Have a good weekend.

UW Life Marketing from the Central Carolinas, Mile High, and Greater Milwaukee UWs

Bill Hamelau, Director of Legacy Giving at United Way of Central Carolinas in Charlotte, NC, sent me his new marketing piece for United Way Life.  It is still a work in progress, but definitely a wealth of ideas to beg, borrow, and steal.  You can access his document by clicking HERE.  Bill and I talk regularly and he is an excellent resource for good ideas. 

I would also recommend looking at their Legacy Gifts website.  You will find it at www.legacy.vg/uwcentralcarolinas/giving/1.html.  This website is designed by VirtualGiving.com and this was my first time to look at one of their sites.  I am impressed.  Bill's contact info is on the website for more information both on United Way Life and VirtualGiving.

I also ran across the UW Life Guidelines from Mile High United Way in Denver.  You will find them HERE.  They have an excellent website as well at www.unitedwaydenver.org.

Finally, United Way of Greater Milwaukee has a great website as well for United Way Life at www.unitedwaymilwaukee.org/LegacySociety/UnitedWayLife.

I am certain there are other United Way Life websites and guidelines out there.  Let me know and I will upload the info so others can benefit from all the good ideas.

Building Relationships

I found an exceptionally good article today in Inc. magazine from January 2011. Click Here!  If you don't like clicking or the link doesn't work, cut and paste this address http://www.inc.com/guides/201101/how-to-build-better-business-relationships.html. 

Not only does Darren Dahl give great tips on building better relationships, but he gives great tips on how to incorporate these tips in your work routine.