Presenting a proven way to build your endowment with a sustainable Gift Planning Program
Program Development
WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING YOUR ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE GIFT PLANNING PROGRAM.
If your non-profit is ready to launch or revitalize a planned giving program, Planned Giving Essentials is our proprietary solution to help you make it happen right now. You will be able to offer endowment, bequest and beneficiary designation gifts in a confident way, with a plan for how to offer more complex gift plans in the future. Planned Giving Essentials is ideal for non-profits with no or a passive planned giving program.
Training
WE CAN HELP.
TRAINING: Through a combination of group teaching, role-playing and individual coaching, we’ll work with your team to develop the confidence and the tools to have a planned giving conversation with anyone. SPEAKING: Our team has years of experience delivering high impact, and entertaining presentations and workshops that speak to your audience, wherever they may be on their gift planning journey.
Assessments
To succeed in today’s competitive fundraising environment, all fundraisers must be confident and intentional about offering gift planning solutions to your donors. Most managers are too busy to train and coach their teams, and a lot of fundraisers are left to figure it out on their own as best they can. Our programs are customized based on your fundraising culture, the skillsets of your fundraising team and your budget. All programs begin with an assessment of your current program and your team members to establish a baseline. Through a combination of group teaching, role-playing and individual coaching, we’ll work with your team to develop the confidence and the tools to have a planned giving conversation with anyone.
PLANNED GIVING IS TOO COMPLEX AND TAKES TOO MUCH TIME, RIGHT? WRONG
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE. With a carefully designed and executed plan, you can have a more robust planned giving program.
WE NEED TO MOVE TO AN INTEGRATED, DONOR-FOCUSED MODEL
Instead of asking prospects to consider major gifts, annual gifts and planned gifts (the three-legged ask), THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING SHOPS ARE ENGAGING PROSPECTS in the life of the institution and working collaboratively with the prospect and his/her advisors to create integrated giving solutions commonly referred to as “blended gifts”.
WE CAN HELP
Fundraising Professionals need someone who has experience working with all types and sizes of organizations. They need someone to help them create a plan and work closely with them to execute the plan. Too many fundraising consultants are accused of dumping and running. WE ARE COMMITTED TO OUR CLIENT’S SUCCESS and will coach you through every step of the way.
HOW WE HELP
GIFT PLANNING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
EVERYTHING YOUR ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE GIFT PLANNING PROGRAM. If your non-profit is ready to launch or revitalize a planned giving program, Planned Giving Essentials is our proprietary solution to help you make it happen right now.
Planned Giving Essentials is ideal for non profits with no or a passive planned giving program.
Through Planned Giving Essentials your non-profit will:
- Build the infrastructure to accept and properly handle planned gifts
- Engage and involve your board in planned giving
- Identify your best planned giving prospects
- Learn how to have planned giving conversations with these prospects
- Create an effective communications and marketing plan to reach planned giving prospects
- Add the core infrastructure required by a planned giving program
- Develop a stewardship program to maintain and enhance your relationships with planned gift donors, and
- Craft a plan for sustainable program growth going forward
You will be able to offer endowment, bequest and beneficiary designation gifts in a confident way, with a plan for how to offer more complex gift plans in the future.
Essentials is delivered to your non-profit one-on-one by one of our gift planning professionals. Everything is customizable from carefully developed templates to make creating your program as easy as possible but completely unique to your mission and organization.
Additional Services
Gift Planning Program Assessments
Existing PG programs require fresh thinking and an overhaul of approach to realize exponential growth. This is a program for established shops who are doing well but are committed to growing their program even further. The program includes a full review of every aspect of your program as well as a one-day onsite visit to interview up to 10 key people involved in the gift planning program. This includes all gift planning staff, VP of Development or Advancement, Director of Principal and or major gifts, database managers, marketing people, and the stewardship team. The deliverable is an assessment report with observations and recommendations to move your program forward.
Training/Coaching
To succeed in today’s competitive fundraising environment, all fundraisers must be confident and intentional about offering gift planning solutions to your donors. Most managers are too busy to train and coach their teams, and a lot of fundraisers are left to figure it out on their own as best they can. Our programs are customized based on your fundraising culture, the skillsets of your fundraising team and your budget. All programs begin with an assessment of your current program and your team members to establish a baseline. Through a combination of group teaching, role-playing and individual coaching, we’ll work with your team to develop the confidence and the tools to have a planned giving conversation with anyone.
Speaking
Tired of speakers whose presentations are way over or under your audiences experience level? Our team has years of experience delivering high impact, and entertaining presentations and workshops that speak to your audience, wherever they may be on their gift planning journey. For information about hiring us for your next conference, workshop or event please reach out using the button below.
ABOUT US
Gift Planning Development is a full-service gift planning consulting firm providing services to non-profits, fundraisers, philanthropists, professional advisors and professional associations since 2007.
Using a donor-centered, values-based, philanthropic planning philosophy, we assist in the creation of gift plans that meet the needs of both philanthropists and non-profits while fully integrating those gift plans into the existing tax, estate and financial plans of the philanthropists. We are dedicated to helping you meet your gift planning goals, whatever they might be.
As you consider our services, contact our current and past clients, visit with our strategic partners, and review our testimonials to learn more about the type of concierge service and one-on-one support we offer to all of our clients.
The Team
Brian Sagrestano, JD, CFRE
Founder
Brian is an author, public speaker and thought leader in the gift planning world. In 2007, he founded Gift Planning Development, LLC. Brian provides gift planning services to a wide range of charitable clients from national organizations focused on high-end gift plans to local charities seeking to start new gift planning programs. Brian was also a founding member of Constellation Advancement, LLC, a full-service fundraising consulting firm. Prior to starting GPD, he spent twelve years as a charitable gift planner, directing the gift planning programs for the University of Pennsylvania, Middlebury College and Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations.
Brian has co-authored three books with Robert E. Wahlers, MS, CFRE, including the award-winning Philanthropic Planning Companion: The Fundraisers’ and Professional Advisors’ Guide to Charitable Gift Planning(Wiley 2012), Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning and the accompanying Resource Book (Charity Channel Press 2016). He has been a contributor to Planned Giving Today, Planned Giving Mentor, Advancing Philanthropy and Planned Giving Tomorrow.
He is a widely sought-after speaker, having presented multiple times at the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference on Fundraising, the National Conference on Philanthropic Planning, the American Council on Gift Annuities Conference, the Practical Planned Giving Conference, and at countless local/chapter meetings for the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Brian is a past board member of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (formerly PPP), the Gift Planning Council of New Jersey and Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia, as well as a past editorial board member of the Journal of Gift Planning.
An honors graduate of Cornell University and Notre Dame Law School, Brian and his family reside in New Hartford, New York, the scenic gateway to the Adirondack Mountains. When not working, Brian enjoys singing with his barbershop quartet, All In.
Joseph Tumolo, CAP®
CEO
Joe started his practice in 2013 and since then has worked with over 25 organizations including Lockhaven University, Lockhaven, PA Immaculata University, Malvern PA, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA, Manlius Pebble Hill School, Syracuse, NY, Wooster Academy, Wooster, MA, , Friends Select School, Philadelphia, PA, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Ft. Washington, PA, United Cerebral Palsy, Philadelphia, Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Carbondale, CO, The Clery Center, Wayne, PA, Woodmark Group, Seattle, Washington Silver Springs Martin Luther School, Plymouth Meeting, PA and more.
In addition to working with clients, for the past two years, Joe has served part-time as a major and planned gifts officer for Salesian Missions based in New Rochelle, NY. He has written several books on fundraising and speaks around the country delivering a practical, simple message that inspires people to take action. Joe is a former board member of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia. As a volunteer, Joe raises money for his donor-advised fund and an endowed fund at the Penn Medicine Brain Tumor Center named for his sister Marie. He and his wife volunteer with several organizations that feed the homeless and homebound in the Philadelphia area.
Joe has an Associate degree from Montgomery County Community College and a Bachelor of Science from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He received his Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy certification from the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA. He lives in the Philadelphia area with his wife Lorraine and the Jack Russell/Hound Dog they rescued, Tye.
Wayne Olsen, JD
Senior Consultant
Wayne Olson is the president and owner of Wayne Olson Consulting LLC where he advises charities on fundraising, capital campaigns and planned giving. He also advises for-profit corporations on motivation, sales, leadership and employee morale. He provides training through seminars, retreats, and ongoing consultation.
He is the author of three books, including Big Gifts Small Effort, which helps charities, fundraisers and boards understand and use planned giving to better their organizations. His specialty is donor relations and explaining planned giving and all fundraising in easy-to-understand terms. His newest book, The Disney Difference, shows nonprofits and for-profit corporations how to apply Disney-like principles to improve their organizations.
Liz Cahn
Senior Consultant
A Boston native, Liz’s clients range from educational institutions to arts organizations, social services and healthcare. A 29-year veteran of fundraising, Liz has served several institutions, including Brooks School, Phillips Academy, Tufts University and Concord Academy. Liz is a past Board member of the Planned Giving Group of New England and the Friday Forum. Speaking engagements include State Street Global Advisors summer conference, CASE District 1, WID, PGGNE, AFP, AHP, Women in Philanthropy of Western MA, NEAHP and the Planned Giving Group of Central Mass and CASE/NAIS. Liz also volunteers for several organizations. She is a current board member of the Italian Home for Children, a founding member of Boston Impact 100, and a volunteer for Duke University.
David Toll, JD
Senior Consultant
David Toll, JD brings more than 17 years of professional experience in development and fundraising with higher education institutions.
David is currently serving as the Senior Associate Vice President of the Office of Gift Planning at Drexel University, where he is responsible for the development and implementation of university-wide planned giving efforts for Drexel University, Drexel University College of Medicine, Tom Kline School of Law and the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University. Widely considered a leader in the field of higher education gift planning, David has the unique ability to articulate technical gift planning techniques in simple, understandable terms for donors.
David has presented at conferences around the country for organizations such as the Council on the Advancement and Support of Education, and the Philadelphia Chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia and the Planned Giving Group of New England. Over the last 17 years, he has consulted with many groups in developing gift planning programs and structuring complex planned gifts.
David is the current President of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia. Before pursuing a career in higher education advancement, David spent several years practicing law at White and Williams, Patterson and Weir and Fox Rothschild with an emphasis on real-estate, business, tax and estate planning.
Gift Planning Development is a Constellation Advancement Partner
TESTIMONIALS
Gift Planning Development provided expert counsel in developing a strategic planned giving plan for our multi-hospital health system and trained our gift officers. Joe is donor-centric in his approach, models what he teaches, and delivers above and beyond what he promises. All of this with a great sense of humor, making our work together fun, and leaving us inspired, motivated and believing we can do this.
James W. Shenk, CFRETotally Practical — Affordable, effective, professional and totally practical. Gift Planning Essentials program was just the kick-start we needed.
Ann V. SatterthwaitePlanned Giving Essentials gave us an infrastructure that we did not have previously. Thank you too for giving us the confidence to solicit planned gifts (your coaching was invaluable) and the tools to recognize who are our best planned giving prospects. On behalf of all of us in the development office please know that we are most grateful to you.
Al Zimmerman '73“Where do I start?” That’s the first thought I had after being tasked with starting a legacy society at the Delaware Art Museum. Recalling Brian’s presentation at The Planned Giving Course and his Essentials step-by- step approach to creating a successful planned giving program, I knew his method was the one that would work for us. And it did. During the time we partnered with Brian, we adopted newly-created agreements and policies, strategically identified prospects, and enhanced our legacy-focused marketing and educational materials, growing society membership from zero to 80 in three years.
Susan M. ZellnerCONTACT GIFT PLANNING DEVELOPMENT
Philadelphia Office:
1104 Harrogate Way
Ambler, PA 19002
610.653.7906
New York Office:
100 Chestnut Place
New Hartford, NY 13413
315.292.1335