BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Session Time: 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. 

Beginner Track
Building a Legacy Giving Program at Any Size or Budget
Speakers: Aimee Granger, Managing Director, Legacy Giving and Breahan Pautsch, Legacy Giving Manager, PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio
When starting or building a legacy giving program, it can be difficult to know where to start, especially with limited resources. This presentation provides practical ideas for starting - or growing - a program, organized by the size of an organization's budget and the time commitment a team (or individual) is able to make.

Everyone Track
Empowering Philanthropy: How Women Leaders are Shaping the Future of Fundraising
Speakers: Keenya Lambert, President and CEO, Chicago Foundation for Women and Valerie Sherman, Assistant Vice President, Major and Planned Giving, Colby College
Two friends (who happen to be leaders and fundraisers) will lead a conversation on the power of women holding leadership positions in philanthropy and how it changes the way they manage teams, care for their community, manage their professional growth, and ensure self-care. The focus will be on the workforce driving the social impact and leading teams in the current moment.

Technical Track
Post-Death Estate and Trust Litigation: Navigating Legal and Other Challenges for Charities
Speakers: Andrew Fussner, National Vice President of Estate Settlement, American Heart Association and Fred Weber, Counsel in the Private Clients, Trusts & Estates Group, Arentfox Schiff LLP
This presentation will examine post-death administration of estates and trusts with a focus on how estate and trust litigation may impact charitable beneficiaries. Attendees will learn about different types of legal challenges, including will and trust contests, disputes over the proper identification of heirs and beneficiaries, objections to expenses and fees, and allegations of breaches of fiduciary duties. We will also look at the fiduciary duties that are most pertinent to charitable beneficiaries and explore actions (legal and non-legal) that charities may take to hold fiduciaries accountable. The presentation will address practical considerations to help charities make informed decisions about pursuing litigation and discuss how charities may need to respond to litigation initiated by other parties to a donor’s estate or trust. We will also share ideas for minimizing the financial and reputational costs to charities if a dispute over a donor’s estate or trust cannot be avoided.
 

Session Time: 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. 

Beginner Track
How to Mature Your Planned Giving Program—With or Without Outside Help
Speaker: Kelsey Nelson, Vice President, Campbell & Company
This session will use a planned giving maturity model to explore when organizations can handle needs in-house and when they might require external support--including software, marketing partners, consultants, or pro bono help. The maturity model offers a clear framework for evaluating and enhancing a planned giving program based on a standard scale. The model covers areas including Marketing, Giving Society, Cultivation & Solicitation, Revenue & ROI, Systems & Policies, Staffing, and Board Involvement, highlighting what a "mature" planned giving program looks like in each category. Through case studies and expert insights, this session will help participants assess their organization’s needs and make informed decisions about how to deploy resources most efficiently and effectively to support planned giving growth. For example, we will examine how an organization can build and maintain an expectancy file internally, or with an investment in additional tools.

Everyone Track
How to Excel in Cross-Generational Communications
Speakers: Beth Lye, Director of Gift Planning, University of Illinois Foundation and Janine MacLachlan, CEO, Leadership Communication Strategist, Janine M. MacLachlan LLC
Philanthropy professionals often engage with people who are of different generations and socio-economic backgrounds, which may present communication challenges. Join communication expert and spokesperson trainer Janine MacLachlan and CCPG President Beth Lye to discuss actionable techniques that can help bridge any divide. Beth once said, “Janine turned me into a communication powerhouse” and this dynamic duo will help you maximize your results through leadership presence with authenticity and heart. This session is highly interactive, so bring your individual examples of situations you would like to navigate.

Technical Track
The Power of Non-Cash Gifts: Tax-Smart Philanthropy
Speakers: Ruby Pediangco, Senior Manager, Charitable Strategies Group and Christopher Boyce, Senior Manager of Charitable Consulting, DAFgiving360™
Learn why appreciated non-cash assets provide your donors a unique opportunity to leverage their valuable investments to potentially achieve maximum impact with their charitable giving and what considerations non profits might face when presented with non-cash gift opportunities.

Session Time: 1:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Beginner Track
MMS: Measurements, Metrics and Software: Details Matter
Speaker: Anne Morgan, Executive Director for Advancement, University of Missouri
Measurements, Metrics and Software will take a look at what the important measurements are in successful gift planning marketing and budgeting, what reasonable metrics look like and review a few software options for gift planning and donor databases. Showing return on investment (ROI) is critical for budget support at most organizations, and the right software supports the efficiency of your work.

Everyone Track
Securing the Future: Navigating New Horizons in Tax-Exempt and Estate Planning Law
Speakers: Jesse Roberts, Of Counsel and Eric Sanderson, Partner, Michael Best
Join Jesse Roberts and Eric Sanderson for an insightful session where they explore the latest developments and critical issues in tax-exempt and estate planning law. As attorneys, Jesse and Eric play a pivotal role in providing security and guidance to philanthropic organizations and donors, ensuring their legacy endures. This presentation will cover recent legislative changes, changes at the IRS and other regulators, and emerging trends that impact tax-exempt entities and donors. Attendees will gain attendees will gain useful insights to navigate these new horizons and secure a lasting legacy of philanthropy.

Technical Track
Rethinking the Philanthropic Paradigm: Why UHNW Donors Think "Investment" Rather Than "Gift"
Speaker: Nicholas Tyszka, Handler Law, LLP
Gone are the days where donors "give it and forget it". Instead, families in the ultra-high-net-worth space are thinking about philanthropy much like they've thought of the businesses that have generated their wealth. In this session, we'll explore how families are increasingly focused on making "investments" that will leave a lasting legacy.

Session Time: 3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Beginner Track
Using a Service Provider Mindset to Cultivate Strong Gift Planning/Major Giving Relationships
Speaker: Jason James Shuba, JD, Director of Gift Planning, Denison University
Advancement shops go higher together, and a shop’s ceiling is raised through a well-integrated gift planning effort. All too often though, siloed performance metrics, misaligned expectations, and ill-prepared communication create an environment where gift planning practitioners and their major gift counterparts fail to team in a way that maximizes more of an organization’s donor opportunities. Viewing gift planning as an internal service provider can be an effective method to get ahead of these potential stumbling blocks. Using detailed language examples through that lens, this session will speak to how vulnerability during expectation setting, capacity building, perceived choice, and templatization can be deployed to strengthen these relationships.

Everyone Track
Professional Advisors, The Link Between Nonprofits and Wealthy Donors
Panelists: Chad McCoy, CPS, MST, Partner, Plante & Moran, PLLC, David Simon, President, Insuring A Better World Fund, Brian Kasal, CEO, FourStar Wealth Advisors LLC
Facilitator: Julianne Buck, CEO, Community Foundation of Grundy County 
Have you ever had a major gift fall through because the donor's professional advisor nixed it? Have you ever had a major gift come in that you weren't expecting? Professional advisors play a major role in our relationships with our donors - their clients. Come hear from a panel of advisors as they discuss their role in their clients' charitable planning and what they want and need from us nonprofits to assure these gifts come to fruition.

Technical Track
Helping Donors Give More Without Worry: A Deep Dive Into The Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity
Speakers: Jessie Pridie, Relationship Manager and Katie Pfeiffer, Director, Marketing and Client Communications, TIAA Kaspick
Deferred Charitable Gift Annuities offer significant opportunity to expand your donors' philanthropic capacity and support your charitable mission. In this session we will explore the mechanics of the DCGA and how it supports donor objectives. We will also identify who is a good prospect for this gift vehicle and discuss marketing strategies.