Issue 36
April 19, 2005

NEWSNOTES is a monthly email newsletter published by Nonprofit Enterprise at Work. It includes items of interest to the nonprofit community in Washtenaw County and the surrounding areas, as well as resources available at NEW. NEWSNOTES is proud to celebrate its fourth year of publication, with delivery to over 500 subscribers every month! We welcome your feedback and suggestions!

NEW would like to recognize the generous support of its Community Partners:

IN THIS ISSUE

LEAD STORY

The Compelling Case for Planned Giving

by G. Roger Schoenhals publisher and editor of Planned Giving Today®

"Should we launch a planned giving program?" Or maybe you already have a planned giving program and you're wondering, "Should we continue to invest in planned giving?" These questions deserve a thoughtful reply. After all, a board of directors can hardly be expected to fund and promote a program that lacks firm footing.

Suitability
Before you look at the compelling case for planned giving, you will want to consider suitability and readiness. First, does the mission of your organization reach far into the future? Does a planned giving program fit the mission of your organization?

Another suitability question relates to your constituency. Do you have the kind of donor prospects who would respond to a planned giving program? For example, an organization with a 50-year history will likely have a class of donors who are older and who have proven to be loyal supporters of your organization. They are the ones who are thinking most about estate planning and who will be more amenable to life-income arrangements.

Readiness
Is the timing right? More specifically: Is your organization stable enough to take on the responsibility of running a planned giving program? Administratively, is there a good measure of upper-level support for planned giving? Are financial and personnel resources available to fund and oversee such a program? Does the board understand the costs of running a planned giving program and the lag time for reaping any financial benefits?

The degree of readiness, including available resources, will dictate the pace of program development. You might start by simply including brief notes in existing publications to remind your constituents to remember your organization with a bequest.

Next, you could develop endowment policies and begin to promote gifts of noncash assets such as appreciated stock. Another stage might include a gift annuity program. The point is, you don't have to jump in over your head at the beginning. You can start small and progress step-by-step.

Monumental Decision
Assuming you are in a role to make or influence a decision regarding planned giving, and assuming the questions of suitability and readiness have been addressed, you will want to consider the foundational reasons for developing a planned giving program. This is no small matter, for what you and your board decide about planned giving may well be the most important decision any of you make regarding the future of your organization. The next generation of leadership may either curse you or praise you, depending on how you handle this decision.

Reasons for Undertaking a Planned Giving Program
There are at least five rock-solid reasons which, together, comprise the compelling case for planned giving:

• Fiscal Responsibility
  Your supporters assume you are making sound financial decisions and laying an adequate foundation for tomorrow. Planned giving enhances financial stability. Indeed, one could argue that it is fiscally irresponsible for a governing board not to grapple with the issue of planned giving.
  
• Incredible Opportunity
  Estate planning forecasters are predicting an unprecedented transfer of wealth during the next 45 years. You can sit on your hands and let other organizations inform and challenge your constituents, or you can get busy and develop a planned giving program that will focus their attention on the needs and opportunities you represent.
  
• Institutional Integrity
  A planned giving program inspires vision, planning, expectation. It leads to policy-making and refined fiduciary skills. Lifetime commitments to annuitants and other income recipients require trustworthiness and dependability.
  
• Enhanced Partnerships
  Your organization exists because individuals believe in your cause and voluntarily commit their resources to help you succeed. They are partners with you in fulfilling your mission. The more you enhance these partnerships, the healthier your organization will be.
  
• Service to Constituents
  If for no other reason, a planned giving program makes sense as a way to honor those who have demonstrated interest in your organization -- especially those who have supported you faithfully over the years. Life-income, tax advantages, and other benefits can permit your donors to make the kind of ultimate gifts they truly desire to make. You owe them the opportunity.

Copyright © 2005 by G. Roger Schoenhals. All rights reserved. For a complete presentation of this subject, see the original article on the Planned Giving Today website.

Additional Resources:

• Take advantage of the interactive workshop Getting Started in Planned Giving offered at the NEW Center in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, May 11, 9 a.m. – noon. Sue Woodard, Senior Planned Giving Officer at Michigan State University will answer your questions on strategy, expectations, and involving your board. Online registration saves $5 off the low cost of $55.
  
  
• Find planned giving books, websites and services providers under “fundraising” at ResourceConnect.
  
  
• The Planned Giving Center^SM of the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan exists to help individuals in the region make planned gifts.
  
  Most services of the Center, including personal consultation, online assistance, and a reference library are provided at no charge. Center services are available to individuals, professional advisors, corporations and nonprofit organizations located in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair and Livingston counties.
  
  
• Henze, Lawrence. “Making Planned Giving Work For You: Planned giving strategy tips for every organization.”
  Find this white paper under “Prospect Research” at the Blackbaud site; download a copy after registering.
  

FEATURED ITEMS

Nonprofit Stewardship Featuring Peter Brinckerhoff

Monday, May 23, 2005
Washtenaw Community College, Morris Lawrence Building
4800 E. Huron River Dr, Ann Arbor, MI (map and directions)

Nonprofit Enterprise at Work announces a special day of learning featuring Peter Brinckerhoff, internationally renowned trainer, author and consultant to nonprofit organizations. Using examples from his newest book, Nonprofit Stewardship: A Better Way to Manage Your Mission-Based Organization, he will show you how a stewardship mindset can be put into action to benefit your organization and the people it serves. An engaging speaker, Peter will teach specific applications for boards, staff and funders. Don’t miss this great opportunity!

Date: Monday, May 23
Time: 8:30 a.m. Check-in and Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Program and Lunch
Fee: $75 (breakfast and lunch included)
Register online and save $5
For more information, call 734-998-0160.

This event is made possible through the support of The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation and Washtenaw United Way, with special thanks to Washtenaw Community College and the Michigan Nonprofit Association.

Education: Take Advantage of Remaining Workshops

Time is flying by -- the spring term of NEW’s Managing for Nonprofit Excellence workshop series is half over. Training opportunities continue through May and a great fall series is taking shape. Don’t miss out on meaningful upcoming sessions to improve your skills in the areas of financial management, technology, human resource management or fundraising, including Getting Started in Planned Giving mentioned above.

Michigan Nonprofit SuperConference 2005: Sustaining Mission

Tuesday and Wednesday, June 14 and 15
Hyatt Regency, Dearborn

The Michigan Nonprofit Association is now accepting online registrations for the first annual Michigan Nonprofit SuperConference on June 14 and 15 in Dearborn. The focus is on providing a forum for learning about techniques, strategies, resources and partners that can help Michigan’s nonprofits accomplish their missions to serve our communities.

Take advantage of over 45 workshops, products and services of exhibitors, a bookstore, cyber café, and the opportunity to network with colleagues from all over the state.

On the first morning, the Council of Michigan Foundations has organized a panel of top foundation and corporate leaders to speak on trends in giving, followed by roundtable discussions with representatives of more than 25 funders.

The conference will feature three major speakers:

• Helen Thomas, “First Lady of the Press” who served for 57 years as a correspondent for United Press and White House bureau chief.
• Paul C Light, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Public Service at The Brookings Institution. He has spoken and written widely on nonprofit issues.
• Emmett D. Carson, President and CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation, known internationally as a catalyst for progressive social change.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greater Detroit Chapter is hosting a Professional Advancement Day on Monday, June 13 as a pre-conference event.

Get more details and register at the MNA website.

Tech Clean-up Day for Detroit Nonprofits

Friday, May 20, 2005
Detroit

NPower Michigan is mobilizing volunteers to provide FREE hands-on technical assistance to Detroit area nonprofits. Does your computer system run slowly? Do you receive annoying pop-ups? Does your browser crash often? Then you may have spyware loaded on your computer – programs installed without your knowledge to plague your system and capture personal information.

Detroit area nonprofits are invited to protect their systems from these inefficiencies and invasions of privacy by signing up for Tech Clean-Up Day scheduled for Friday, May 20. Tech-savvy volunteers from NPower will be available to help remove spyware from computers and reconfigure browsers to block future spyware and pop-ups.

Register online by May 6. You will receive a pre-registration packet that must be completed in order to participate. If you have questions, please contact Wendy Ernzen (313 237-8155).

Raising More Money™ Introductory Session

Wednesday, May 18, 2005, 9 a.m. to noon
Sacred Heart Major Seminary, 2701 West Chicago Blvd. Detroit

Raising More Money trains and coaches nonprofit organizations to implement a mission-based system for raising sustainable funding from individual donors. They are offering a free half-day session to introduce their fundraising approach that naturally attracts those people who are truly passionate about the organization’s mission and work. Representatives from Detroit area organizations that have successfully implemented the Raising More Money Model® will share their experiences. Similar sessions will also be offered in Traverse City, Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids, MI.

This is an excellent opportunity to find out how organizations in your community have transformed their relationships with new and existing donors and how they are growing a legacy of mission-centered individual giving.

Registration is required. Questions: contact Katie Kendall. (206-709-9400 ext. 131).

SBC Excelerator Grants

SBC Excelerator, the SBC Foundation’s signature initiative, funds projects that use technology to build stronger communities. Applications are now being accepted for the 2005 competitive technology grants program.

To qualify for a grant, an organization's major focus and project must emphasize education, community development, health and human services, or arts and culture. Grant funds may be used for data communications services, hardware, software, technology training, personnel, and application development. Grants will range from $2,500 to $25,000 and are one year in length. Collaborations by two or more organizations will be considered for grants of up to $50,000 for one year. Get more information and download a copy of the 2005 SBC Excelerator grant application at the SBC website.

The deadline for submitting an application is June 15, 2005. Questions? Contact Judy Wallace (313-223-7436).

Jr. League Seeks Proposals

If your organization has a high impact idea or need that could use the help of the JLAA volunteers and funds, contact them at projectrequest@jlaa.org for more information and a proposal application. They are currently researching and developing volunteer opportunities with Washtenaw County nonprofits to begin in May 2006. All proposal applications are due to JLAA office by Friday, June 17, 2005.

Bob Lyons Community Leadership Award

Cleary University is calling for nominees for its newly-established Bob Lyons Community Leadership Award. The award will recognize outstanding volunteers with local nonprofit groups. Lyons, who died last year, served as a trustee and former chairman of the board for Cleary and championed the causes of many nonprofits in Washtenaw County.

Nominees for the award must have made a positive contribution to the community, a nonprofit group or a specific project. The deadline for submitting applications is June 15. For more information, contact Janet Filip, Director of Development and Alumni Relations (734-332-4477, x 3370).

Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing

May 16, 17, and 18
The Lansing Center, Lansing

Attend this year's conference to hone skills, gain new knowledge, and learn new approaches to addressing issues in housing, homelessness, and community development. These sessions are organized into 6 tracks:

• Community Economic Development
• Ending Homelessness
• Homeownership
• Creating and Preserving Multifamily Housing
• Organizational Development
• Preservation

Network with 1,500 service providers, nonprofit and for-profit developers and financiers from across the state of Michigan. Register on-line and get more information at the Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing website.

Reminders

Leadership2Go: The Dynamic Duo
Friday April 22, 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
American Red Cross 4624 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor
Executive Directors and Board Chairs are invited to attend as a team.

Michigan Nonprofit Sector Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, April 27, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
The Westin Southfield-Detroit, 1500 Town Center, Southfield
This is your chance to influence the final report of the National Panel on the Nonprofit Sector that will be presented to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Pre-registration is important to insure that you receive materials, including directions, prior to the meeting.
For more information contact Erin Skene (517-492-2400).

2005 Arts Alive Day, Thursday, April 21, Lansing

MCACA grants proposals due May 1

REGULAR FEATURES

Nonprofit Bulletin Board

Visit NEW's Nonprofit Bulletin Board to post and view notices about free resources, fundraising opportunities, and other items relevant to the southeast Michigan nonprofit community.

Events Calendar

Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau calendar of events. E-mail Nick Miller to request a password to submit an event.