Welcome from Laird Yock, Director of Content

“If you are reading this, you're not out calling on donors." 

Those are the words of Jerry Panas, of Linzy and Partners. I first heard Jerry say those words many years ago, and I took them to heart. In fact, I had the quote framed and hung above my desk. It continually reminds me of a fundamental truth: Being in front of our donors is our most important activity. 

Of course, there is much that goes into that effort, and it's vital that we continue to develop skills that will make us more effective for our donors and our organizations.

Philanthropy Works is designed to help you:

1. Learn new ways to positively impact the lives of philanthropists.  We want you to know how to build deeper, more effective relationships with donors, and to be with them when they reach their philanthropic goals, and even help others realize that they too can be philanthropists.  

2. Build a confident understanding of the incredibly flexible gift planning tools available to donors. This does not mean becoming a gift planning expert. It means knowing what to listen for, what critical questions to ask and when to get help. In other words, having a strong working knowledge of the fundamentals of gift planning.*

In this first season of Philanthropy Works, we will begin with managing interactions with donor prospects. Then, we'll turn our focus to technical gift plans. Last (but certainly not least), we'll address tax issues. Most surveys say that tax benefits are somewhere between the 7th and 10th on the list of reasons why people give, so while they are important, the tax benefits of charitable donations do not drive your efforts. However, there are times when you will be expected to have specific technical knowledge in order to be successful.  And the more you have at your fingertips, the faster you'll move from being an adequate gift officer to a superior one.

Targeted Results

Philanthropy Works provides learning opportunities for major gift and gift planning staff members. Our continuous learning system is designed to yield specific results:

• Gift revenues will increase
• Donors will be more engaged and satisfied
• You (and your team members) will feel energized

Our commitment is to provide you with tested tools that will increase your productivity and satisfaction.

*A very important mentor of mine early in my career was Rev. Robert Evenson. Bob made wonderfully important contributions to our industry and perhaps his biggest contribution was his A Brisk Walk Through the Basics course, which continues to be offered by the Minnesota Planned Giving Council. Bob had an operating philosophy and a learned perspective about philanthropists, and we'll build on both.