Upcoming Programs
More Past Programs
October 2020: Tactical Tips For Building Support For Planned Giving
Presenter: Patrick Schmitt, Freewill
Date: Tuesday, October 27
Time: Social at 1:45, program from 2:00 - 3 p.m.
Location: Virtual meeting - RSVP required to receive invitation
In this session, we learned:
How to build support for estate planning and planned giving in the community at large -- advisors, lawyers, accountants, etc.
How to win support for planned giving inside your organization
How to build connections between planned giving professionals, non-profit boards and other key stakeholders
If you are a member and are curious about the content from this meeting - notes and a YouTube link to the recording of the meeting, please email eipgcevents@gmail.com to revi
June 2020: Options for Keeping Estate Plans Flexible
Presenter: Kandie Gelner, Attorney at Kennedy, Gelner, Cronk and Waterman PC
Date: Wednesdsay, June 17, 2020
Time: Social at 11:45 AM, Program 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Virtual meeting - RSVP required to receive invitation
Some will say that your estate plan is out of date about five minutes after you sign the paperwork. While that may be true, the best estate planners will build in a level of flexibility that keeps your estate plan as close to evergreen as possible. A local expert in doing this sort of work, our presenter for this meeting will share her top tips for keeping estate plans flexible. You'll walk away with an understanding of how to better to advise those planning for future gifts!
May 2020: Using Donor Advised Funds to Maximize Estate Planning
Presenters: Michelle Beisker, Senior Vice President of Development at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation and Erin Grabe, Vice President, Trust and Wealth Management at Hills Bank and Trust Company
Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020
Time: Social at 11:45 AM, Program 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Virtual meeting - RSVP required to receive invitation
Donor advised funds - you've likely worked with people who want to make long range philanthropic plans using these. A powerful tool for making an impact and dealing with tax issues, these funds can be created for a variety of reasons and with various partners. Our presenters this day offered perspectives on how banks, trust companies and non-profits all seek to serve donors by offering such funds and how donors can maximize their use.
April 2020: Estate Plan Popularity Contest: Trends and Fads
Presenters: Anna Moyers Stone, Trust Officer at MidWestOne Bank and Paul Morf, Estate Planning Attorney at Simmons Perrine
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Time: Social at 11:45 AM, Program 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Virtual meeting
Our presenters for this meeting were on the cutting edge of their field in creating estate plans for their clients. They shared what positive trends they see in estate planning today and what fads they saw not being worth the investment. They also delved into continuing estate planning during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
April 2019: How Donors Make Gift Planning Decisions and Annual Members Meeting
Donor Panel: James Fluck and Julie Scott
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2019
Time: Social at 11:45 AM, Program 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Louie’s Wine Dive, 901 E 2nd Ave #100, Coralville, IA 52241
For planned giving professionals, one of the biggest questions we face is how to best serve those going through the planning process. Whether you're a financial advisor, lawyer or non-profit leader, we all want to offer valuable, meaningful advice. Members joined us to hear from a local couple who went through the gift planning process recently and gave us insight into their process of planning. Additionally, we elected EIPGC officers for the upcoming year and celebrated the end of another year of our Council's mission and your membership!
February 2019: Engaging the Board in Planned Giving
Presenter: Les Garner, President & CEO, Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
Date: Thursday, February 14, 2019
Time: Social at 11:45 AM, Program 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Cedar Rapids Public Library Ladd Library, Ladd Library Community Room, 3750 Williams Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Many boards want their development teams to focus on planned giving initiatives, but team members have other responsibilities in development that limit their time, and the board is reluctant to help open doors. How do you emphasize to your board that they are a central player in planned giving and that they can play a critical role in the success of a nonprofit’s development efforts?
November 2018: Planned Giving Matching Campaign
Presenter: Tari Hendrickson, CFRE - Director of Planned Gifts for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland
Date: Thursday, November 8, 2018
Time: Social at 11:45 AM, Program 12:00-1:00 PM
Location: Downtown Iowa City, 6th Floor of MidWestOne Bank across from the Old Capitol Town Center
Join us in November to hear about how over $360 million dollars in future support was documented with $20 million dollars in matching cash - in less than two years. Learn about how this concept can be scaled for charities of all sizes - in the Midwest! Planned Parenthood of Iowa and Nebraska was the top affiliate in the nation for results in this campaign.
September 2018: The New Economics of Charitable Giving after the 2017 Federal Tax Act
Joint session of AFPEI and Held Eastern Iowa Planned Giving Council
Presenter: Paul Morf, attorney at Simmors Perrine Moyer Bergman
Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Time: Registration at 3:30 PM, Program at 4 PM
Location: Cedar Ridge, 1441 Marak Rd NW, Swisher, IA 52338
Ready for the year-end giving push? As fundraisers entering our busiest time of year, we need to be fully versed on new tax laws. The 2017 federal tax updates changed many of the tax incentives that encourage individuals to support non-profits. Attorney Paul Morf from Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman helped prepare us for conversations with our most generous donors, and shared a top 10 list of strategies to consider going forward.
May 2018: Year-End Program and Party
Program: Lessons Learned on the Planned Giving Battlefield
Presenter: Brenda Haefner, Vice President for Advancement & Alumni Relations for Mount Mercy University
Date: Thursday, May 24, 2018
Time: 4-6 p.m.
Location: Hotel at Kirkwood, Meeting Room A - 7725 Kirkwood Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
A veteran of the fundraising world, Brenda has an extensive background in Development with the former Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra, The University of Iowa Foundation and now Mount Mercy University and joins us for our annual year-end program, election of officers and party to share her top lessons learned in her current and past roles. As ever, this is a great opportunity to connect with your fellow planned giving professionals at our annual party over appetizers and beverages. Come learn from one of our best members and close the year with us!
February 2018: The Savvy Planned Giver
Presenter: Dick Schwab, local philanthropist
Date: Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Time: 12-1 p.m.
Location: Solon High School Center for the Performing Arts Lobby - 600 5th Street Solon, IA 52333
Local philanthropist, entrepreneur and barn builder Dick Schwab joins us to give us a picture of how a savvy philanthropist evaluates opportunities presented to him and how he works to reach his philanthropic goals with planned gifts. We also get to see the new Solon High School Center for the Performing Arts, so come a few minutes early to enjoy this local gem.
November 2017: Seven Steps to Start a Planned Gift Program (Even If You're Small Or On a Budget)
Presenter: Gordon Fischer, Gordon Fischer Law Firm
Date: Date: Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Time: 12 - 1 p.m.
Location: Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room D
As a local attorney with extensive non-profit work experience, Gordon has seen the planned giving process from every side. Gordon works as a consultant in our world and will be giving us insights focused on the beginning stages of a planned giving program. If you want to start a planned giving program or understand what a seasoned professional sees as critical steps for a planned giving program, this is for you. This is also an excellent program to educate non-profit board members on the basics of planned giving.
Philanthropic Trends, A View from the Community Foundation
Presenter: Susan Willey, Director of Planned Giving, Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Susan's background in legislative tax bills, work as a Partner as RSM US and as an attorney Simmons Perrine Moyer & Bergman gives her a great perspective on many sides of the gift planning that she shared with us. Her presentation focused on:
- Trends the Community Foundation sees with respect to endowed funds
- Their initiatives to respond to the questions of generous families who want to involve the next generation in their charitable giving
- Interesting programs that they are undertaking in partnership with other nonprofits
- Tax trends the Community Foundation is seeing in charitable giving
Questions to Start Gift Planning Conversations
Presenter: Greg Sharkey, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, The Nature Conservancy
Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Greg shared a number of questions for donors that often lead to conversations that result in charitable gifts. He will illustrate how these questions eventually lead to gifts through a series of brief stories, and will invite attendees to share their stories as well. Social will follow presentation.
Transformational Legacy Gifts
Presenter: Chuck Swanson, Executive Director, Hancher
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Chuck Swanson, Executive Director of Hancher, discussed transformational legacy gifts during the Rebuilding Hancher Auditorium fund campaign, donor motivation, the process of securing gifts and the long term impact of these gifts. After the program, attendees had an opportunity to tour the new building and shop in the Hancher Showcase.
Webinar: Strategic Stewardship for Planned Giving Programs
Presenter: Katherine Swank, J.D., bCRP, Senior Consultant, Target Analytics (a division of Blackbaud Inc.)
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2017
True donor stewardship begins before you know that a gift has been made and continues even after the donor has passed away. A simple, yet strategic stewardship program welcomes your legacy givers into the organization's highest ranks and provides them with a two-way relationship throughout their lives. Building an intentional bond with these future major donors improves your chances or receiving increased gifts from them now, as well as increased or additional legacy gifts in the future. With the average bequest in the U.S. hovering around $60,000, you can't afford to alienate your planned gift donors.
Hit The Easy Button On Gifts of Complex Assets
Presenter: Johni Hayes, JD, FCEP, Senior Vice President of Thompson and Associates
Date: Wednesday, November 9, 2016
It's becoming more common for donors to offer the charities they care about donations of assets that are far more sophisticated than the typical gift of cash or securities. And they may be looking to gift planners for guidance. Attendees uncovered the mystery behind gifts of complex assets in this session. Johni Hays, J.D. discussed an array of complex assets, outlining the various tax advantages-and disadvantages-for the donor, and highlighted issues they may bring to organizations. Attendees learned a methodology to determine when a gift of each type makes sense for the donor and for organizations.
Donor Stories...Why Do We Give?
Panelists: Tyler Olson, CEO of Paulson Electric and President of SiteGen Solar, Herbert A. Wilson, philanthropist and Timothy J. Krumm, attorney with Meardon, Sueppel and Downer
Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2016
EIPGC moderated a panel of donors who will spoke about their personal and compelling reasons for giving, positive giving experiences, negative experiences and the impact of their giving on themselves and the organizations they support.
Maximizing Planned Giving Through Relationships with Financial Advisors
Presenter: Gary D. Speicher, CLU, ChFC, Registered Representative, Financial Planning Services, Premier Investments of Iowa
Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Planned Giving Best Practices for Any Program
Presenters: Patty McCarthy, Director of Development - Iowa City Public Library and Susan Hagan, J.D., Executive Director of Development - University of Iowa Foundation
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2016
How to Increase Donor Engagement through Email: Case Studies on Effective Email Communication
Presenter: Tyler Bacon, Integrated Marketing Specialist, Crescendo Interactive, Inc.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2015
IRD Assets and Beneficiary Designations
Presenter: Dave Knutson, ChFC, Investment Advisor Representative, Voya Financial Advisors, INC.
Uncovering Donor Passion: Advancing the Conversation
Presented by Josh Hanson, The Stelter Company
What is the key to getting a donor to give to your organization now and for years to come? Passion for your cause. To uncover that passion, you'll need to take a close look at your audience and how you are communicating with them. Through the use of practical tips and real-life case studies, this presentation will help you evaluate your program and get a leg up on the competition.
ABC's of Family Dynamics
Presented by Dave Lewis, Advancement Resources
This session will address three critical steps to better engage donors and their families from one generation to the next. Through video segments of donors and development professionals from across the country, participants will have the opportunity to explore family factors that might influence donor decision-making, and identify strategies for building more meaningful connections with each family member.
Endowed vs. Non-Endowed Donor-Advised Gift Funds
Presented by Mark Ahlers and Jeffrey Ritchie, Hills Bank & Trust Company
With the use and popularity of donor advised funds growing significantly in recent years, there are many options for donors to choose from. From community foundations to for-profit institutions both local and national, equipping donors with the right information can seem daunting. However, donor advised funds have many advantages including ease of use, immediate charitable deductions, favorable percentage limitations, donor recognition and donor involvement via non-binding advice. Mark Ahlers and Jeffrey Ritchie of Hills Bank and Trust Company will join us to discuss their experiences with both endowed and non-endowed donor-advised gift funds and give practical advice to share with donors as well as further resources.
IRA Charitable Rollover
The Charitable IRA Rollover allows taxpayers age 70 ½ or older to make distributions from their IRA directly to qualified public charities in an amount up to $100,000. This provision of The American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) was extended through December 31, 2013. Join us to learn more about this valuable, yet fleeting opportunity, for your donors and clients
Leave a Legacy
These partners help promote the message that people from all walks of life can “make a difference in the lives that follow” through a charitable bequest. Learn how they can help raise awareness for your organization.
The Science of Gifts
Hear about the latest trends and research around motivating gifts.
Universal Life: Be Sure It's Right
Many universal life insurance policyholders who faithfully made payments for years have discovered that the policies that were to be their retirement nest eggs are nearly exhausted. Are your clients or organizations holding these policies? Find out how to stop the erosion of these assets.
How to Motivate Planned Gifts From All Generations
Presenter: Nathan Stelter, Stelter Company
Date: Tuesday, March 12, 2013
How Best to Engage Board Members in Planned Giving
Presenters: Community Panelists
Date: May 14, 2013
The Power of Half
Presenter: Kevin Salwen
Date: October 16, 2012
How to Transfer Real Property Without Getting Dirty
Presenter: Bill Neppl, Bradley & Riley, P.C.
Date: January 8, 2013
Eastern Iowa Planned Giving Council offers four programs a year in addition to multiple email newsletters to share trends, learning options, and networking opportunities.
The 2023-2024 season will begin in the Fall of 2023. Please email EIPGC to learn more about membership to attend events for free!
Past Programs
May 2023: "Update on University of Iowa 10-Year Plan and the Role of Fundraising"
Presenter: Lynette Marshall, University of Iowa Center for Advancement
February 2023: "How to ask for an estate gift without fear or anxiety: The science and the sentences.”
Presenter: Russell James, Texas Tech University
October 2022: "10 Principles for Gift Planning Program Success: Practical Application of CGP's National Standards for Gift Planning Success"
Presenter: Nathan Stelter, The Stelter Company
September 2022: "Let's Be Friends"
Presenter: Chuck Swanson, former Executive Director at Hancher
May 2022: Annual Meeting
Presenter: Gordon Fischer, The Gordon Fischer Law Firm
February 2022: Donor Advised Funds: Giving Intentionally
Presenter: Jon C. Bancks, CFP, CPWA, Financial Advisor, Family Wealth Director, The Corridor Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley
November 2021: Tax Law Updates
Presenter: Lynn M. Gaumer, Senior Gift Planning Consultant, The Stelter Company
Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2021
October 2021: IRAs, QCDs and Death Benefits, Oh My!
Presenter: Johni Hays, JD, FCEP, Executive Vice President of Thompson & Associates
Date: Friday, October 8, 2021
January 2021: Following The Campaign Path: Including Planned Gifts
Presenter: Lorrie Erusha, President of the Mercy Medical Center Foundation
Date: Wednesday, January 27
Lorrie Erusha shared an exciting project the Mercy team has underway for older adults and those living with chronic conditions including dementia. Prompted by some bequests, they are working on HallMar Village and part of the project includes endowment funds. She will share about the success of the project so far as well as how they plan to further solicit for blended gifts/endowed funds.
February 2021: Donor Case Studies: Donor Situations and Knowledgeable Solutions
Presenter: Kirby Hughes Gould
Vice-President, Christian Church Foundation
Date: Thursday, February 11
Kirby presented a variety of case studies-from the simple to the complex.
Kirby also shared twelve practical, conversation topics to be covered with donors and clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EIPGC programs:
- Are free for members and $25 for non- members
- Include time for networking before each
event begins
- Features experts in planned giving,
financial planning, and fundraising
Have questions about this program or the non-member rate?
Email eipgcevents@gmail.com.
