Summary
This report examines how smaller public institutions establish planned giving advisory councils. The research provides information on how institutions effectively employ those councils’ guidance and recruit members. The report also addresses how institutions evaluate the effectiveness of planned giving advisory councils.
Key observations from our research:1. Planned Giving Advisory Councils offer the opportunity to source more planned gifts through an extended network and provide expert advice for planned giving officers.
2. Institutions must consider how staff will manage a council and how the council will support the foundation’s goals to identify the right size and type of planned giving advisory council.
3. Planned giving offices should appoint recommended professionals with philanthropic motives to the planned giving advisory council to serve as ambassadors of the institution.
4. Institutions and council members need to outline expectations (i.e., meeting regularity and attendance, frequency of requests for advice, ethical limitations around referrals) for each other.