As fundraisers, we can attend classes, seminars, or conferences and gain knowledge in a new area of fundraising. But implementing strategic ideas and turning them into useful programs can be daunting. Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning: Your Guide to Planned Giving covers the steps needed to move an organization from one that has focused on annual and major giving to one that can include gift planning and have it serve as an integrated component of its development program. Tip: Be sure to pick up the companion Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning: The Resource Book which includes basic tools and templates to create the infrastructure necessary to start a gift planning program. Veteran gift planning experts Brian M. Sagrestano and Robert E. Wahlers provide fundraisers and nonprofits with the basics of how to identify gift planning prospects and opportunities, have the gift planning conversation, and steward gift planning donors. They also define the different gift planning tools and how to apply them to particular prospect situations. Whether meeting with donors or their professional advisors, fundraisers need the ability to speak the same language and understand the core concepts. Getting Started in Charitable Gift Planning will guide you as you start your journey to building a great gift planning program. The authors show you how to set the stage to drive the evolution of your program, starting with the basics of building infrastructure, working with prospects, and marketing your program. They guide you in adding the components of a stage-two gift planning program, which assists your prospects and donors in meeting personal planning objectives while supporting your nonprofit. And when you are ready, you will add philanthropic planning to create a stage-three program, which involves helping your prospects and donors integrate their philanthropy into their overall tax, estate, and financial planning using complex assets and all of the tools in the gift planning toolbox. About CharityChannel Press CharityChannel Press is the publishing arm of CharityChannel. Many of the sector's most experienced, knowledgeable practitioners are part of the CharityChannel professional community. Table of Contents Introduction Part One-Getting Started in Gift Planning Chapter One: Getting Started in Gift Planning Chapter Two: Are You Ready for Gift Planning? Part Two-Infrastructure Chapter Three: Culture of Donor-focused Gift Planning Chapter Four: Your Role in Gift Planning Chapter Five: Performance Goals Chapter Six: The Role of Your Board Chapter Seven: The Role of Volunteers Chapter Eight: The Role of Professional Advisors Part Three-Prospect Interaction Chapter Nine: Identifying Gift Planning Prospects Chapter Ten: Approaching Your Prospects Chapter Eleven: Soliciting Prospects Chapter Twelve: Concierge Stewardship Part Four-Marketing Gift Planning Chapter Thirteen: Marketing in a Donor-focused Way Chapter Fourteen: Marketing to Everyone Chapter Fifteen: Marketing to Identified Prospects Without Major Capacity Chapter Sixteen: Marketing to Major and Principal Prospects Part Five&md