This article appeared in Yahoo news highlighting the annual training event for The Donor Motivation Professionals of North America, where professionals from across the United States and Canada learn the latest techniques for optimum planned giving programs and planned giving seminars and presentations.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20101013/bs_prweb/prweb4645634_1
As U.S. Nonprofits Battle The Ongoing Effects of the Recession, Planned Giving Development Professionals Gather Annually To Learn How To Help
Pittsburgh, PA (Vocus) October 13, 2010
Interestingly, the nation’s most charitable city played host to the 7th Donor Motivation Professionals of North America Annual Training Workshop, where attendees from across the United States and Canada gathered to share experiences and learn the latest developments in creating a sustainable planned giving program, the principles for a successful planned giving seminar and the essentials for a successful planned giving marketing campaign.
Pittsburgh was found to lead the way in charitable activity in a survey earlier this year, by Charity Navigator, which evaluates the financial health of over 5,500 of America’s largest charities, found.
However, the news is not so rosy around the country. The recession has negatively impacted giving among individuals, who make up three quarters of U.S. charitable giving, according to Giving USA 2010. In this last year, giving from individuals dropped 3.7% from the year before, adjusting for inflation. Giving USA states, “This reflects the continued recession in 2009…” On top of that, bequests, legacy gifts left to a charity when a donor passes away, also declined over 23 percent according to the same report.
Scott Keffer, creator of The Donor Motivation Program and founder of the Donor Motivation Professionals of North America asks, “How crucial are nonprofits to America’s economic recovery and future? Absolutely vital! As the government cuts back on social programs, more of that burden will fall on many of our nation’s charities, increasing the need for services and the cost to deliver those services.”
According to GuideStar’s latest survey of nonprofits, over half report that demand for their service has increased and 8 percent still face closure for financial reasons.
Yet, that is only part of the story. Nonprofits also play a key role in the U.S. economy, and therefore are one key to the recovery. According to the Nonprofit Almanac 2008, nonprofits contribute 5 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and employ almost 1 out of every 10 U.S. workers.
Sustainable planned giving programs play a vital role in the health of nonprofits. The Donor Motivation Professionals of North America, a group of trained Planned Giving Consultants from the United States and Canada, meet annually to grow their knowledge of nonprofit challenges and the keys to planned giving program development. The training included a session reviewing the findings from their latest special report, The Future of Planned Giving: The Top 10 Challenges Every Nonprofit Faces, which is available at DonorMotivation.com. To give voice to the challenges facing nonprofits, Keffer interviewed Larry Haynes, Director of Development for the Foundation of Western PA.
About The Donor Motivation Program
Since 1995, The Donor Motivation Program have used feedback from nonprofits and their donors to perfect a proactive planned giving system that is the bridge between organizations and their donors. Through The Donor Motivation Professionals of North America, a network of trained professionals, they have helped North American charities, large and small, to “motivate planned giving!”
###
Sharon Dorbritz
The Donor Motivation Program
412-854-7860
Email Information