TADL Upgrades Youth Services - TC Ticker

November 6, 2015

The Traverse Area District Library (TADL) Youth Services department will host an Open House tomorrow (Sat., Nov. 7), 1-3pm, to celebrate the completion of the first phase of improvements to the department. The enhancements are made possible by a $99,000 bequest made by George and Helen Getty through the Getty Family Trust. They include a redesigned space with an updated color scheme, new furniture and a new floor plan for age-specific areas. Also, the young children's area has been moved to the front and now features lower shelving and a play space for children to interact with hands-on educational learning tools. The multi-phased enhancements are designed to revitalize the children's space at the Woodmere library branch, to encourage them to feel comfortable and energized as they develop early literacy skills and a passion for reading and learning, according to Cathy Lancaster, youth services coordinator. Also, the Friends of TADL awarded a $45,000 gift to support The Tween Scene, an area for youth ages 9-12 years old, which occupies the north end of Youth Services and includes banquette seating for casual reading, tables with stools for collaboration, and computer workstations to encourage 9-12 year olds to feel connected to their library. Permalink Italics/bold = emphasis of blogger to note giving

Why Advisors should encourage giving?

May 29, 2015 • Ken Nopar

Donors to charity are often high-net-worth individuals and families who have worked hard to accumulate their wealth and have used financial, tax and legal advisors to grow and protect their assets. Nearly all of these advisors’ clients have at least some charitable intent and want to support their favorite causes during their lives or after.

Studies, including one by U.S. Trust in 2013, have shown that advisors often do not initiate the philanthropy discussion, even though clients would appreciate the input. Some clients may not be aware of how their advisors can provide important advice that will help them in their giving efforts.

But there are many benefits to advisors who engage in the conversation. They may bring in additional AUM from current clients, deepen relationships or differentiate themselves from other advisors.

And when advisors realize that nearly all of their clients, at many levels of wealth, can benefit from the discussion, they are more likely to initiate it. These are just some of the following things they can bring up:

1. Many donors give cash or make donations by credit card, even though both of these methods are the least tax-efficient ways to donate. Yet many clients are unaware of other options.
2. Advisors can help clients identify their appreciated publicly traded securities. When these are donated, donors can avoid capital gains taxes on them if they have been held for longer than a year. (Assets with difficult-to-find cost bases are ideal.) If these assets are donated and the advisor and client want to acquire them again, they can be repurchased at the current value.
3. Advisors can identify other assets such as real estate, insurance, art or collectibles that clients (or heirs) may no longer want or need. These can be donated at their fair market value in many instances.
4. Advisors can help clients who want to sell a business donate some or all of the privately held company stock before the sale and avoid or minimize capital gains and other taxes.
5. Advisors often can manage the charitable investments so clients can receive consistent investment advice and performance.
6. Advisors can help clients set aside money for charitable giving during their high-income years so they can continue to give during retirement.
7. Advisors can help clients donate the appropriate amounts, sometimes helping them give more than they thought they could, or reducing the amount if the clients cannot afford it.
8. Advisors can help donors receive a stream of income during retirement while still providing support for a favorite charity.
9. Advisors can help clients involve their heirs in charitable giving.
10. Many advisors can help clients think about the who, what, why, when, where, how and how much questions about charitable giving, or they will have access to resources that can help the clients.
11. Advisors may be able to reduce some frustrations that clients experience when they donate, perhaps helping them simplify their efforts by suggesting methods like donor-advised funds or services to manage their private foundations.
12. Advisors can be an objective resource for clients, especially when a client is contemplating a large donation or the creation of a charitable vehicle. They can help clients determine which donor-advised fund sponsor would be most appropriate, whether the client should create or close a private foundation or discuss other options.

If advisors do not initiate occasional conversations about charitable giving, the client may assume that the advisor cannot be helpful, is not interested or has no reason to be involved in the decision. Instead, the clients may rely on friends, family members or a charity for help.
For clients to receive the best overall tax, investment and legal advice, it is important for them to discuss their giving plans with their advisors. While there may or may not be some initial costs for this advice, in the end the clients, their advisors and their favorite causes and charities will all benefit substantially.

Ken Nopar is the principal of Nopar Consulting, a firm that advises wealth management and other professional firms on how to have charitable giving conversations with clients. The firm also helps charities work with advisors and donors. The firm's website is www.noparconsulting.com.

Scholarship Offering

From the TC Record Eagle -

Education Newsmakers: 03/28/2015
Posted: Friday, March 27, 2015 8:18 am

Zonta Club of Traverse City is offering a $1000 Ann Mapes Scholarship to area college students. Applications are available at www.zontatc.org under scholarships. The deadline for applications is May 1 and should be mailed to Ann Mapes Scholarship Committee, Zonta Club of Traverse City, PO Box 1412, Traverse City, MI 49685-1412.


Applicants must be pursuing a degree in business, science, maritime, aviation, culinary or nursing, leading to career employment; must be enrolled as at least a junior in any state accredited college or an NMC baccalaureate program; must have at least a 3.0 GPA; must be a resident of Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Kalkaska or Antrim county; must write a one page narrative of how the career degree chosen fits into Zonta and its mission; and must include an academic reference.

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I remember Ann as a fiery, devout, and passionate women who has now touched many lives forever through her estate gifts to Zonta, Grace Episcopal Church - Traverse City, and her University of Michigan as a fan and learner. Her memory lives on through this kind of giving.  She is missed. Her gift lives on...

Remembering Ann - Click here and click audio.

Charitable Giving Set to Rise, Americans Say

Slightly more Americans say they plan to increase giving to charitable causes this year than last year, according to a new national survey conducted by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute.

This year, 67 percent of Americans say they plan to give as much or more to charities as they did last year, according to the survey. A year ago, 59 percent of people planned to give the same or more to charity as they did the previous year.

“This may be another indication of not only an improving economy, but of increasing confidence in people’s own economic security,” said Dr. Susan Kinsella, department chair of human services at Saint Leo University.

More results - Click here

Wineries Of Old Mission Donates $8k To Nonprofits

December 22, 2014: TC Ticker

The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP) are donating more than $8,000 to northern Michigan nonprofits this holiday season, proceeds from their annual Day of Giving event held on December 13. Each winery donated 15 percent of tasting room and online sales to the nonprofit of their choice. Here's the list: 2 Lads Winery: $500 to Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan Black Star Farms: $330 to Traverse Health Clinic Bowers Harbor Vineyards: $350 to TART Trails Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery: $500 to the Father Fred Foundation Chateau Grand Traverse: $750 to the Women's Resource Center Peninsula Cellars: $500 to Gift of Live Michigan Hawthorne Vineyards: $676 to Mariposa Pathway Chateau Chantal: $700 to American Red Cross of Northwest Michigan In addition, WOMP as a group is donating an additional $500 to each of the selected nonprofits. Permalink

Reminders to give

 

Remember to remind your prospects and donors of different ways of giving other than cash which they may be able to use to support your organization.  This reminder appeared in the Grand Traverse Pavilions Neighborhood News: Week 12/14 - 12/20/2014.

Increase your happiness through giving this holiday season

From the Planned Giving Design Center - 28 November 2014


New contributing author Deborah Goldstein challenges us to elevate our
giving during the holiday season and to think about its impact on others
and ourselves.


Article - Click below

Increase your happiness through giving this holiday season

Charitable Giving Is Growing, According To Two Studies

October 21, 2014 • Karen DeMasters
Financial Advisor via Planned Giving Design Center posting on 25 November 2014

Two studies of the philanthropic practices of high-net-worth individuals give charitable organizations hope for the future: Both reports say giving is up and will probably remain so.

The 2014 U.S. Trust Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy concludes, “Giving levels are up and the future looks bright.”

The UBS Investor Watch “Doing Well at Doing Good” comes to a similar conclusion and says, “In spite of the recent economic uncertainty, America's ‘giving gene’ remains intact, and donations of money have actually increased.”

Both reports were released Tuesday. The U.S. Trust study included 632 U.S. households with a net worth of $1 million or more and an annual income of $200,000 or more. The UBS survey included 1,372 investors with at least $1 million in investable assets and smaller groups of Gen Xers and millennials with less in investable assets. Both reports note that giving by wealthy individuals is up.

More - click here

Chronicle : As Wealthy Give Smaller Share of Income to Charity, Middle Class Digs Deeper

Chronicle of Philanthropy, October 5, 2014

As Wealthy Give Smaller Share of Income to Charity, Middle Class Digs Deeper

Keith Philpott for HDR

A surge in giving powered Atlanta's "BeltLine" project and other causes.

By Alex Daniels

As the recession lifted, poor and middle class Americans dug deeper into their wallets to give to charity, even though they were earning less. At the same time, according to a new Chronicle analysis of tax data, wealthy Americans earned more, but the portion of the income they gave to charity declined.

Using the IRS data, The Chronicle was able to track gifts to charity at the state, county, metropolitan-area, and ZIP code levels. The data were for gifts to charity among taxpayers who itemize deductions on their tax forms. It captured $180-billion that was given to charity in 2012, or about 80 percent of the total amount given to charity as tabulated by "Giving USA."

The Chronicle study found that Americans give, on average, about 3 percent of their income to charity, a figure that has not budged significantly for decades. However, that figure belies big differences in giving patterns between the rich and the poor.

More click here - subscription may be needed to view

New YMCA Opens Monday - Announces new $3 million campaign

TC Ticker -

September 20, 2014

The new Grand Traverse Bay YMCA on West Silver Lake Road opens Mon., Sept. 22, at 5:30am, with the first fitness class kicking off at 6am. While the tennis courts, health & fitness center, learn to swim pool and hot tub are ready to go, the eight-lane competitive swim pool will not be complete until late October or early November, says Board President Lynn Schultz. The old Y facility on the Boardman River will remain open for basketball, pickleball and other court sports as will the Y facility on Woodmere, which houses its gymnastics program and childcare. Schultz says membership at the new Y is at 1,321, exceeding the board goal of 1,150 by opening day. The search for a new leader at the facility is also underway, with the first search committee meeting held earlier this week. The board parted ways with longtime CEO Tom Van Deinse in early August. Schultz said the committee expects a new executive director to be in place within six months. Earlier this month, some members upset about Van Deinse's departure were circulating petitions to require a board meeting with the general membership but Schultz says as of this week the board has not been presented with any such petition or approached about it. It is, however, meeting soon with a subgroup of the membership, but Schultz says that is a private meeting. The long-awaited and delayed opening of the new Y's doors also marks the beginning of fundraising for Phase 2 of the project – a gym and indoor running track for which the organization needs to raise $3 million. Permalink

Wendy Steele's presentaton

Wendy Steele made a presentation to the Northern Michigan Fundraising Professionals group on Wednesday, 10 September 2014 at the Hagerty Center, NMC, Traverse City, Michigan.

She has provided her presentation slides to be posted - Click here

Another $1.5 Million For Boardman River Project

From TC Ticker -

September 16, 2014

The Conservation Resource Alliance in Traverse City has been awarded $1.5 million in grant funding from Sustain Our Great Lakes (SOGL) for the Boardman River Dams Restoration Project. SOGL is a public-private partnership that supports habitat restoration throughout the Great Lakes basin. The Conservation Resource Alliance is the project manager. This grant follows more than $1 million in grant funding from other public and private sources announced in July and brings the total raised for the removal of Boardman Dam and replacement of Cass Road Bridge to $7.1 million. The local fundraising goal to complete this part of the overall project is $10.8 million. The SOGL grant requires a 1:1 match in non-federal funds. Construction at Boardman Dam, beginning with the Cass Road bridge construction, is slated to begin in 2015. Construction for removal of Boardman Dam is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2016; Sabin Dam removal is expected to occur no earlier than 2017. Permalink

Cherry Festival Presents Checks to Charities

From the TC Ticker ...

August 28, 2014

National Cherry Festival officials conducted an event at Clinch Park in downtown Traverse City yesterday to thank the community for the "best Cherry Festival ever." Officials showcased a check totaling more than $28,000 to be donated to local charities and a check for $15,000 to be donated to the Boom Boom Club, which raises funds for Traverse City Fourth of July fireworks. Cherry Fest Executive Director Trevor Tkach also presented TC Mayor Michael Estes a comemmorative print of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels as a gift to the city and an acknowledgement of the city's efforts during the festival. Permalink

Ice Challenge and ALS

Although, the last time I looked yesterday, ALS has raised nearly $88.5 million in this ice enterprise and this crowd fundraising has involved millions of people. I wonder ....

Here is the ALS site and release ... click here

Caring For Kelsey Fundraiser Friday

TC Ticker: August 7, 2014

Bill Marsh on South Airport in Traverse City is raising funds this Friday (Aug. 8) to support Kelsey Clous, a 21-year-old from Kingsley who is fighting a rare blood clotting disorder. The fundraiser includes hundreds of fresh baked items, a silent auction, lunch, Moomers ice cream, oil changes and car washes. Cash donations also accepted online. All funds go toward helping the family with non-medical bills. Permalink

Former Timbers Girl Scout Camp Permanently Protected

June 26, 2014: The Ticker of Traverse City Magazine

The approximately 250-acre Timbers Recreation Area – formerly the Timbers Girl Scout Camp for 50 years – will be turned over to Long Lake Township and open to the public by the end of August. The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) confirms that a fundraising goal of $891,300 was met with just days to spare to permanently protect the recreation area. These matching funds followed a $2.1 million grant award from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund in December 2012. The property includes nearly 9,000 feet of water frontage – 2,000 feet on Long Lake, the entire 20-acre Fern Lake within its boundary with 4,500 feet of shoreline, and approximately 2.400 on Page Lake. The property also features a network of two-tracks and trails with potential for future trails. Development of the property's management plan and activities will be conducted by the township with assistance from the conservancy. "The property was such a mystery," says Glen Chown, executive director of the GTRLC. "So many people around the lake had never set foot on it because it was a camp, and they respected the privacy of the Girl Scouts. It's so close to Traverse City and yet it's real wild country." Discussion about preserving the former Girl Scouts camp began in 2004, with negotiations to purchase the property from the Girl Scout Council in 2009. Interim buyers Don and Gerry Oleson purchased he property in 2012, holding it while the township awaited the decision on the grant award. Fundraising included an anonymous $150,000 match for all donations, a $25,000 match for donations made by, or in honor of, former Timbers campers and staff members, a $20,000 match for all donations made by Long Lake Association members, support from the Long Lake Foundation and the sale of the old troop house. Girl Scout alumnae also held a reunion and yard sale, with former scouts traveling from as far away as Alaska to support conservation of the property. Permalink

Fundraising Questions I'm Most Often Asked

From Harvey McKinnon, posted on Guidestar

June 2014

When you've been in this field long enough, and maybe have a few books to your credit, you're often invited to speak at conferences. It's a great way to stay in touch with the many wonderful people in this profession. I get to reconnect with the wise elders and meet the passionate newcomers.

Invariably at the end of my presentations I'm asked a number of wide-ranging questions. Many are highly specific, but others pertain to most every organization. Here are some of the questions I'm most commonly asked.

More click here

Giving USA 2014 Report Highlights

click here for site.

The Giving USA 2014 report Highlights provides an overview of key 2013 data. The Giving 
USA 2014 report Highlights is instantly downloadable.

Some of the highlights:

Who gives the $335.17 billion in 2013?

72%   Individuals
15%    Foundations
  8%    Bequests
  5%    Corporations

I wonder if we should have our fundraising plans shaped to spend 72% of our time with individual donors?

The dead still out pace corporations in giving.

Rotary Announces $210k in Grants

From TC Ticker, Note link below June 11, 2014

Rotary Charities of Traverse City has announced 11 grants totaling $210,000 for its Spring 2014 grant cycle. They are all single-year capital or program grants. The recipients are below: Area Agency on Aging: $10,000 program grant Area Seniors of Bellaire: $5,000 capital grant Conservation Resource Alliance: $25,000 capital grant Elmwood Charter Township: $20,000 capital grant Grace Episcopal Church: $20,000 capital grant Lakes to Land Regional Initiative: $35,000 program grant Leelanau Conservancy: $30,000, capital grant Mt. Holiday: $10,000 capital grant Northwestern Michigan Fair: $15,000 capital grant Peter Dougherty Society: $15,000 capital grant Traverse Health Clinic: $25,000 program grant To learn about each group's plans for the grant money, click here. The next opportunity to apply for funding is September 2. Permalink

$59 trillion transfer

$59 trillion to go to heirs, charity by 2061

Robert Frank | @robtfrank

20 Hours AgoCNBC.com

The greatest wealth transfer in history is underway, according to a new report.

A study from the Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy projects that $59 trillion is expected to be passed down to heirs, charities and taxes between 2007 and 2061.

Deborah Harrison | Photographer's Choice | Getty Images

The study said heirs will receive $36 trillion over that period, while federal estate taxes will receive $5.6 trillion.

Total gifts to charity during the period of the study are expected to be more than $27 trillion, which includes sums from final estates (with no surviving spouse) as well as total lifetime giving.

The study assumes economic growth rates of 2 percent and the extension of current tax provisions. If the economy grows at 3 percent a year, charitable giving could reach $40 trillion, according to the study.

Full post - click here

The full study - Click here