About the Minnesota Planned Giving Council

MPGC is the professional association for people whose work includes developing, marketing and administering charitable planned gifts. Our members include fund-raisers for nonprofit organizations and institutions as well as consultants and professional advisors working in a variety of profit settings. We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and training of planned giving specialists, fund-raisers and professional advisors, and to raising public awareness of charitable giving overall and planned giving specifically. Members participate in seminars, conferences, presentations, research, publishing and similar activities in the field of gift planning. Our meetings facilitate communication and networking processes between members and other experts in the financial planning and development fields.

Message from the Chair | Who We Are | Board of Directors
Committees | Volunteer Opportunities

Message from the Chair

Welcome to our newly updated Minnesota Planned Giving Council Web site. We hope the additional information and new look is beneficial to our members. If there is any information you are looking for and don’t find, please contact us. If you are a guest, please explore the Web site to learn more about how MPGC can benefit you and your organization. We hope you will join our Council soon.

The mission of the Minnesota Planned Giving Council is to promote philanthropy through planned giving. Through our activities, we strive to enhance the professional and personal self-worth of our members. We are the professional association for fundraisers, professional advisors, and others whose work touches on the development or administration of charitable planned gifts. In alignment with our mission and values, the Minnesota Planned Giving Council’s strategic goals are:

• To develop a clear understanding of the needs of the field and how an increased emphasis on current major giving is impacting our practice in order to ensure our purpose and service offerings are aligned with how the field of philanthropy is evolving.
• To have an MPGC brand recognized as the top planned giving resource in the region.
• To broaden and deepen MPGC membership and programming in order to increase our impact on charitable capital in the community.

We look forward to seeing you at future MPGC educational events and welcome your involvement through one of our committees!

Lynn Praska
Hamline University
MPGC 2008 Chair

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Who We Are

The Minnesota Planned Giving Council (MPGC) was founded in 1978 to meet the specialized needs of planned giving professionals. Our membership is composed of a dynamic and diverse group of planned giving and general development professionals from academic, religious, health, arts, and human service organizations, as well as allied professionals such as attorneys, accountants, financial planners, and others.

The objectives of MPGC are to:

• Advance the educational and professional expertise of members.
• Promote ethical practices and compliance with the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner.
• Provide access to the people, tools and resources members need to develop skills in the critical competencies of the planned giving profession.
• Provide a forum for members to discuss specific planned giving issues.
• Create an avenue for communication among planned giving practitioners.
• Serve as a clearinghouse for information of interest to members.
• Create and further an awareness of governmental and legislative issues.

Membership
The National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG) represents approximately 11,500 planned giving professionals. Of NCPG’s 110 councils worldwide, MPGC has more than 400 members.

Mission
The mission of the Minnesota Planned Giving Council is to promote philanthropy through planned giving.

Chapter Management
MPGC is governed by a 19-member board of directors including a chairperson, two vice chairpersons, a past chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and eight directors representing each of MPGC’s key activity areas: membership, sponsors & exhibitors, education, programs, conference, public affairs, nominations, board retreat, Teamwork 2000, and regional chapters. Board members serve either a two- or three year term, depending on the position.

Education
MPGC conducts professional development meetings and special events throughout the year. Formats vary depending on member interest and topic complexity. Educational breakfasts and seminars are typically offered the second Tuesday of January, March, May, July, and November. Other seminars (such as satellite seminars available via the national office) are offered on an as-available basis and usually examine the foundations of our industry. The annual fall Minnesota Planned Giving Conference is regarded as one of the best in the industry and committee members continually work to provide the highest quality education on the latest trends and topics.

Networking
MPGC offers informal networking events in conjunction with seminars.

Leadership Development
MPGC views volunteering as a privilege of membership, and helps volunteers succeed in their assignments by providing training at the board and committee chair level.

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2008 Board of Directors

Chair – Executive Committee
Lynn Praska
Hamline University

Chair-Elect – Executive Committee
Richard Olson
Allina Hospitals & Clinics

Secretary – Executive Committee
Stephanie Oskie
Minnesota Medical Foundation

Treasurer – Executive Committee
Joe Thiegs
U of M Foundation

Chair Emeritus – Executive Committee
Jane Goodnight, JD
University of Minnesota Foundation

Director of Education – Executive Committee
Christine Solso
Macalester College

Director of Membership – Executive Committee
Pat Cook, ChFC
Minnesota Public Radio

Director – Brisk Walk Through the Basics
Cheryl Nelson, JD
U.S. Bank Private Client Group

Chair – Conference Planning
Richard Olson
Allina Hospitals & Clinics

Co-Chair – Conference Planning
Juliana Sellers
Wells Fargo Charitable Management Group

Director – Communications
Mary Ellis Peterson
The Minneapolis Foundation

Director – Greater MN
James Dwyer, CFRE
St. John’s University

Director
Keith Bartz, JD
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics Foundation

Director
Deborah Brown
Minnesota Public Radio

Director
Dayton Hultgren
HBH Associates LLC

Director
Scott Nelson, CFRE
Gillette Children’s Foundation

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Committees

• Program and Education
• Conference
• Membership Development, Involvement, and Ethical Practices
• Finance and Fund Development
• Communications
• LEAVE A LEGACY® and Regional Involvement

Communications Committee

Charge:

• Provide consistent, effective communication of Council activities and mission to internal and external community.
• Conduct communication audit and develop and recommend long-term plan for the Council.
• Promote ethical practices and compliance with the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner of the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG).

Description:

• Conduct communications audit and develop and recommend long-term communication plan for Council.
• Develop and implement the Council’s Web site and continually monitor for content and maintenance.
• Develop, write, and distribute a member e-newsletter.
• Promote the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner.
• Develop expense and income budgets for these programs and manage the programs within the approved budget.

Conference Committee

Charge:

• Coordinate the annual Minnesota Planned Giving Conference.
• Promote ethical practices and compliance with the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner of the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG).

Description:

• Plan and carry out the annual Minnesota Planned Giving Conference.
• Incorporate ethical practices and compliance with the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner of the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG) into programming.
• Plan and carry out balanced programming at the conference to meet the needs of the Council’s membership.
• Develop expense and income budgets for the conference and manage the conference within the approved budget.

Finance and Fund Development Committee

Charge:

• Adequately preserve and protect the financial interest of the Minnesota Planned Giving Council.
• Prepare an annual budget for the Council.
• Provide other advice and services concerning the financial affairs of the Council

Description:

• Prepare and manage the budget of the Council.
• Develop and implement a program to establish and manage long term investments for the Council.
• Coordinate and manage the sponsorship and fund-raising efforts of the Council.
  Develop a long-term fund-raising and development program for the Council.

LEAVE A LEGACY® and Regional Involvement Committee

Charge:

• Adequately preserve and protect the financial interest of the Minnesota Planned Giving Council.
• Coordinate Programming with Regional Leave A Legacy Chapters Pursuant to Guidance from NCPG.

Description:

• Coordinate Programming with Regional Leave A Legacy Chapters.
• LEAVE A LEGACY® is a public relations effort only, programming to advisors and nonprofits is responsibility of the Council’s Education and Program Committee.
• Consider a Twin Cities LEAVE A LEGACY® public awareness campaign promoting the LEAVE A LEGACY® message.
• Promote the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner.
• Develop expense and income budgets for these programs and manage the programs within the approved budget.

Membership Development, Involvement, and Ethical Practices Committee

Charge:

• Promote and encourage new and renewal membership.
• Be responsible for member services and liaison.
• Promote ethical practices and compliance with the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner of the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG).
• Promote and encourage active participation of council members.

Description:

• Promote and encourage new and renewal membership in the Council, including recruitment of new members from areas that are underrepresented.
• Develop and implement a plan to regularly survey the membership to ascertain their needs and evaluate the success of the Council in meeting those needs.
• Promote the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner and require a pledge of compliance by members.
• Develop expense and income budgets for these programs and manage the programs within the approved budget.

Program and Education Committee

Charge:

• Design, recruit and schedule all regular non-conference programs of the Council.
• Sponsor seminars and other programs that complement rather than compete with the conference or breakfast meetings.
• Promote ethical practices and compliance with the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner of the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG).

Description:

• Plan and carry out the regular program meetings of the Council ensuring that they provide substantive educational opportunities for the members of the Council.
• Plan and carry out regular education programs of the Council to provide special educational opportunities for the members of the Council.
• Plan and carry out special programs and educational opportunities to appeal to professional advisors, especially those who are not members of the Council.
• Plan and carry out balanced programming to meet the needs of the new and the advanced planner.
• Incorporate ethical practices and compliance with the Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner of the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG) into programming.
• Develop expense and income budgets for these programs and manage the programs within the approved budget.

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Volunteer Opportunities

There are many opportunities to volunteer with MPGC! If you are interested in volunteering for a committee or in some other capacity with the Council, please complete the volunteer interest form and someone from the MPGC office will contact you.

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