US, Canadian and European Alliance: New International Gift Planning Coalition Formed 

The National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG), Canadian Association of Gift Planners *Association Canadienne des Professionnels en Dons Planifés (CAGP*ACPDP), and the European Association  for Planned Giving (EAPG) have formed a new international union for charitable gift planning .

“We’re really excited about this group and we’ve had a great response,” says Tanya Howe-Johnson, President and CEO of the National Committee on Planned Giving.   “There’s not really been anything offered like this before: a collaboration focused on charitable gift planning.”

The history behind this alliance goes back quite a while.  After NCPG formed, the Canadians decided to start a similar but separate association because the tax laws and environment were so different.  NCPG began an informal mentoring relationship with them, trying to assist by providing a small start up grant, helping find speakers for conferences, and working on strategic planning /organizational issues.

Johnson recounts, “Over time, we began to talk about ways that the U.S. and Canadian associations could collaborate.  One of the most successful collaborations has been with the LEAVE A LEGACY^® program.  The Canadians were interested in promoting that program and using it in Canada as well.  NCPG licensed the use of the program to CAGP*ACPDP and that was the first real collaborative program effort.”

“NCPG and CAGP*ACPDP realized that certainly it’s much better to work together -we knew that there would be areas such as education and research that it would be beneficial to collaborate on.  We then became aware of the European organization based in London and thought perhaps that all our constituencies would be better served if we tried to combine our efforts.  We started talking about this seriously in October 2002 and putting a model together.”

Some of the potential benefits that forming an affiliation provides to members and the profession as a whole include aiding each association through shared knowledge, efficiencies, and services.  Benefits will include:

• More successful accomplishment of mutual goals
• Improved service to all constituents
• Financial efficiencies
• Sharing of expertise
• Sharing of resources

Through collaboration, the groups will collectively share research, communications, education, administration, membership reciprocity, marketing services and ethical standards.

Partners will be responsible for:

• Free exchange of information and expertise
• Collaboration on issues affecting all constituencies
• Reciprocity of membership discounts and fee courtesies
• Public acknowledgement of relationship
• Mutual support and encouragement as appropriate

The first major joint project is an international symposium on cross-border charitable giving.  All three associations have members interested in cross-border charitable issues. The symposium will be held in New York City on May2-3, 2005.  Information and registration materials are available at:  http://www.ncpg.org

When asked about future projects that the International Alliance will look at Johnson replied, “Both NCGP and CAGP*ACPDP have looked at various times about the issue of professional certification.  That’s one of the issues that we will share research results and information on as we evaluate.

LEAVE A LEGACY^® continues to be important. 

In terms of the Europeans, education sharing is valuable such as cross-posting articles that are of interest to our members. 

Research will be another future opportunity for us, allowing us to compare and contrast gift planning practice around the world.  Many studies could have cross-border applicability, even if the research is done in one country.” 

About Tanya Howe Johnson:  Tanya Howe Johnson is president and chief executive officer of the National Committee on Planned Giving Inc. (NCPG), a national professional association whose membership represents more than 11,000 professionals involved in the process of helping donors plan and make major charitable gifts.

During Ms. Johnson’s 13 years as CEO, NCPG has doubled its membership; developed the award-winning publication, The Journal of Gift Planning; launched LEAVE A LEGACY^®, an award -winning donor education campaign; created standards for the valuation of planned gifts and established a permanent endowment.

She founded the International Gift Planning Alliance, and represented NCPG at the International Fundraising Congress in the Netherlands.

Ms. Johnson’s past association experience includes management positions with a local retail association, a national healthcare association, and an international trade association.  She holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation, a certification held by less than 5% percent of association management professionals.