Consulting for Foundations, Legal and Financial Advisors
Donor-Focused Approaches and Tools

This highly interactive consulting service provides foundations, legal and financial advisors with tools and resources to better serve their clients' philanthropic planning needs. We help you better assist your clients who are initiating major giving and legacy decisions with a “map” to strategic philanthropy.

Planning and administration of a charitable gift is a complex process involving philanthropic, personal, financial, and tax considerations. Pathmaker services focus on the values and strategic decisions that serve as a foundation for the donor’s financial decisions and the ability to communicate those decisions to advisors. True philanthropic planning embraces the growing convergence between legal and financial services and your client’s desire to participate in philanthropy from a place of personal giving, “from the inside out”.

Individuals, couples, and families initiating a major charitable giving decision often find themselves unprepared with the most essential ingredient...communication. Although they know that they have a strong desire to make a difference and give back, they have difficulty communicating their wishes to you, the legal, financial and foundation professionals, who are assisting them in creating their charitable vehicle. 

True philanthropic planning must embrace the growing convergence between financial structures and transactions with the donor’s personal values, concerns and philanthropic participation options.

Many of the best legal and financial advisors are prepared to address “giving” solely from their area of strength...money, finances and law. By their nature community foundations carry out a complex set of responsibilities in serving their donors, service-provider agencies plus acting as a catalyst for change for addressing unmet community needs. These demands can often result in financially-oriented donor transactions, missing opportunities for expanded donor engagement. 

Internal communication that builds trust and consensus on the mission of the family's wealth for it’s chosen philanthropic direction is also essential. In families and amongst heirs it can be complicated and emotional to formulate a plan that reflects and honors the all parties. Donors need to use their values as a guide to giving that enhances the well-being of the family as well as provide strategically placed resources to causes, projects, programs, organizations, and foundations where they can have a meaningful impact.

Here’s how we can help….

• Development of customized “donor-focused” philanthropic approaches and collateral. I work with your advisors, and your clients to focus on their needs and wishes to realize their philanthropic dreams.
  
  
• Development of customized philanthropic planning materials and tools for advisors and their clients. Click here to receive a free copy of a Philanthropic Assessment handout you are welcome to share with your clients.
  
  
• Marketing and outreach support to community foundations that want to increase their “donor-centered” focus.
  
  
• 30-minute to one-hour presentations for clients and donor groups on a range of philanthropy-related topics geared to engage new donors or expand current donor participation. Available to community foundations, legal and financial advisors or civic organizations.
  
  
• Speaking engagements at both in-house and professional association events

Your clients’ philanthropy is more than a financial transaction. Pathmaker services can help you build a “donor-centered” approach that benefits both your clients and the causes they support, based on what they value…“from the inside out”. Email Mary and we'll take the next step together.

Ready to Have a Bigger Impact
Through Your Clients Charitable Giving?

Be sure to get your free Philanthropic Assessment tool, articles, books and other valuable free resources on our Resource page.

Disclaimer: Pathmaker Coaching does not represent to give legal, accounting or tax advice. Pathmaker services do not replace those of an attorney, certified financial or tax planner. Before executing any binding document, clients should seek independent legal, accounting, or tax advice.