Endowment Fund Committee Meeting Minutes for January 18, 2012

Members in attendance: Bob Brundage, Dave Del Marto, Sue Ingram, LaJean Wenzel.

Also present: Greg Shepherd, our professional gift planning consultant and Bob Bollinger, a colleague

Not Present: Brian Fisher, Tim Thompton, and Pastor Erik, Advisor

Our committee continues to meet to proceed on steps for our congregation’s new planned giving program, supported by Greg Shepherd.

We have introduced Greg S. to the congregation through a letter printed in the Grapevine and in the Sunday bulletin.

Items discussed:

• It was noted that Pastor Erik and Tim T. have met to discuss our bylaws and have recommendations.
• Current step is to send out the congregational survey with a cover letter. This is the same survey the committee members have already filled out and is used to determine the number of planned gifts already established by church members and obtain willing witnesses to have their name listed in our brochure.
• [Note: average stats indicate 2% will respond to the survey, but it plants the seed and also includes the option to contact Greg S., our gift planner, for more info, and we hope to exceed that percentage.]
• The next step is to create the new brochure, which could be named Legacy Brochure or Planned Giving Brochure or ?, and is serving as a witnessing brochure. [on 8 ½ x 11 white, readable font size]
• The 1^st front panel will list those who have died and left money in a will or trust to the church
• The front center top half will contain our church mission statement
• The front center bottom half will provide the purpose of our endowment fund
• The front 3^rd panel will include a list of members who are living who have designated planned giving to the church in a will or trust (survey lets them give permission) (no amounts listed)
• The back will include write-ups and pictures of those that have benefited from the giving
• Crescendo, a provider of planned giving solutions, with company HQ in Camarillo, will provide us with:
• An endowment web site
• An e-newsletter with tax and will and charitable gift annuity information
• A PDF file on wills
• A PDF file on charitable gift annuities
• Will use our church colors, logos, etc.
• All for $250/year
• [They may develop a template to use for our brochure – Greg/Bob checking]
• We reviewed ‘Ways to say Thank You for Legacy Gifts’ – a handout we have; appreciating those who have provided/will provide a legacy gift is an important part of our program

Action items:

• Need to start investigating who has given gifts upon death in the past. Pastors know where to find this information?
• Start considering words for the panels of the brochure, including introductions to the lists on panel 1 and panel 3
• Pastor Erik will write a cover letter for the survey. [This is an action item from the Oct. 2011 meeting and may already be done.]

Next meeting is tentatively planned for Thursday, Mar. 1 at 6:30.

Respectfully submitted,

LaJean Wenzel, Recorder