Cathy R. Sheffield

Chief Advancement Officer / Founder

4721 Collinwood Ave
Fort Worth, TX 76107
United States

cathy.sheffield@lenapope.org / cathy@thinkgiving.com

Cathy R. Sheffield, CAP®, CFRE, CSPG, is on a mission to help nonprofits raise more planned and major gifts. Cathy is a planned giving leader with 25-years in healthcare and higher education. From the moment you meet Cathy, you will recognize her enthusiasm for her work, appreciate her collaborative method for achieving results for both donors and nonprofit organizations alike, and welcome her sense of humor. Cathy serves as the Chief Advancement Officer of Lena Pope in Fort Worth, Texas. Cathy is also the President of ThinkGiving, a advising group that works with individuals and nonprofits to maximize charitable gifts. Cathy serves on the American Council on Gift Annuities Board of Directors, is the current President of the Fort Worth Metro Chapter of AFP and was the 2017 Board Chair of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. Cathy is a faculty member of the American Institute for Philanthropic Studies which administers the Certified Specialist in Planned Giving designation program. Cathy is a co-host of Charitable Chit Chat with Cathy & Claire, a radio show for philanthropy professionals. Cathy received her MBA from Texas Christian University and her undergraduate degree from North Dakota State University.

Leadership Institute, Past CGP Board, CGP Conference Speaker

Gifts Can be Dangerous: How and Why Gift Acceptance Policies and Procedures are Really Superheroes

A good superhero never goes into a dangerous situation without a cape and a plan. Similarly, nonprofits should not accept gifts without an acceptance structure or plan outlining what assets they will, or will not, accept. Cathy Sheffield will discuss the primary functions of an organization's gift acceptance policies and procedures - its "superhero."

Top Ways to Encourage Bequests

In this presentation, Cathy R. Sheffield will reveal ways to encourage charitable bequest intentions. You may already know that 85% of Americans donate to charities during their lifetime, yet fewer than 5.7% of Americans leave a charitable gift in their estate plans. Why is this? Perhaps the charitable organizations never asked or developed the trusted relationships necessary to merit being added to a will. All charitable organizations, regardless of size, can and should have a bequest program. In many planned giving programs, realized bequests may account for 80%-90% or more of all planned gifts. However, many charities choose to passively accept bequests. Organizations with the most successful bequest programs take a proactive approach by marketing and soliciting bequest gifts. This presentation will review the top ways to encourage bequests – from identifying best prospects, donors’ options for making a bequest, marketing, and stewardship. We will also discuss how to have conversations with donors about making a bequest gift.

Blended Gifts: Accomplishing Philanthropic Goals Today, Tomorrow and in Perpetuity!

More and more charitable clients today seek options in establishing meaningful gifts, both in size and effect. The idea of asking donors to make a "blended gift" is an emerging trend in the world of philanthropy. A blended gift is the combination of a current gift, or a commitment to make a series of current gifts, together with a planned gift, such as a bequest, charitable trust or charitable gift annuity. Combining different types of charitable gifts can be transformational to the donor in terms of achieving charitable goals and also transformational for the organization whose mission can be advanced significantly. With the growing popularity of blended gifts as a gifting strategy, those who work with the charitably inclined, including CPAs, financial advisors, attorneys, insurance agents and non-profit professionals, need to be prepared for when their clients request assistance exploring blended gifts as a way to achieve their personal and financial planning goals while still leaving a legacy. During this presentation, there will be a review of several case studies to demonstrate how various types of blended giving can enhance gifting goals, while not detracting or derailing a donor’s retirement and financial plans

Marketing/Cultivation, To be determined with Council, Other, Ethics

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Cathy

Sheffield

cathy@thinkgiving.com

Please contact me to discuss the speaking fee. It various based on several factors, including location, time spent traveling to/from, content development, etc. It would be an honor to visit with you about speaking at a function for your nonprofit or professional association.

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