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Professional Advisors eResource
The recently launched Professional Advisors eResource is a free online toolkit to help advisors raise the topic of charitable giving with their clients.
The resource includes plenty of helpful ‘how to’ advice including:
- Adding charitable giving to your practice
- Technical information about six common gift options
- Handouts you can personalize and share with clients
- Donor stories that illustrate how giving can be used to help clients meet their financial and personal goals
“Knowing how to start a discussion about philanthropy is half the battle and that’s what Professional Advisors eResource is all about,” says Martha Powell, CEO of London Community Foundation. “Advisors play a key role in our community’s charitable giving and we want to support that effort to encourage more giving.”
Statistics Canada data shows 21% of Canadians account for 82% of charitable donations. At the same time, philanthropic research reveals individuals are three times more likely to include charity in their will when the issue is raised by a lawyer, accountant or an investment or financial advisor.
“Many advisors are eager to start discussing philanthropy with their clients, but it can feel like a daunting exercise when you’re not an expert, said Chris Cahill, founder of FSG Wealth Management. “This new toolkit provides an easy way for advisors to access the information they need to get started.”
Community foundations often partner with advisors, acting as a resource for them and their clients by attending meetings, assisting with technical questions and sharing knowledge about community needs and opportunities.
The toolkit is made possible through Community Foundations of Canada and can be found at www.lcf.on.ca/advisors. Advisors can also sign up for the site’s RSS feed to keep up to date on the latest news about charitable giving.