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 This
month’s Gift Planner Profile features David Comeaux, Director of
Planned Giving at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. A
16-year veteran of development work, Mr. Comeaux shares with Give
& Take his techniques for helping his donors fulfill their
desire to give.
David
Comeaux: I graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
with a degree in business in 1986. The following year the
University created a position in annual giving, and one
of the
deans in student affairs encouraged me to apply for the job. At
the time I knew nothing about development work—I had to ask him
what annual giving was!
Since
then I have worked in a number of roles, and ten years later, in
1996, I had the opportunity to help start the University’s
planned giving program.
Comeaux:
I like helping people feel good about themselves and their
contribution to the world.
Most
people don’t wake up thinking, “Whom am I going to give money
to today?” They have to be shown the opportunities. Without the
education we provide about planned giving, many people would not
understand how they can make a positive impact on the future.
Comeaux:
We have a relatively small development office—three people,
including myself—and a relatively limited budget as well.
Because of that, we have tried to get our message out via stories,
ads, and testimonials in existing University publications.
We
include information about our endowment program and our Heritage
Society in gift acknowledgment receipts. That has brought good
results, including some major outright gifts.
When the
occasion warrants, we also send special opportunity mailings to
explain major tax law or other changes that might affect our
donors’ estate plans. One of these mailings led to a lead trust
gift currently in the last stages.
Comeaux:
After the 2001 Tax Act was passed, we mailed Sharpe’s booklet
“Charitable Giving After the 2001 Tax Act” to our top 200
donors and prospective donors. In the accompanying cover letter we
thanked them for their past support and suggested that they review
their plans in light of recent tax legislation.
The next
month one of these donors contacted us about establishing a
charitable lead trust, which he had learned about through the
booklet. At the time he had a pending business transaction that he
hoped would allow him to set up a lead trust by the end of the
year. In late December we learned that, though he was still very
interested, he would not be able to make the gift that year.
It was
not until the last quarter of 2002 that we heard from him again.
He told us that he hoped to complete the gift by year-end, but
again, circumstances did not allow him to complete the gift.
In early
2003 the donor contacted us again, and now the gift is finally
near completion. We have been working closely with his son-in-law,
who is a professional advisor and is excited about the gift as
well.
Through
this long process the donor’s family—including potential
heirs—have not only been supportive of the decision to make the
gift but are actually participating in the process.
Although
this gift has taken some time to reach completion, it is now
significantly more than the amount originally discussed in 2001.
And Louisiana’s state matching program means that this $1
million gift will in effect almost double again.
Comeaux:
When our current Director of Development, John T. Landry, started
the major gift program here in 1990, he created a thankyou memo
for every major and planned gift. This memo is distributed to
various University representatives, our top volunteer leaders, and
the President of the Foundation. A note at the top contains
details about the gift and the donor. Below that is a check-off
list whereby various University officials are requested to thank
the donor for the gift. Some donors might get a letter or a call
from five to ten people for each gift.
We have
actually had people call here and comment positively on how many
times they have been thanked for their gift!
Comeaux:
Some people assume that tax benefits are the primary motivator of
charitable gifts. But I’ve been raising funds now for 16 years
and have found that is rarely the sole reason.
I think
people decide to make a gift because they feel strongly about the
work of a charitable interest and want to do what they can to
help. After the gift is completed, the good feeling people have
inside—the feeling of doing something selfless and
worthwhile—is what has lasting value.
Comeaux: The profession is all about engaging people in a
nonprofit’s mission. Some want to be deeply involved and to
thereby make a difference. Our role is to show them how. So,
communicate, communicate, communicate! That’s the most important
thing we as gift planners can do.
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