Industry-leading gift planning expertise, exactly when you need it.
Not ready to hire a full-time gift planning officer? Our Gift Planning Guide Desk® provides on-demand access to expert counsel exactly when you need it, extending your existing team without the overhead.
Trusted Perspectives
“The Gift Planning Desk Guide has been an indispensable resource for our gift officers. Allowing them to distill complex charitable giving scenarios into clear, actionable proposals for our donors. The Heaton Smith team allows my staff to quickly navigate sophisticated tax laws and philanthropic vehicles without losing momentum in donor gift conversations. Overall empowering gift officers to facilitate deeper, more meaningful legacy conversations.”
All the expertise without the overhead.
Knowledge and training
Access to a nationally recognized team providing gift vehicle training, meaningful case studies, and the technical expertise your team needs to succeed.
Gift planning prospect identification
Learn how to identify your best gift planning prospects, which will give you consistent gift planning activity.
Gift design and documentation
From identifying donor goals to generating gift strategies to drafting agreements that reflect donor intent—we provide end-to-end support for gifts, simple to complex.
Extend your team with on-demand expertise
Guide Desk services include:
Tailored, on-demand expertise
Access to Heaton Smith’s team of gift planning program experts
Live, on-call support
Technical counsel from a nationally recognized team
Training & coaching
Blended and planned gift vehicle training
Donor conversation coaching
Strategic support
Best-practice donor discovery strategies and questionnaires
Gift strategy approaches tailored to each donor’s goals—from simple to complex
Gift agreement development
Written gift agreements from Heaton Smith team members that reflect donor intent, gift purpose, and expectations
Gift Planning Guide Desk® FAQs
A Heaton Smith team member will meet with you at least twice monthly, but up to weekly. Meetings are focused on prospect identification, donor engagement strategies, training on gift planning vehicles, gift illustrations, template gift agreements, and access to our full team’s expertise—and unlimited email/phone consultation on donor scenarios with a 24-hour response time. It’s like having a world-class gift planning department on demand.
Yes. The Guide Desk is perfect for organizations just starting gift planning or those with limited experience. We provide foundational training and real-time coaching through donor conversations. Many clients close their first planned gifts within months of starting their program. No prior expertise required—we build your confidence step by step.
We guarantee a response within one business day, often within hours for urgent situations. When a donor is ready to discuss their estate or a complex gift opportunity arises, you’ll have expert guidance immediately. This rapid response ensures you never miss opportunities due to a lack of technical knowledge.
Absolutely. Many organizations start with the Guide Desk to build confidence and demonstrate gift planning ROI, then add comprehensive services as programs mature. Your Guide Desk experience provides a foundation for broader culture change. We help you determine the right time to expand based on your results and capacity.