Conversational Gift Planning

Learn The Four Decisions for more meaningful and productive conversations.

Conversational Gift Planning, offered by the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, is a virtual, multi-week educational course led by Dan Shephard. This program will equip participants with the fundamental tools to elevate their donor relationships.

Participate in live education to integrate practical skills into more meaningful and productive conversations. This course meets live via Zoom weekly for a six-week period.

You must earn the right to ask.

Dan will guide participants through The Four Decisions every donor makes to learn the skills of donor-participatory fundraising.

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Why: Learn your donor’s gift motivation.
What: Determine a promising gift purpose.
How: Identify life events, assets and other considerations for the gift.
Will You: Identify possible gift strategies to share with your donor.

The cost of the program is $995 for CGP members and $1,195 for non-members. CFRE and CSPG credit is available for registrants. 

Full participation in Conversational Gift Planning is applicable for nine credit hours in Category 1.B -Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

The course will help you learn how to:

  • Identify a promising possible donor for a charitable gift annuity or a gift of an appreciated asset.
  • Describe the identified gift plan to that possible donor in conversational language.
  • Find your distinctive voice in conversational gift planning through realistic practice.
  • Identify giftable assets.
  • Learn about the planned sale of a private business before it’s too late.
  • Start a conversation about providing income for retirement.
  • Introduce tax advantages that can influence gift amount.
  • Engage others who should be involved in gift planning (personal and professional).

2026 class sessions

• Wednesdays, 1-2:30 p.m. ET | ​January 28, February 4, 11, 18, 25, March 4

Register Now

Meet Dan Shephard

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Dan Shephard is the creator of The Four Decisions and of Interactive Case Studies, the learning tools used in this training program. He developed the tools and techniques used in the seminar during a three-decade career as a fundraising professional with experience in the performing arts and higher education.

Over the past decade, Dan has taught conversational gift planning to hundreds of fundraising professionals at such institutions as Columbia University, the Smithsonian Institution, Florida International University, Rochester Institute of Technology, the World Wildlife Fund, and many others.

Thank you for challenging us and coaching us through our donor conversations, it was incredibly valuable. This class was truly one of the best I’ve ever attended. 

Cecilia Bynum, Senior Director of Planned Giving, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

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Talking through hypothetical gift planning scenarios where I had to consider the best gift planning vehicles, while learning how to think what may be the best one for the donor, was extremely helpful. 

Carli Yoho, Assistant Director of Planned Giving, West Virginia University Foundation

This course is a career accelerator.

Carlo Laurore, Interim Chief Development Officer, Scouting America

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Participating in Conversational Gift Planning was transformative for my approach to donor engagement. The hands-on exercises, especially the role-playing scenarios, were instrumental in helping me refine my skills and approach each donor interaction with clarity and purpose.

Sarah Sosa-Acevedo, Gift Planning Officer, Smithsonian Institution

We took a close look at both the mechanics of a wide variety of gift planning strategies and, more valuable, how to explain them to my donors. It was just what my team needed.

Ryan Hart, Executive Director of Gift Planning, Columbia University

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