FACT SHEET: Leave A Legacy Georgia Program The Georgia Planned Giving Council (GPGC) and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) – Georgia Chapter are playing the lead roles in launching the largest planned giving public awareness program Georgia’s history. The Leave a Legacy Georgia (LAL) program is intended to be a collaborative effort between local charitable organizations; bar and other estate planning professional organizations; community foundations; corporate donors; and a variety of media outlets. This program encourages people from all walks of life to make gifts from their estates to charitable organizations of their choice. In the past, over eighty other cities have successfully run similar multi-year campaigns and Georgia’s first was completed a couple of years ago. The dynamic of this program is that is ongoing- with no ending date. This will allow us to build on the success of the first LAL effort and at the same time grow the program as needs dictate. The Non Profit Times estimates that over 70% of households nationwide contribute to charity each year. Statistics show, however, that less than 8% of households surveyed plan a charitable bequest. The Leave A Legacy Georgia program’s purpose is to increase this number. Just think what philanthropy could accomplish if all Georgians made a planned gift to their favorite charity. More than 400 nonprofits and 90 volunteers have already joined this effort to deliver the central message – “you can make a difference in the lives that follow.” Stressing the broad reach of the program, our volunteers represent nearly every charitable constituency in the state (e.g., religion, education, social service, etc.). This is the largest planned giving educational effort in Georgia’s history and the first statewide program in the country. Key Marketing Initiatives * A 30-minute locally produced educational program hosted by Mr. Clark Howard will be made available through LAL Georgia, to promote charitable giving. It is available on CD so it can be used for various types of group or one on one presentations. * Through the co-sponsorship of the Georgia Planned Giving Council (GPGC) and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Georgia Chapter, and collaboration with a number of professional groups (Atlanta Estate Planning Council, North Georgia Estate Planning Council, International Association of Financial Planning – Georgia Chapter, Atlanta Association of Life Underwriters, Atlanta Chapter of CLU and ChFC, Georgia Society of CPAs, Institute of Certified Financial Planners – Georgia Society, and Life Insurance Leaders of Georgia, a letter will be reproduced for the respective organization’s letterhead and will be mailed to donors/clients, volunteers and friends. It will summarize the importance and the benefits of leaving a legacy. * The Leave A Legacy Georgia web site (www.leavealegacygeorgia.org) and 1-800# information number will always encourage interested parties to contact the charities of their choice and/or their professional advisors. * The Program will use Speaker’s Bureau volunteers for civic, charitable and for-profit venues. * A professional voucher has been developed which will provide prospective donors with one free hour of consultation or $100 off a charitable estate plan. Individuals can use their own advisors or select from a list of participating advisors. * Cities throughout Georgia will run concurrent local programs, using most all of these core marketing pieces to enhance their efforts. * The initial Leave A Legacy Campaign has received lead funding from an anonymous private foundation and The Turner Foundation with supporting sponsorship from Wachovia Securities. For more information about how you can participate, visit our website – www.leavealegacygeorgia.org and/or call us at 770-433-4137 or 1-866-573-5319.