What is Comprehensive Philanthropic Counsel?

Renata Rafferty on her Comprehensive Philanthropic Counsel:

SERVICES RAFFERTY CONSULTING GROUP assists individuals, families, foundations and corporations in establishing and maintaining a clear focus in their philanthropic activities.  We are available to work with you, your family or your organization on a one-time, limited-term, or continuing basis. 

We also welcome inquiries from financial institutions, financial planners, estate planning attorneys, and allied professionals who provide counsel or services related to charitable giving.  We work in concert with you to ensure that your client's charitable gifts are as effective as possible in meeting their philanthropic goals.   Training and consultation services include:

PHILANTHROPY FUNDAMENTALS
Principles of Philanthropy
Defining Your Philanthropic Mission, Goals and Risk Tolerance
Current Models and Trends in Giving

FAMILY PHILANTHROPY
Family Meeting & Retreat
Facilitation
Family & Inter-Generational Issues
Establishing A Values-Driven Foundation
Preparing the Next Generation for Stewardship
Founder's Intent Issues
Succession Planning

CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY
Corporate Giving Programs
Cause-Related Marketing
Community Relations / HR / Foundation Staff  Training
Employee & Shareholder Participation Programs

STRATEGIC & LONG-RANGE PLANNING
Training & Facilitation

GOVERNANCE
Board Orientation: Principles and Practices of Stewardship
Board Retreat & Meeting Facilitation
Grantmaking Policies & Procedures
Board Recruitment & Succession Planning

FOUNDATION STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Performance Evaluation
Compensation & Benefits Analysis
Team-Building
Executive Mentoring & Coaching

FOUNDATION ASSESSMENT
Philanthropic Impact Assessment
Internal Diagnostic (Operational) Evaluation

GRANTMAKING ASSISTANCE
Requests for Funding (RFP) DevelopmentProgram & Proposal Review
Due Diligence Assessment of Prospective Grantees
Negotiation of Gift Terms
Gift/Grant Effectiveness Audit

GRANTEE TRAINING / CAPACITY-BUILDING
Comprehensive training & workshops in
Nonprofit/NGO Management & Governance
for your funded organizations

Notice, interestingly, that the list of comprehensive philanthropic services does not include any of these:

• Cash flow modeling and feasibility testing of possible gifts
• Structuring of gift within a financial plan
• Structuring of gift in the light of income tax law
• Structuring of gift within an estate plan
• Managing pools of philanthropic capital for risk/return
• Managing pools of philanthropic capital to align with mission
• Structuring of a gift as part of a liquidity event for a closely held business
• Coordination of planning with donor's tax, legal, and financial advisors.

What goes by the name of comprehensive planning for philanthropy differs widely, so widely that you can have two quite long lists of comprehensive services which contain no common elements.  The field is fragmented.

You might say that Renata specializes in the deployment of philanthropic capital. Others who call themselves philanthropic advisors are blind to that, but excel at creating philanthropic capital from a client's current income statement and balance sheet. Others yet specialize in the management of money held in philanthropic accounts.

One way we might all benefit is by becoming more aware of what others do that we don't do and then making it a point to coordinate our efforts for the benefits of the donors, as well as the causes they support.  Financial, tax, legal, investment types have clients who need what Renata offers and vice versa.