Because Community Foundation for the Alleghenies is in the business of forever, we are constantly evaluating how our community is evolving and identifying areas where donors can have the greatest and most transformational impact. We are experts in community needs, community building, and caring for the future. We use that expertise to connect donors with opportunities to create meaningful, lasting change in their areas of interest.
If you are a wealth advisor or estate attorney, we are happy to extend that expertise to you so you can offer your clients the most informed and most impactful options for giving. You set yourself apart with your insight, your client achieves his or her philanthropic goals, and our community becomes a better place.
We understand that many in the community have already forged trusted relationships with wealth advisors. The Foundation works to enhance those existing bonds, guided by financial transparency, integrity, and an understanding of current community needs. If your clients choose to open a charitable fund at CFA, they can continue to work with you as their personal investment advisor.
Through CFA’s Philanthropic Leaders Advisory Network (PLAN), we work to help our colleagues in financial and estate planning help their clients. Our Director of Donor Services Katrina Perkosky explains how it works.
Q. What is PLAN?
A. PLAN is a partnership between CFA and the region’s professional wealth advisors. By collaborating with us, advisors can help clients better meet their charitable goals by utilizing the Foundation’s widespread knowledge of the nonprofit sector.
Q. Why would wealth advisors want to engage with CFA?
A. We understand that many in the community have already forged trusted relationships with wealth advisors. The Foundation works to enhance those existing bonds, guided by financial transparency and an understanding of current community needs. When clients open charitable funds at CFA, they have the option of continuing to use their personal investment advisors.
Q. What are the benefits of being a PLAN member?
A. We help to promote the advisors we work with by including their names and links to their firms on our website. We also provide marketing materials to potential donors with information on our PLAN members and the partnership they have with CFA.
Q. How can I become a PLAN member?
A. Throughout the year, we organize continuing education seminars for local advisors on a variety of relevant topics, including charitable giving strategies, estate planning, tax law change education, and more. We ask that advisors attend at least one of these sessions a year and also meet individually with CFA staff to become PLAN members. To get started, you can contact me at 814-208-8411 or kperkosky@cfalleghenies.org.
