PGgrowth - Planned Giving podcast

Fundraising, like most professions, has recognized standards, methodologies, and ethical practices. But unlike some other professions, there is often a lack of understanding of these fundamentals. In this episode, Ed Sluga unpacks how this knowledge gap can lead to larger issues in the fundraising sector. Ed also discusses the varied types of advice that fundraising professionals typically receive, and he explains the one thing that fundraisers need most: patience. Interested in learning more about planned giving? PGgrowth's new membership space, PGcommons, is the place for you. Go to pggrowth.com/podcasts and click on the PGcommons button to access your 30-day free trial, or sign up for our free membership. Follow us on linkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pg-growth Check out our website: https://pggrowth.com/

What does it take to be an expert? Ed Sluga explores that very question on this episode of the PGgrowth Podcast. Ed breaks down the obstacles facing new fundraisers that are hoping to advance in the field, and interrogates the idea of who is qualified to be speaking as a planned giving expert. We will be releasing PG Pod episodes all throughout the Fall! Stay tuned for more informative conversations with Ed Sluga about important fundraising topics. Interested in learning more about planned giving? PGgrowth's new membership space, PGcommons, is the place for you. Go to pggrowth.com/podcasts and click on the PGcommons button to access your 30-day free trial, or sign up for our free membership.

This episode features one of the newest members of the PGgrowth team: Meghan Maack! Meghan is a Senior Consultant with PGgrowth, and is also the Campaign Manager at Perley Health in Ottawa. In this interview, Meghan discusses what initially drew her to planned giving, and what she loves most about building relationships with clients. And she even shares with Ed the surprising job she had when she was younger that may have prepared her for a life in fundraising. Interested in learning more about planned giving? PGgrowth's new membership space, PGcommons, is the place for you. Go to pggrowth.com/podcasts and click on the PGcommons button to access your 30-day free trial, or sign up for our free membership.

For this episode of the PGgrowth Podcast, Ed Sluga is joined by Goody Gibson to discuss a subject on everyone’s minds lately: data. As Principal Consultant for Empower NFP, Goody is consistently helping fundraisers unlock the full potential of their donor base through data. Tune in to hear Goody make the case that after your brand, data is the most valuable asset your organization has. Interested in learning more about planned giving? PGgrowth's new membership space, PGcommons, is the place for you. Go to pggrowth.com/podcasts and click on the PGcommons button to access your 30-day free trial.

For our first episode of 2026, Ed interviews Mark Halpern, one of Canada's top life insurance advisors. As the President and Founder of WEALTHinsurance.com, Mark reimagines life insurance as a way to build individual philanthropic desires. Tune in to hear Mark talk about how he started his career in life insurance, the need to emphasize philanthropy in wealth planning, and the importance of good faith advice in the insurance world. Interested in learning more about planned giving? PGgrowth's new membership space, PGcommons, is the place for you. Go to pggrowth.com/podcasts and click on the PGcommons button to access your 30-day free trial.

Join us for a special episode of the Planned Giving Podcast . Today the tables are turned and Julia Magnuson-Ford, PGgrowth's Vice President, will be interviewing Ed to celebrate his 30th year as a fundraiser. They discuss how Ed started in the industry, how he has seen it change, and what advice he would give to himself 30 years ago.

From the Archive: Ken Ramsay and Ed Sluga discuss the Golden Age of Planned Giving and how to implement a Planned Giving campaign methodology into an existing Planned Giving program so that an organization can take advantage of the current opportunity. First broadcast in 2021, the information in this podcast is as relevant today as it was then - perhaps even more as the opportunity continues to increase while the investment in programs across the country continues to either not keep pace with the business need or even decline.

In this episode, Ed Sluga offers a glance at some important research PGgrowth has been doing. Research in the world of planned giving is often focused on donors and donor attitudes. But what are charities doing to respond to these attitudes and take advantage of them? That question was the central focus of two PGgrowth research surveys conducted over the past few years. In this episode, Ed goes over three key findings from the survey that offer a snapshot of charity attitudes, especially when it comes to the “Great Transfer of Wealth”. These takeaways offer a preview of a larger report that PGgrowth will be publishing in Fall 2025.

In this week’s podcast, Ed Sluga is joined by Julia Magnuson-Ford and Erika Ewacha to share some exciting news! As many planned giving professionals know, the industry is changing rapidly and facing new challenges as a result. The digital age has made it harder for fundraisers to connect with each other, and smaller charities are finding it difficult to access necessary services. In response to these issues, PGgrowth is launching The Planned Giving Commons, an online community for fundraisers, by fundraisers. In this episode, Ed, Julia, and Erika talk about the motivation behind PGcommons, what to expect from this new community, and why it is set to become an important resource in this age of planned giving.

In a continuation of PGgrowth’s 15th anniversary, this week’s podcast is all about Tracey Church. Tracey is a Senior Research Consultant at PGgrowth and one of the preeminent prospect researchers in Canada. In addition to her work with over 400 organizations, Tracey was a part-time faculty member at Western University for 15 years and also co-edited and co-authored “Prospect Research in Canada: An Essential Guide for Researchers and Fundraisers” (Civil Sector Press, 2016). Join us as Ed and Tracey discuss how she started her career, how she first got involved with PGgrowth, and the importance of prospect research in the world of fundraising.

In this special episode, we shine a spotlight on Suzanne Bone, Senior Consultant at PGgrowth and a trailblazer in hospital foundation fundraising. With over three decades of leadership as the inaugural—and for 31 years, the only—CEO of the Foundation of Guelph General Hospital, Suzanne has built a legacy of progressive impact and fundraising success. Join us as we sit down with Suzanne to reflect on her extraordinary career, the lessons she's learned along the way, and her invaluable insights into the evolving world of Planned Giving.

In this episode of The Planned Giving Pod , Ed Sluga continues the conversation sparked by last week's discussion with Ken Ramsay, diving deeper into the realities of working in planned giving. Planned giving can often feel like a solitary pursuit, but it doesn’t have to be. Ed reminds us that the heart of this work is community, a shared space where fundraisers can lean on one another, exchange ideas, and find encouragement. Whether you're just starting out or have years of experience, this episode is a meaningful reflection on the importance of building and belonging to a community that truly understands the unique challenges and rewards of planned giving.

In this thought-provoking episode, PGgrowth President and Co-Founder Ed Sluga revisits a critical question: Why are so many charities still struggling to embrace planned giving? Back in 2017, PGgrowth launched an in-depth research initiative to understand how charities across the country were engaging with planned giving—an often-overlooked yet powerful source of revenue. Now, in 2024 and into 2025, we've gone back to the roots of that original survey, updating it and gathering fresh responses to see how things have evolved. The findings? While planned giving remains a deeply untapped opportunity for sustainable funding, many organizations are actually stepping back from it. Tune in as Ed reflects on what this means for the sector, why this revenue stream continues to be under utilized, and what your organization can do to avoid becoming a part of the trend—and instead, lead the way forward.

Navigating the professional pressure of raising funds for great causes is difficult. Yes, we feel a great sense of well being by working to advance a mission that helps our community. But with that comes great stress and pressure. There is help! Fundraisers are coming together and meeting to support each other. Building a community of support that understands - and does not increase - the stress a fundraiser is under is important. It can be a path to succeeding at being a professional fundraiser and being able to truly enjoy its benefits to your community and to you!

Enthusiastic promoter of planned giving and all around friend to everyone, Theresa Butler-Porter feels like she has always been a planned giving professional - she just didn't know it. Now, an expert in the field and much sought after mentor and speaker, Theresa takes some time to talk about her journey working in the field, what she has learned about herself and what others can do to 'lean in' and make it happen!

Peggy Killeen and I sit down and discuss the messages of planned giving - there are the old standards AND the NEW thinking around how to speak to donors. The most important additions are simple: not everyone is the same so your messages need to relate to known types of donors who make a gift (one size does not fit all!), and, remember, at the core of giving is the fact that it makes people happy. Add a little happy to your day today and have a listen!

From time to time, we mark important moments in the planned giving world with a discussion around the current state of this form of fundraising. We've done it again. This time it is a way to look at the 15 years we have been working to raise the bar within the sector around planned giving. Joining me for this discussion are noted experts in the field Peggy Killeen, CFRE, Grant Monck, LL.B and Ken Ramsay, one of the 'founders' of planned giving as a profession in Canada. The conversation is honest - both in a positive and critical way - and offers both practical and strategic next steps for the sector and for your organization.

In our 15 years, PGgrowth has had as part of our team extraordinary leaders and experts in planned giving. This year, we will be taking the time to highlight these professionals. Peggy Killeen is a well known leader in the planned giving sector. Based in Montreal, her impact is national not only helping charities create and launch programs but also mentoring staff and inspiring donor engagement. At the core of her work is the understanding that anyone can become a philanthropist and that through planned giving we in the charitable sector can 'democratize' major giving - and its impact on charities, communities and Canadians. Her journey is unique in specifics but not unique in that her arrival in planned giving was not the original destination - but it has made all the difference.

In our 15 years, PGgrowth has had as part of our team extraordinary leaders and experts in planned giving. This year, we will be taking the time to highlight these professionals. First up is Grant Monck - leader in planned giving for 30 years, sector expert in blended gifts, a fixture both in British Columbia and across the country in leading best in practice programs. His journey to planned giving success, like many others, did not start in fundraising. He, like so many others, was drawn to working in the charitable sector by personal experience, thoughtful examination of the career he wanted to have - and being at the right place at the right time. Although his journey did not start in fundraising, through his time working with charities, mentoring organizational leadership and staff, inspiring volunteers and engaging with donors, Grant has helped to shape how we approach planned giving in Canada. His thoughts are both inspirational and practical.

In this second pod focusing on our webinar series Driving PG Forward from the Fall of 2023, Ken Ramsay - noted planned giving expert and data guru - gives one of the best arguments for understanding your organization's data and planned giving opportunity I have ever heard – and I have heard Ken talk about this many times before. It is all about the gap. The gap is the space between your current planned giving successes and your planned giving potential. Until you take the time to understand the true revenue potential that is within your stakeholder base, it will be difficult for your organization to chart the necessary path to maximize success. It is a fundamental next step after determining the characteristics of the type of program you should be operating. It will help drive your program forward.