Revisiting Your Giving Strategy to Maximize Your Impact, Professional Relationships

Philanthropy is deeply personal and at Gulf Coast, we love helping our donors make it meaningful. Every person’s giving story is different, and our team works alongside our donors – and their financial, legal, and tax advisors – to create plans that reflect their goals and maximize their impact, now and in the future.  

Recently, one of our donors wanted a simpler way to support the organizations she loves without the yearly hassle of reevaluating her giving. She dreamed of a “set it and forget it” solution.  With a dash of planning, a sprinkle of synergy, and a heaping serving of healthy communication, our team was able to help her do just that.  

Two Gulf Coast team members – Lauren Bennett Hersh, Philanthropic Advisor, and Elizabeth Welch, J.D., Director of Professional Advisor Relationships – partnered with the donor and her financial advisor to find a solution that felt effortless yet powerful.  

Together, they converted her Donor Advised Fund (DAF) into a Designated Endowed Fund – a structure that ensures her favorite charities receive annual gifts automatically, in perpetuity.  She could continue giving in a way that felt manageable, while her advisors gained new insights into charitable strategies that could benefit other clients. 

What makes this approach exciting is how collaborative it can be. Bringing all parties to the table – donor, financial advisor, and Gulf Coast team – created a solution tailored to the donor’s vision, one that strengthens her philanthropic legacy and deepens relationships across the board.   

Whether it’s establishing an endowed fund, leveraging IRA distributions, or exploring other strategic options, our team finds joy in guiding donors toward giving that’s easier, smarter, and more impactful. It’s about building alignment between your values, your resources, and the causes that matter most to you. 

Curious about ways to make your giving more powerful and fulfilling? Connect with the Gulf Coast Philanthropy team: www.gulfcoastcf.org/your-philanthropy