You’re likely well aware that regularly talking with your clients about charitable giving can strengthen your relationships. That’s not surprising, considering that the topic of philanthropy itself helps uncover values, build trust, and position you as not just an advisor but as a holistic partner. Indeed, recent research shows that 99% of advisors believe these conversations are important and 96% see them as their responsibility, highlighting both the expectation and the opportunity for advisors to engage more deeply.
Still, this is sometimes easier said than done when a specific client is sitting in front of you. You’ve likely noticed that there’s no single formula for starting the philanthropy conversation in client meetings. There’s a good reason for that! A survey conducted by the Generosity Commission, followed by a peer-reviewed publication of the research in March 2026, underscores a powerful takeaway for attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors: nearly every client is a charitable client in some way. More than 80% of Americans reported giving in some form, including volunteering and board service. This means the opportunity for charitable planning is far broader than many advisors might assume.
The key is not identifying whether a client is philanthropic, but rather understanding how and why they give—and then meeting them where they are. The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia can support you. Consider the following hypothetical client examples:
All over the place
Jim and Pat are among your most generous clients. You know, based on reviewing their tax returns, that they give substantial gifts to charity every year and are frequently the first to say “yes” when a nonprofit asks for support. Interestingly, you’ve observed that Jim and Pat lack a clear plan or a strong attachment to a particular approach.
The Community Foundation can work alongside you to create a charitable giving plan for Jim and Pat that is proactive rather than reactive. Jim and Pat’s overall charitable “portfolio” at the Community Foundation can include a range of vehicles to satisfy their diverse interests. An endowed donor-advised fund can help simplify the giving process, consolidate charitable activity, and create a framework for more thoughtful decision-making over time. A field-of-interest fund can help Jim and Pat take advantage of Qualified Charitable Distributions from their IRAs in a few years when each turns 70 ½. Finally, naming the Community Foundation as a beneficiary of their IRAs and other retirement plans will allow Jim and Pat to leave a meaningful legacy to the community they love.
Slightly skeptical
Sandy and Taylor are motivated to give, but they want to be sure their contributions are making a real difference. Over the many years they’ve been your clients, you’ve witnessed Sandy and Taylor hesitate to make donations when they are uncertain about how funds will be used.
When questions about accountability and impact surface in conversations with clients like Sandy and Taylor, please reach out to the Community Foundation. By serving as a knowledgeable and trusted institution, the Community Foundation vets organizations, identifies high-impact opportunities, and recommends giving options with a client’s specific goals. For clients like Sandy and Taylor, confidence is the catalyst.
Financially mindful
Your clients, Barbara and Jon, are deeply motivated to give but feel financially constrained. They often express strong values around helping others, and you know they are already giving modest amounts on a regular basis. Still, they assume that more structured or impactful philanthropy is out of reach.
The Community Foundation is happy to help you develop a solution for Jon and Barbara. Jon and Barbara can still leave a legacy gift in their will or trust to a fund at the Community Foundation, supporting the causes they care about for years to come. A legacy gift will not affect current cash flow.
And more!
Beyond Jim, Pat, Sandy, Taylor, Barbara, and Jon, dozens more clients fall somewhere along the spectrum of charitable inclinations and styles. For example, you likely have clients who are already making significant gifts, serving on nonprofit boards, and actively seeking ways to increase their impact. Other clients are very open to sophisticated planning techniques and can benefit from strategies that integrate charitable giving with broader estate and tax planning goals. Many clients have already begun making gifts of appreciated assets or setting up charitable trusts, strategies that support long-term community needs. In all of these cases, the Community Foundation can help unlock opportunities that are both highly effective and deeply aligned with the client’s intentions.
The takeaway here is that charitable planning is not a niche service reserved for a small subset of your clients. It is a broadly relevant component of holistic advising. By listening carefully for clues about a client’s motivations, values, and concerns, you can identify opportunities to introduce charitable strategies in ways that feel natural and appropriate. What’s more, when you loop in the Community Foundation, our team will help bring those strategies to life by offering flexible tools, local expertise, and administrative support that can make charitable planning both effective and accessible for a wide range of your clients.
As always, the Community Foundation is here to serve as a resource as you guide your clients through these conversations. Whether a client is just beginning to explore charitable giving or is ready for more advanced planning, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. early in the process can help ensure that their intentions are translated into meaningful and lasting impact.
This material is intended for informational/educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice. Please contact your financial, tax, and legal professionals for more information specific to your situation.
The Community Foundation team is happy to help you structure charitable giving tools and plans to achieve your clients’ philanthropic goals—whether through beneficiary designations or any other type of charitable giving vehicle. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!
Questions?
Questions?
