Celebrating Styles of Giving: How to Tailor Charitable Conversations for Every Client

Regular conversations about charitable giving can be one of the most powerful ways to deepen relationships with your clients. These discussions uncover values, build trust, and position you as more than a financial professional—you become a trusted, holistic advisor.

Research reinforces this opportunity: nearly all advisors recognize the importance of philanthropy conversations, and the vast majority see them as part of their role. Yet even with this shared understanding, starting those conversations can feel challenging in practice.

The reason is simple: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to philanthropy.

Every Client Is a Charitable Client

Recent findings from the Generosity Commission highlight a compelling reality: nearly every client engages in charitable behavior in some form. More than 80% of Americans report giving—whether through donations, volunteering, or board service.

For attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, the takeaway is clear:

The question is not if a client is philanthropic—but how and why they give.

Understanding each client’s motivations allows you to tailor conversations that feel natural and relevant. This is where partnering with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta can be especially valuable, offering local expertise and flexible tools to support a wide range of giving styles.

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Meeting Clients Where They Are

Below are a few common client profiles and ways you can approach each conversation—with support from our team.

1. “All Over the Place” – Generous but Unstructured

Jim and Pat are among your most generous clients. Their tax returns show consistent giving, and they rarely say no to a nonprofit request. However, their approach is reactive rather than strategic.

Opportunity: Help them move from scattered giving to intentional philanthropy.

How the Community Foundation can help:

• Establish a donor-advised fund (DAF) to streamline and organize giving
• Create a field-of-interest fund aligned with causes they care about
• Plan ahead for Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs
• Structure legacy gifts, such as naming the Community Foundatoin as a beneficiary of retirement assets

Through the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Jim and Pat can build a cohesive charitable portfolio that balances flexibility, tax efficiency, and long-term impact in their community.

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2. “Slightly Skeptical” – Motivated but Cautious

Sandy and Taylor want to give—but only if they’re confident their contributions will make a meaningful difference. When transparency or impact is unclear, they hesitate.

Opportunity: Provide trusted validation and insight.

How the Community Foundation can help:

• Conduct due diligence on nonprofits
• Recommend high-impact, vetted organizations
• Offer insights into local community needs in Greater Atlanta
• Structure giving strategies aligned with measurable outcomes

For clients like Sandy and Taylor, confidence drives action. We can serve as a knowledgeable intermediary, helping translate intention into impactful giving.

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3. “On a Budget” – Purpose-Driven but Resource-Conscious

Barbara and Jon are passionate about helping others but feel their financial situation limits their ability to give meaningfully. They often describe themselves as “small donors.”

Opportunity: Reinforce that impactful philanthropy is accessible at any level.

How the Community Foundation can help:

• Open a donor-advised fund with a modest balance
• Organize and simplify recurring charitable gifts
• Establish legacy gifts through a will or trust

Even small, consistent contributions—paired with thoughtful planning—can create lasting impact. The Community Foundation makes structured giving approachable and scalable, helping clients like Barbara and Jon feel empowered rather than limited.

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Beyond These Profiles: A Spectrum of Giving

Your client base likely includes a wide range of philanthropic styles, such as:

• Clients making major gifts or serving on nonprofit boards
• Individuals interested in advanced strategies, including charitable trusts or complex estate planning
• Donors contributing appreciated assets for greater tax efficiency
• Clients focused on long-term community impact, especially within Greater Atlanta

In each case, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta can provide tailored solutions, from strategic guidance to administrative support, ensuring giving is both effective and aligned with client goals.

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Why Charitable Planning Matters for Every Advisor

Charitable planning is not a niche offering—it’s a core component of holistic advising.

By listening for cues about your clients’ values, concerns, and ambitions, you can:

• Introduce giving strategies organically
• Strengthen trust and engagement
• Differentiate your advisory approach

When you partner with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, you gain access to:

• Flexible charitable vehicles
• Deep knowledge of local needs and nonprofits
• Turnkey administration that simplifies complexity

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Bringing It All Together

Every client has a unique relationship with philanthropy. Your role is to recognize the signals, start the conversation, and guide the strategy.

By collaborating early with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, you can help ensure that your clients’ charitable intentions are translated into meaningful, lasting impact across the communities they care about most.

Dive deeper: through the Community Foundation’s partnership with the Atlanta Charitable Advisor Network, we recently offered complimentary access to WISEgenerosity, a set of tools and trainings to help guide clients toward giving that’s not just generous, but meaningful, strategic, and lasting. Check out the recorded webinars below to sharpen your charitable giving conversation skills for a diverse array of clients:

• WISEgenerosity 101
• WISEgeneoristy for Financial Advisors
• WISEgenerosity for CPAs and Estate Attorneys