CGP Conference 2026 is designed to help you reach your goals, explore new strategies and go deeper into the areas that support your growth. Sessions are organized into seven conference tracks designed to encourage attendees to select sessions across topics, experience levels and formats. 

Rather than a predetermined path, attendees create a journey catered toward their expertise and career goals. Follow one track or move between tracks based on professional development, areas for improvement or complex gift structures.

Two tracks that sit opposite ends of the spectrum are Discovery for exploring and Diving Deep for in-depth analysis. Continue reading for details on these tracks to help you create an agenda suited for your career goals. 

Discovery: For the Curious and Cross-Functional

Created to engage all areas of the gift planning community with exploratory content, research and ideas that may not fall into a pre-ordained conference track.

This track is suited for:

• Professionals at all levels of their careers and expertise.

• Lifelong learners interested in the latest programs, research and ideas impacting the gift planning community.

• Attendees in cross-functional roles who need sessions that connect across departments.

Sessions in this track include:

How to Increase Revenue from External Donor Advised Funds with Greg Sharkey, Mary Jovanovich, Sharon Bean and Sheryl Aikman
Learn strategies for identifying, coding, marketing to and engaging with your organization’s DAF donors; building productive partnerships with DAF host organizations; and making it easy for new and existing DAF donors to find and support your organization.

The Annuity Audience Planned Giving Forgot with Nathan Stelter and Ali Iqbal
With approximately $6 billion invested annually in Single Premium Immediate Annuities (SPIAs), this study examines whether a meaningful segment of SPIA buyers—particularly those purchasing life-only or joint-life annuities—may be unaware of Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs) as a viable, impact-driven alternative. 

Emotional Intelligence: Building Trust with Donors, Clients, and Advisors ​​with Tiffany House
Learn how to elevate your conversations and create loyalty, confidence, and long-term engagement with donors and clients in an increasingly automated world.

Planned Giving When You Wear Twelve Hats Already with George Westerman and Heidi Boyd
Using plain language and real-world examples, presenters explore why planned giving matters now, how it differs from annual and major gifts, and how organizations with limited capacity can begin easily and effectively.

Planned Gifts and Annual Giving: Longitudinal Results from One Institution with Caleb Knepper
Using longitudinal, before‑and‑after data from one public university, this session looks at donor giving patterns for five years before and after a planned gift is documented. Attendees will see what was measured and how results vary by some factors, including gift type.

Whether you’re the entire planned giving department or a part of a much larger team, this track offers up-to-date insights into the trends shifting the industry. 

Diving Deep: In-depth Analysis   

The Diving Deep track includes sessions featuring an advanced exploration of the technical tools and complex assets you’ll encounter in modern philanthropic planning. Build upon fundamental knowledge with conversations that define modern philanthropy. 

Diving Deep is best suited for:

• Experienced professionals searching for sharper tools for evaluating planned giving vehicles, noncash gifts or unusual/closely held assets. 

• Leaders who want advanced strategy to strengthen business interests and professional advisor partnerships. 

• Attendees who want to set aside the basics and focus on the complexity they face in their roles.

Sessions in this track include:

ASK: Accept • Sell • Keep: Aligning Policy, Governance, and Opportunity for Real Estate Gifts with Jennifer Milburn and Stephanie Zaino
Evaluate gifts of real property using the ASK (Accept • Sell • Keep) framework, a policy‑aligned decision model designed for practitioners navigating complex assets and compliance responsibilities. 

Deeds of Goodwill: Turning Real Property into Philanthropy Through Probate Avoidance with Paul Caspersen and John Dickhaus
Explores how probate‑avoidance tools—such as enhanced life estate deeds and transfer‑on‑death deeds—can be intentionally structured to create significant charitable impact. 

Stop! Collaborate and Listen: How to Talk to Professional Advisors with Nicole Phatak and Amy Razem
Unpack how intentional relationship-building with estate attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors drives transformational planned gifts.

Turning Business Transitions Into Transformational Gifts with Rebecca Gennaro and Rudy Flesher
Explore how early, strategic philanthropic planning can help business owners reduce or even eliminate capital gains tax during a sale, while also creating long‑term resources for the causes they care about most.

New Orleans Confidential: Confessions from a Charitable Gift Planner's Ethical X Fileswith Philip Purcell
Attend a deep dive into ethical issues associated with charitable and estate planning, using ethical standards, legal rules, and actual real-world case studies to explain best practices for ethical planning

These sessions move past the basics and dive into the industry’s complex gifts and relationships. Collaborate with peers on complicated cases and sharpen your skills with the latest strategies.;

CGP Conference 2026

Most attendees build their schedule based on their current challenges, career goals or professional expertise. Explore the Discovery Track for the latest trends big picture thinking or find sessions in Diving Deep for solutions on a complex issue.

Explore CGP Conference 2026 website below to register and explore the agenda, sessions, track descriptions and more.

Early-bird registration closes on August 28. Map your agenda and lock in your rate before it's too late.

CGP CONFERENCE 2026