What National Association of Charitable Gift Planners does

National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP), founded in 1986 as the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG) and rebranded to its current operating brand CGP in 2018, is a U.S.-based 501(c)(6) professional membership association headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization serves more than 8,000 charitable gift planning professionals—fundraisers, planned giving officers, and allied advisors—across employers including universities (e.g., Tulane University, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences), healthcare nonprofits (e.g., American Cancer Society), environmental nonprofits (e.g., The Nature Conservancy), financial institutions (e.g., US Bank), and humanitarian organizations (e.g., International Rescue Committee).

The core technology is the CGP Link online community platform, which connects 4,000+ professionals through category-based discussion forums, member directories, resource sharing, and networking features. Supporting this core platform is a layered product portfolio: The Journal of Gift Planning (quarterly publication relaunched in 2025), the annual CGP Conference (1,000+ attendees), a monthly webinar series ($0–$79 per session), an Education Resource Library, a suite of standards and best-practice documents (Model Standards of Practice, National Standards for Gift Planning Success, performance metrics, reporting guidelines), a Career Center, Leadership Institute, Mentor Program, Emerging Professionals program, the Dead Giveaway podcast (launched August 2025), the RIFT (IRA Distribution Resource Center), and advocacy updates delivered in partnership with Integer, LLC.

The business model is a professional association membership model funded by recurring individual and institutional membership dues (the core recurring revenue stream), supplemented by conference registration and sponsorship revenue, paid publications ($99 for the Compensation Survey, $199 annual for the Journal), paid workshops (~$30), and webinar fees. Distribution is primarily direct via the charitablegiftplanners.org website and CGP Link, with regional reach extended through a network of affiliated local councils and strategic partnerships with Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, AFP, CASE, and the Nonprofit Research Collaborative. The customer base is segmented horizontally across career stages—from new planners and emerging professionals to mid-career, experienced, and program administrators—plus allied professionals in legal, financial, and consulting roles.

Name

National Association of Charitable Gift Planners

Legal name

National Association of Charitable Gift Planners

Website

https://charitablegiftplanners.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is a U.S. professional membership association serving over 8,000 charitable gift planning professionals through online community (CGP Link), annual conference, publications, education, standards, and advocacy, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

akta.pro primary industry

Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Charitable gift planning
• Professional membership association
• Planned giving education
• Nonprofit advocacy services
• Philanthropy professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to CGP Link, resources, education, advocacy, and national network
2. Conference Revenue: Registration fees for CGP Conference, the largest charitable gift planning conference in the United States, plus sponsorship revenue
3. Webinar Series: Monthly webinar programming with registration fees ranging from $0 to $79 per session
4. Publication Sales: Sales of The Journal of Gift Planning annual subscriptions ($199) and 2024 Compensation Survey Report ($99 for non-members)
5. Workshop Fees: Fees for professional development workshops such as the Imposter Syndrome Workshop at $30

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership organization that serves over 8,000 charitable gift planning professionals through annual membership subscriptions. Its core deliverable is access to the CGP Link online community platform, the CGP Conference (the largest U.S. gift planning conference), The Journal of Gift Planning, an Education Resource Library, monthly webinars, standards and best practices documentation, and a national advocacy voice supporting policies for charitable giving.

Product overview

The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) operates as a professional membership organization offering a unified portfolio of products and services centered on education, research, advocacy, and community for charitable gift planners. The core offering is the CGP Link online community platform, which provides member networking, discussion forums, and resource access. Supporting products include The Journal of Gift Planning (quarterly publication), the annual CGP Conference, CGP Webinars (monthly educational sessions), the Education Resource Library, and Standards/Best Practices documents. Additional offerings include the CGP Career Center, Leadership Institute, CGP Mentor Program, Emerging Professionals Program, Dead Giveaway Podcast, RIFT resource center, CGP Shop, Speakers Bureau, and Advocacy Updates. These products collectively serve members at all career stages from new professionals to seasoned experts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CGP Link: Online member community platform for charitable gift planning professionals
• Dead Giveaway
• The Journal of Gift Planning
• Perspectives Blog

Products and services

• CGP Link Online Community Online community platform serving as a resource hub for CGP members, enabling communication, collaboration, file sharing, discussion forums, member directories, and networking among charitable gift planning professionals.
• The Journal of Gift Planning Quarterly publication for charitable gift planners, fundraisers, and planned giving professionals featuring articles, tools, reviews, and opinions across Opinion, Program/Practice, Policy Analysis, Research, and Literature Review sections.
• CGP Conference Annual national conference for charitable gift planning professionals, featuring educational sessions, networking, and professional development; the largest U.S. conference on charitable gift planning with 1,000+ attendees.
• CGP Webinars Monthly and on-demand webinar series offering educational content on gift planning topics, ethics, advocacy updates, and professional development, with per-session registration fees ranging from $0 to $79.
• CGP Career Center Job board connecting charitable gift planning professionals with career opportunities across the nation.
• Dead Giveaway Podcast Monthly podcast featuring candid conversations between host Matt Treadwell and philanthropic professionals who are transforming generosity into lasting legacies.
• Leadership Institute Leadership development program for CGP members with 10+ years in charitable gift planning, bringing together experienced professionals to discuss current issues, trends, legislative developments, and the future of the profession.
• CGP Mentor Program One-on-one mentorship program pairing leaders in philanthropy with emerging professionals for guidance and relationship-based learning.
• Emerging Professionals Program Program for newer charitable gift planning professionals offering networking, educational resources, and career-building connections.
• 2024 CGP Compensation Survey Report Industry report spanning over 60 pages exploring 44 research questions impacting compensation of charitable gift planners; available to CGP members at no cost and to non-members for $99.
• RIFT (IRA Distribution Resource Center) Charitable Beneficiary IRA Distribution Resource Center providing information on qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, including a database of IRA custodians.
• CGP Imposter Syndrome Workshop Professional development workshop on imposter syndrome offered at $30 per attendee as part of CGP's educational programming.
• CGP Shop Online store for purchasing CGP publications, conference materials, and educational resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,000+ members served by professional staff
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Integer, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025DC-based advocacy partner providing policy and legislative updates for CGP's advocacy efforts. Integer is led by Sandra Swirski, who serves as Advocacy Update Plenary Speaker for CGP Conference 2025.
• Indiana University Lilly Family School of PhilanthropycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for Certificate in Planned Giving Management program with partial tuition waivers offered to CGP members ($450-$900 per course). CGP, along with AFP and CASE, supports members completing the three-course certificate program.
• Nonprofit Research CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013CGP has partnered with the Nonprofit Research Collaborative since 2013 to collect data on charitable giving across the sector, providing research insights for members.
• Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGP partners with AFP and CASE to offer partial tuition waivers for the Certificate in Planned Giving Management at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
• Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGP partners with AFP and CASE to offer partial tuition waivers for the Certificate in Planned Giving Management at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Association of Fundraising Professionals: The largest professional fundraising association in the world, serving fundraising professionals across nonprofit sectors. AFP overlaps directly with CGP in planned giving and shares the same employer-paid membership model; the two organizations even co-support the IU Lilly certificate program.
• Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE): Global nonprofit association serving advancement professionals in education, including alumni relations, communications, development, and gift planning. CASE is a direct peer in serving higher-ed fundraising and gift planning professionals, and co-supports the IU Lilly certificate alongside CGP and AFP.
• Canadian Association of Gift Planners: Canada's counterpart professional association for charitable gift planners. Operates an identical member-services, education, advocacy, and conference model for the Canadian market, making it the most direct international peer.

Broad incumbents

• Council on Foundations: A major U.S. nonprofit association of approximately 900 grantmaking foundations and corporations. Overlaps with CGP through advocacy on charitable giving policy and serves a related but broader audience (grantmakers rather than gift planners).
• Giving USA Foundation: Publishes the annual Giving USA report on charitable giving in the United States, the leading research reference in the sector. Shares CGP's research and standards mission for the charitable giving ecosystem and is a thought-leadership peer.
• National Philanthropic Trust: A major donor-advised fund sponsor and philanthropic infrastructure provider managing tens of billions in charitable assets. Indirectly comparable because NPT influences the planned giving and DAF landscape that CGP's members serve.

Emerging players

• Crescendo Interactive: Provides planned giving marketing software, calculators, and educational services to gift planners. Operates adjacent to CGP by serving the same professionals with technology and educational content, and is an award-issuing peer (Gift Leader Award).
• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC): An association of trust and estate lawyers that interfaces with charitable planning at the legal layer. Comparable in professional-association structure and in serving advisors whose work intersects charitable giving, but specialized in legal practice rather than fundraising.

Regional players

• Association of Charitable Foundations (UK): Membership body for charitable foundations and grantmakers in the UK. Operates an analogous professional-association model for the UK philanthropy ecosystem and is comparable as a regional peer in standards-setting and advocacy.

Others

• Foundation for Financial Planning: A nonprofit that connects pro bono financial planners with people in need. Adjacent rather than directly competing: shares the professional-services-for-charitable-purpose mission but focuses on financial planning pro bono rather than gift planner professional development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CGPnational
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBf3whAIlhVQYj8PyllUGiA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/CGPnational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-association-of-charitable-gift-planners
• Instagraminstagram.com/cgpnational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Association of Charitable Gift Planners