Women, Faith, and Finance is a collaborative initiative led by Luther College in partnership with Aase Haugen Homes, Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church, Decorah Lutheran Church, and Glenwood Lutheran Church to educate women of all ages about financial management, retirement and estate planning, and charitable giving.

Fall 2011

The seventh annual Women, Faith, and Finance seminar on Friday, April 1, drew near-record attendance with over 90 participants gathering at the Hotel Winneshiek. Keynote speaker Christine Grumm, president and

CEO of the Women’s Funding Network in San Francisco, challenged the audience to think about what it means to be a strategic philanthropist during her presentation, “Women and Philanthropy: Every Gift Counts When Changing the World.”

Grumm noted that women have long been part of the philanthropic community, but have not been involved in decisions about where the money goes or how it is spent. She passionately believes the way to support healthy communities around the world is to invest in women and their families. Sharing wit and wisdom, Grumm told participants that transformative giving is “more than just writing a check” but also noted that “your checkbook should be a metaphor for your values.”

Tri-state area women had an opportunity to learn more about finance and philanthropy in the daylong seminar. All those in attendance selected two of four concurrent sessions led by area professionals. This year’s sessions included protecting yourself from identity theft by Carol Jensen, Luana Savings Bank; a panel discussion about the role of women’s funds including Sara Battison, Women’s Fund of Greater La Crosse,

To subscribe to the Women, Faith, and Finance mailing list or request more information, e-mail Jeanie Lovell at lovellje@luther.edu.

Stephanie Clohesy, Iowa Women’s Foundation, Carolynn Sween, Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, and Christine Grumm (moderator); planning for long-term care by Karl Jacobsen, Barthell OES Home; and family financial decision-making by Julie Strom Hendrickson, Luther College. The seminar concluded with a session on the basics of estate planning led by Anne Walters, Wells Fargo Wealth Management.

Now in its seventh year, the Women, Faith, and Finance initiative continues to serve as a unique collaborative model that is being replicated in other communities. Learning together is often cited as what women like most about this seminar each year. One participant noted, “I enjoy being in sessions with other women sharing concerns, humor, and learning, and I appreciate the atmosphere of ‘we’re all in this together.’”

Transformative Giving—“More Than Just Writing a Check”Advisory GroupThe Women, Faith, and Finance Advisory Group includes representatives from five partner organizations.

Jim AndersonKeith ChristensenTracy DostalMichelle EinckCindy HansmeierKate KlimeshJeanie LovellLynn MonroeJulie Strom Hendrickson

As always, we welcome your ideas and input!

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!Several area sponsors generously supported the 2011 Women, Faith, and Finance seminar, including Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (Regional Lutheran Relations Program), the Arlin Falck Foundation, and the Winneshiek County Community Foundation. Thanks to their financial contributions, we were able to keep this valuable educational opportunity affordable for all participants.

Keynote speaker Christine Grumm

April 13, 2012—Hold the Date!Mark your calendars and plan ahead! The eighth annual Women, Faith, and Finance seminar is scheduled for Friday, April 13, 2012, at the Hotel Winneshiek in Decorah. Award-winning author and financial planner Kathleen Rehl will be our keynote speaker. We hope you can join us! Watch for more information in the months ahead (including discounted tickets for the Center Stage Series performance of jazz musician Regina Carter, Reverse Thread, on Friday, April 13).

2011 Women, Faith, and Finance Seminar Highlights

Participants (left to right) Marlene Dwyer, Marlene Swensen, Mary Jane Maly, Marilyn Wahlberg, and Luetta Hostager enjoyed breakfast and conversation before the morning keynote.

According to the Roper/WellPoint Survey on Life, Health and Aging, while only 18 percent of adult children are comfortable talking about aging issues, 76 percent of aging parents would welcome the discussion. While it’s not necessarily fun or comfortable to ask some of those tough questions, the conversations still need to happen in order to be prepared. For a helpful checklist of the important information—financial and otherwise—to document about your parents, check out this great resource from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans: https://www.thrivent.com/moneymatters/pdf/26183WA.pdf. It covers everything from current medications and account information to funeral/burial instructions.

You Are Wealthier Than You ThinkWhile the uncertain economic reports and day-to-day concerns of rising grocery bills and fuel costs weigh heavily on many of us, certified financial planner and award-winning author Kathleen Rehl reminds us of a different perspective in her new book, Moving Forward on Your Own: A Financial Guide for Widows, excerpted here:

Let’s put our monetary concerns in perspective. Here are some noteworthy facts you’ve perhaps seen before.

Did you enjoy a good meal in the past 24 hours? Do you have a place to sleep tonight? Are you wearing clothes? Answer yes, and you are wealthier than 75 percent of all humanity.

Got money in the bank? A few coins in your pockets? You’re in the top eight percent of our earth’s wealthy folks. Own a house? Invest in mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and

CDs? Now you’ve moved into the elite top range of the World’s Wealthiest list.

There’s more. If you attend a church, synagogue, or other place of worship without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than about three billion other people. Did you wake up healthy today? You’re better off than the million who will not survive this week.

When we step back and acknowledge the abundance in our lives, we’ll recognize we are wealthy indeed. We each experience riches in areas that bring us real joy—family, friends, health, home, spiritual community, life purpose, and more. Yes, we are certainly very well off when we measure what’s really important, along with our financial assets.

Reprinted with the author’s permission.

Anne Walters of Wells Fargo Wealth Management encouraged all participants to create an estate plan and update it as necessary.

Julie Strom Hendrickson (WFF Advisory Group member) highlighted several books and resources to help teach kids about money and giving.

Panelists from three area women’s funds shared their perspectives about the importance of investing in women and girls.

Carol Jensen of Luana Savings Bank offered tips to protect against identity theft.

The Five “Ps” of Wise Giving

Jazz Musician Regina Carter Performs April 13

What better way to cap off an inspirational day of learning than to relax with live music! On Friday, April 13, 2012, the Luther College Center Stage Series will present an evening performance by jazz violinist, Regina Carter. Capturing critical acclaim, Carter’s Reverse Thread is a celebration of the beauty and essence of African folk melodies infused with elements of American jazz.

Group ticket sales are available by contacting the Luther College Box Office at 563-387-1357. Individual tickets go on sale Thursday, March 22. Those who register for the Women, Faith, and Finance seminar will receive a discounted ticket price for this evening performance. Enjoy!

Wise giving is about more than just the amount you give. It’s more than just the check you write occasionally. Wise giving is thinking about how philanthropy and giving can be a part of your life. Thinking ahead to what you want to achieve with your giving and what’s most important.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has developed a donor-friendly website with tips on unique ways to give and how to ensure your dollar really makes a difference. Building upon AFP’s theme of “change the world with a giving heart,” the website (http://www.afpnet.org/files/givingheart/givingheart.html) offers the following five “P’s” for wise giving:

1. Passionate. Before you even think about which charities to support, spend some time identifying what causes are most important to you. Nearly every fundraising solicitation you receive will be appealing, and there are thousands of worthy organizations out there that could use your support. But you can’t give to them all. So take some time to consider which issues move you the most: The environment? Healthcare? Housing? Education? Children? A particular country? Try to get as specific as possible and identify two or three. The more passionate you are about the cause, the more likely you are to get involved beyond just giving money.

2. Proactive. You’ve identified the causes about which you’re most passionate. But

don’t wait to be asked by organizations that work on those causes. Go out and find appropriate charities that can connect you to those causes. There are some great resources online for such a search, starting with Guidestar, Charity Navigator, and the Better Business Bureau. Identify several groups you’d consider.

3. Prepare. Once you have a list of organizations, it’s time to learn more about them. You probably have a good sense of them simply by being proactive and identifying them. But you have to be sure you’re fully prepared and have the right information. Get an overview of the organization, its mission, and its programs. Financial data is also helpful; donors should look at a charity’s cost of fundraising, its overall budget, and whether or not it is running a deficit. Ideally, donors should look for signs of consistent management and costs over several years. Something to consider is spending a little time volunteering at an organization. This can give you insight about the charity and how it’s managed, and help to assure you that it’s the type of organization you want to support.

4. Plan. Many donors take their time when making a purchase. Yet when it comes to giving their money away, they often do so quickly or on a whim. So once you have prepared a list of charities with

Did You Know?More men are becoming the primary caregiver for their kids. According to the 2010 Census, the number of dads staying at home to care for children while their spouse is in the workforce rose 66 percent in the past decade from 93,000 in 2000 to 154,000 in 2010. While some of that increase stems from the recent economic troubles, where layoffs affected men’s jobs more than women’s, experts also note that the number of stay-at-home dads was growing before the recession hit. Source: U.S. Census Bureau

According to a 2010 survey by the investment company T. Rowe Price, fewer than one in five parents give themselves a top grade for their understanding of fundamental saving and investing principles.Source: Parents Magazine

To protect against identity theft, experts recommend depositing your outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office, rather than in an unsecured mailbox. (One local law enforcement officer has dubbed the flags on mailboxes as “come steal me” flags.)Source: Federal Trade Commission

which you are comfortable, spend a few minutes deciding HOW and HOW MUCH you want to give. It doesn’t have to be too detailed or have exact amounts, just enough to give yourself a general idea. And don’t feel locked into it if you want to give more. Deciding on when to give is also important. Nearly half of all charitable giving occurs in the last three months of the year. But giving during the rest of the year is critical too, as some charities often struggle for funds in spring and summer.

5. Powerful. Give for the maximum impact possible, which means knowing all of your giving options.

Check out 25 Ways to Make Your Gifts Go Further and learn about any number of ways to support your favorite charities at http://www.afpnet.org/files/givingheart/givingheart.html.

We can all help change the world—IF we give wisely. Any gift, of any size, can have a real impact—IF it’s given wisely.

By taking charge of your giving, you can transform yourself from a reactive donor into a proactive philanthropist—a leader who makes smart, meaningful gifts, knows his or her rights when it comes to making contributions and stretches his or her dollars for maximum impact.

Reprinted with permission from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Visit http://www.afpnet.org/files/givingheart/givingheart.html for more information.

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From the DirectorIn her April keynote presentation, Christine Grumm reminded the audience that transformative giving (in other words, giving that really makes an impact) is more than just writing a check. Being passionate about a charitable organization or cause often means getting involved in other ways. This past summer, several of my friends demonstrated their own passion for various causes by combining philanthropy and fitness. Through charitable events like the Relay for Life (overnight relay-walk), MS 150 (150-mile bicycling ride), the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure (60-mile walk), and the Nation’s Triathlon (swim/bike/run), they helped to raise money and awareness for cancer, multiple sclerosis, breast cancer, and leukemia and lymphoma, respectively.

As many people know, part of the obligation of signing up to participate in one of these events is the willingness to do some fundraising. As participants, these women made their own gifts and then invited others (family and friends like me) to join them. By showing their own commitment to the cause first, it inspires others of us to support them by making a contribution, too.

It was also motivating to see these women “in training” for their respective events. As with so many things in life, we must start with small steps which lead to longer strides. There is a dual motivation—the physical challenge and the charitable support. And what an amazing sense of accomplishment when we cross the finish line—whether it’s walking, running, biking, swimming, or reaching the fundraising goal in support of an organization special to us!

In a recent blog about women’s philanthropy, author Margaret May encouraged her readers to “…take to the streets with conspicuous compassion with renewed passion and zest.” This quote takes on a whole new meaning for those who like to combine fitness and philanthropy. Let’s lace up our shoes and thank them for serving as motivation and inspiration.

Jeanie Lovell, CFREProgram Director, Women, Faith, and Finance InitiativeLuther College

Maria Smith (left) and Bev Smith completed the Twin Cities 3-Day walk and raised nearly $5,500 to support breast cancer research.