Text Box:  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         CONTACT:                                                            Bill Hawkins, President, GRANDgift SYSTEMS (512) 371-4197 (o) ¾ (512) 470-6475 (c) Bill.Hawkins@MyGrandGift.com   New Little Book Outlines Five Essential Steps For Planned Giving in New Economy AUSTIN, TX—November 21, 2008—“The Little Blue Book of Planned Giving: five essential steps to developing an effective strategy in the New Economy will be released in December”, said Bill Hawkins, author of the book and president of GRANDgift SYSTEMS. The book is small, less than 50 pages, and is written as quick read, a clear guide and a handy reference for those in nonprofits accountable for planned giving, particularly board members, administrators and development directors. “September 2008 marked the moment for this generation when everything changed”, Hawkins said.  “It marked the moment when individuals, families and businesses were forced to begin develop- ing new paradigms for earning, spending and giving.  It marked the moment when those accountable for planned giving were forced to begin rethinking their traditional models of fundraising.  And it marked the moment when an objective book needed to be written for those reviewing, revising and adapting their traditional models for the next decades of the New Economy.” Hawkins draws from his experience in leading planned giving sessions at fundraising conferences, meetings with development directors, and consulting with and developing strategic plans for U.S. and Canadian for-profit clients. “This is a must-read book because it is an all-bone, no-fat, 101-primer in developing a business plan.  A plan is essential to charting a course through this new economic and socioeconomic terrain.  A written plan not only materially increases the probability that funds will be raised for tomorrow, but significantly increases the sense of calm in a development director and a sense of confidence in a director’s boss and board today”, Hawkins said, pointing out that such calm and confidence will be needed more and more as, quoting David Brooke, New York Times columnist, in his article on October 16, 2008, “The nonprofit sector will be hammered”. Concurrently with release of the book, Hawkins is announcing sponsorship of a blog where development directors and others can exchange ideas on campaigns, problems, solutions, books, consultants, tips, programs and anything else they find of interest.  “Few jobs are as isolated, sometimes as lonely, as that of a development director.  Our hope is that this helps”, he said. GRANDgift SYSTEMS distributes a small patented life insurance policy and gift administration system (US patent 5,761,645) underwritten by Equitable Life & Casualty Insurance Company and invented by Hawkins.    # # #   For more information, CONTACT:                               Bill Hawkins, President, GRANDgift SYSTEMS                                                                                                                          Toll free (877) 371-4197                                                                                                                                 Cell (512) 470-6475                                                                                                             Bill.Hawkins@MyGrandGift.com  To return to the previous page, click here.     To return to the Home Page, click here.     To learn more about Equitable Life & Casualty, click here     To request information, click here.                                                                        CONTACT:                                                                         Bill Hawkins. President, GRANDgift SYSTEMS (877) 371-4197 Toll Free (512) 371-4197 (o) (512) 371-4198 (f) (512) 470-6475 (c)   Bill.Hawkins@MyGrandGift.com www.MyGrandGift.com  2802 Flintrock Trace, Suite 214, Austin, TX 78738   .