PGTS Standard
1. All Planned Giving & Trust Services (PGTS) personnel, including appropriate accounting/treasury staff, should begin the certification process within one year, and complete the process within two years, of beginning to perform any discretionary trust/estate management or development functions. (NADWP S40 25) [PGO, PGP, PGTS]
NAD Working Policy S 40 25
All personnel performing discretionary and/or fiduciary functions of trust development or management shall hold and maintain a PLANNED GIVING & TRUST SERVICES Active Certification, the process for which is detailed in the PLANNED GIVING & TRUST SERVICES Manual. This specifically includes, but is not limited to, Planned Giving & Trust Services directors, Planned Giving & Trust Services representatives, trust officers and treasurers/chief financial officers who are actively engaging in PLANNED GIVING & TRUST SERVICES activities.
Who must be certified, and who does not need to be certified?
All Planned Giving & Trust Services (PGTS) accredited organizations in the North American Division (NAD) must have at least one certified person. If no person is currently certified, there would be a risk that the organization could lose its accreditation.
Definition of Terms
All – If an organization has or wishes to have a Planned Giving & Trust Services Department or any of the functions of such a department, they must have accreditation and certified personnel.
Employed – If your job description includes administering any planned giving and/or trust services functions, you must be certified within two years of employment. This means that only certified personnel may authorize and take responsibility for functions listed in NAD standard #1.
NOTE: The above does not refer to committees or boards who vote to empower the certified employee to make authorizations on behalf of the legal entity.
Performing – If a person is actively authorizing, developing, or managing any part of the planned giving and trust services function on behalf of the legal entity, they must be certified.
Discretionary – Powers granted under authority by policy, standards, votes, Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, or Trust to a fiduciary to make decisions according to personal judgment on various matters based on general legal guidelines. Employees with powers of discretion must be certified.
Ministerial – Performing procedures or instructions from a superior, without exercising any individual discretion or judgment. Ministerial employees are not required to be certified.
Fiduciary – From the Latin “fiducia,” meaning “trust.” A person or business has the power and duty to work for the best good and interest of another, under the circumstances requiring total trust, good faith, and honesty. Fiduciary employee(s) must be certified.
Development – The process of creating and enhancing relationships with (potential) donors and providing educational or instructive information as to how the donor may support your organization. Development employee(s) must be certified.
Conclusion
There is one NAD PGTS Certification that includes both Canada and the USA. PGTS Certification seeks to provide the highest level of service to the donor/members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the NAD. Retaining active current certification includes the completion of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) each calendar year. NAD PGTS provides a Certification Portal account for each certified individual where each person can report CPE. Click to reach the PGTS PORTAL