The Impact of Philanthropy Winter 2025

Planned giving enables donors to support GW in a financially strategic and intentional way. GW Magazine spoke to Dean Regenovich, assistant vice president, planned giving, in the Division of University Advancement, about the questions he is commonly asked regarding planned giving options and benefits.

Q: I usually give my annual gift in cash. Is there another way that I should consider donating?

A: Giving appreciated non-cash assets, such as stock, is a tax-wise way to make a gift. With the stock market reaching an all-time high, we’ve seen a significant uptick in donors using stock to make their annual gifts rather than cash. While a gift of cash offers an income tax benefit, a gift of an appreciated non-cash asset offers both income and capital gains tax savings. It’s more beneficial to donate the stock directly to GW instead of selling the stock and giving the proceeds.

Q: What are donor-advised funds?

A: Donor-advised funds (DAFs) have become increasingly popular in recent years because they allow donors to conduct all of their philanthropy using one account. The process is simple. Identify a sponsoring organization that offers DAFs, open an account, fund that account with cash or non-cash assets, and decide over time when and to which charities grants will be made. DAFs offer an immediate income tax deduction at the time of funding, and at the end of the year issue you one receipt for all gifts made, thereby simplifying recordkeeping.

Q: Now that I’m retired, I’m looking for ways to reduce or eliminate my income tax liability. Are there giving strategies I can use to accomplish this objective?

A: If you are 70½ or older, you can make gifts of up to $108,000 each year from your IRA to a qualified charity, like GW, without paying income tax on the withdrawal. This is a tax-efficient way to make current gifts rather than making cash gifts. You can also satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) by using this method.

Q: The uncertainty surrounding my financial and family situation makes me reluctant to give assets now. Is there another way I can support GW?

A: Absolutely! I recommend considering naming GW as a beneficiary in your will or revocable living trust or naming GW as a partial beneficiary of your retirement plan, IRA, life insurance or DAF. These types of gifts are revocable, so if your personal or financial circumstances change over time, you can revise your intentions at any time.

Q: Are there any gifts that pay income back to the donor?

A: Charitable gift annuities are popular with donors who are not in a position to make an outright gift but can make a gift if income is paid back to them. They are popular with individuals age 55 and over who are willing to make a gift to GW of at least $10,000. By contacting the GW Planned Giving Office, you can obtain payout rate quotes and illustrations. Another option is charitable remainder trusts, which pay income back to the donor and offer income, capital gains and estate tax savings.

For more information about Planned Giving at GW, visit 
https://go.gwu.edu/plannedgiving 
or email pgiving1gwu [dot] edu (pgiving1[at]gwu[dot]edu)

70s and Beyond

CREATE A LASTING LEGACY

Retirement is the time to shape your legacy. Planned gifts let you express your values and make an enduring impact.

Qualified Charitable Distribution

Starting at age 70½, transfer funds directly from your IRA to GW. Avoid taxes while meeting your required minimum distribution.

Real Estate

Donate property to claim tax deductions and avoid capital gains, without the burden of upkeep or selling.

50s and 60s

STRATEGIZE YOUR IMPACT

With an established career and ongoing expenses, become intentional about incorporating planned gifts into long-term financial and estate plans.

Gift of Securities

Donate appreciated stocks, bonds or mutual funds to avoid capital gains taxes and receive other tax benefits.

Charitable Gift Annuity

Donate cash or stock in exchange for fixed lifetime payments with the remainder supporting GW.

Bequest

Include GW in your will or living trust. Flexible, non-binding and no cost today.

30s and 40s

START SMALL, THINK LONG-TERM

Early in your career or starting a family? Even small steps now can create lasting impact.

Beneficiary Designations

Designate GW as a beneficiary of your retirement account. Quick, free, and flexible—choose a dollar amount or percentage.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

Contribute cash or assets, receive an immediate tax deduction and recommend grants over time. GW offers its own DAF.   

Having cherished his experience as a student at GW Law and the rewarding career that followed, Jeffrey Kohn, J.D. ’84, and his family have made multiple generous financial donations to his alma mater. Most recently, they donated $1.5 million to create the Jeff and Martha Kohn Visiting or Associate Professorship for the Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic. An additional $1 million gift from Kohn’s estate will transform that faculty position into an endowed director for the clinic.

With previous gifts, Kohn funded scholarships for GW Law students and endowed the Jeffrey and Martha Kohn Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research, a position currently held by Laurie Kohn. He also serves on the GW Law Dean’s Advisory Council and the Business and Finance Law Council.

Kohn has spent more than four decades at O’Melveny & Myers, where he was a partner in the labor and employment law group and held various leadership positions, including managing partner of O’Melveny’s New York office for over 10 years.

“GW Law helped to launch my career,” Kohn said. “I got to my law firm because of GW and my legal education. I developed lasting relationships at the law school. I always thought that if I could give back, I would.”

After years of practice, in 2023 Kohn was invited to become the inaugural professor of practice in business and finance law at GW Law. He brings real-world experience to students, teaching business lawyering as a faculty member in the highly successful GW Law in New York (GWNY) as well as coordinating the GWNY program from his office at O’Melveny & Myers. Additionally, Kohn commutes each week to D.C. to teach employment law and labor law on the Foggy Bottom campus. In his classes, Kohn shares his expertise in labor and employment law, leveraging over four decades of experience as a renowned expert in the field.

“The law of the workplace is fascinating,” Kohn said. “You are dealing with everyday problems, issues and concerns for a company and its employees. You handle interesting legal questions affecting employees and the occasional disputes that arise. The practice also gives you the opportunity to guide institutions on maintaining a positive and supportive workplace culture, something that has been very important to me at my own workplace.”

George Washington University President Ellen M. Granberg lauded Kohn’s loyalty and commitment to GW.

“As a leader, innovator and changemaker, Jeff Kohn exemplifies the best of GW Law,” said Granberg. “Through his generosity and commitment, he creates meaningful opportunities for students to gain real-world experience while supporting local businesses and nonprofits. His dedication strengthens both our university and the communities we serve.”

Kohn’s gift will be transformative, endowing one of the very first transactional clinics in the nation, and ensuring the enduring legacy of its late founder, Professor Susan Jones. Under faculty supervision, students enrolled in the Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic work to support financial literacy, entrepreneurship and community economic development in the D.C. area and beyond.

The clinic presents GW students with a unique experiential education, allowing them to represent clients and businesses who would otherwise not have access to a lawyer, according to GW Law Dean Dayna Bowen Matthew, who joined Granberg in praise of Kohn.

“The far-reaching impact of Jeff and Martha Kohn’s contributions to GW Law and the legal profession cannot be overstated,” Matthew said. “Their gift has not only expanded opportunities for our students and strengthened GW Law’s role as a national leader in community economic development, but it will also help GW Law help indigent business owners start and grow enterprises that can strengthen underserved communities. This gift will amplify the clinic’s impact and continue to expand GW Law’s role as a good neighbor in the Washington, D.C., community it serves.”

“The clinic is designed not just to support economic development within the community, but also to give students who are interested in business law the experiential learning of being a lawyer representing and advising businesses,” Kohn said. “In the clinical world, we don’t see many clinics that are business law-oriented, so this is a really good opportunity for students interested in learning what it’s like to practice as a lawyer in the business law world while supporting smaller businesses in development.”

As a student at GW Law, Kohn said, he appreciated the breadth of the course offerings and the quality of the professors, some of whom are now his colleagues. He also enjoyed his work as a resident advisor in Mitchell Hall.

“Since I was the first one to go to college in my family, I had to do what I could to help pay for law school,” Kohn said. “So, I became a resident advisor my second and third year of law school in an undergraduate dorm. I met some great students who were my residents, one of whom became a future client.”

From impacting students as an RA to impacting the law school through teaching and philanthropy, Kohn’s influence has made GW Law, and indeed, the community it serves, a better place.

The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science has received an $11 million investment (the Clark Scholars Investment) from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. The investment will expand the Clark Scholars Program, which provides GW engineering students with financial assistance, leadership experience and opportunities for professional development and networking.

Of the Clark Scholars Investment, $10 million will support the existing Clark Scholars Program endowment. The remaining $1 million will support the Clark Scholars Program’s community service pillar through an annual philanthropy challenge culminating in a new course where students explore philanthropy, apply engineering design and strengthen partnerships with local community-based organizations.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Clark Foundation for their continued belief in our students and in the power of engineering to change the world,” said GW President Ellen M. Granberg. “This extraordinary investment strengthens our commitment to student success—ensuring that every Clark Scholar has the opportunity, mentorship and resources to reach their fullest potential and lead with impact in their professions and communities.”

The Clark Scholars investment will have a powerful and lasting impact for a program that already makes a material difference not only to individual students but also to the school as a whole, said Jason Zara, interim GW Engineering dean and professor of biomedical engineering. 

“The Clark Scholars Program not only brings students with leadership skills to campus, but it also further develops those skills to truly benefit the leaders themselves, GW Engineering and all of GW.”
 

“The Clark Scholars Program is about providing opportunities for talented engineering students to access the resources, experiences and community they need to thrive,” said Natalie Grandison, director for higher education and strategy at the Clark Foundation. “This investment at GW will expand those opportunities, ensuring scholars receive not only a world-class education but also the mentorship, leadership development and hands-on experiences that prepare them to make a lasting impact as engineers.”

The Clark Scholars Program began at GW in 2011 with an $8 million investment from the late A. James Clark, a GW trustee emeritus and former President and CEO of Clark Construction Group. In 2017, the Clark Foundation doubled the program’s impact with an additional $8 million in support. Besides opening doors to highly qualified students by awarding annual need-and merit-based scholarships, the program prepares scholars for future leadership positions with a range of experiences including one-on-one mentorship and opportunities for research and community service. 

“GW has been a cornerstone partner in the Clark Scholars Program since its earliest days,” said Courtney Clark Pastrick, board chair of the Clark Foundation and daughter of A. James and Alice B. Clark. “My father believed deeply in the power of education to change lives, and it is inspiring to see his legacy carried forward at GW, preparing generations of engineers to lead with both skill and purpose.”

The two-semester participatory design course, “Community-Based Participatory Engineering Design,” will develop students’ service leadership skills while giving them hands-on experience addressing real-world challenges in partnership with community organizations. Student teams may, for instance, prepare and submit competing budget proposals to address the needs of nonprofit partner organizations in the community, with the winning teams granted the money and time to actually address those challenges in the real world.

Clark Scholars Program Faculty Director Royce Francis said the class will be built around cornerstone principles of the Clark Scholars Program at GW: servant leadership, impact through engineering design and legacy beyond the classroom.

“Usually, in class, your product is your scholarship,” said Francis, an associate professor of engineering management and systems. “But when you become a practicing engineer, your product becomes the actual service you are tasked to perform, and you aren’t doing that for grades; you’re doing it to make sure the thing is done properly. So this is an opportunity to work with a real client in a collaborative space and also to have an impact on your community beyond yourself.”

When taking on an engineering project, Francis said, students are trained to acquire an eye for physical realities—friction, gravity, thermodynamics. In the same way, “Community-Based Participatory Engineering Design” will give second- and third-year Clark Scholars experience with the way organizational realities play out, how those realities affect a project’s impact and how to build them into a project’s initial schema.

“Design is where we decide what our objectives are going to be, what things are worth doing and where to make our trade-offs,” Francis said. “We want students to think about design as a discipline and how it interfaces with engineering, in the same way that disciplines like math and physics and chemistry interface with engineering.”

The expansion of the Clark Scholars Program will allow it to continue impacting people like Amy Fehr, B.S. ’24, M.S. ’25.

An initial aid package from the program brought Fehr to GW, but it was the continued support of her fellow Clark Scholars and the leadership and research opportunities provided by the community that opened the path to an advanced degree, she said.

“As I got integrated with the Clark Scholars Program at our yearly orientation, I learned that it would do a lot more for me than get me in the door,” Fehr said. “The Clark Scholars community was one of my most valuable resources throughout college. My fellow scholars were always there to push me to be brave and seek out opportunities, challenging me to make the most out of my college experience.”