Keith Thomson, a partner and financial planner with Stonegate Private Counsel LP in Toronto, has found his most appreciated client appreciation effort is actually not a gift to his clients at all but a donation to the charity of their choice.

His matching program for charitable gifts — to a maximum of $250 a client — is executed at Thanksgiving, when he sends each participating client a thank-you card and photocopy of the cheque he has written to the client’s favourite cause.

“Big events are not always appreciated by clients, but they do appreciate highly customized initiatives,” says Thomson. “Of all the things we’ve done for clients over the years, our charitable-matching program has received the most positive feedback.”

Early in the year, Thomson sends a letter to clients explaining his charitable-matching initiative and inviting them to participate. He includes a pre-stamped envelope, asking clients to mail him the address of the charity they are targeting as well as a cheque made out to their charity to cover their own donation. Then Thomson writes his own cheque and sends both cheques off to the charity.

Thomson estimates this initiative costs him $5,000-$6,000 a year, but it’s worth every penny in terms of the positive feelings it generates, he says. He’s also able to offset the cost with charitable donation tax credits.

Most of his clients, who are high net-worth individuals and families, have favourite charitable causes. Even if they don’t respond to his offer to match their donations, he often makes a point of buying a table at their charitable fund-raising events or acting as a sponsor for a fundraising golf tournament.

“The charitable giving is extremely well received,” Thomson says. “Clients feel we have a sense of what’s important to them and understand their values.”

— JADE HEMEON