About Us

Who We Serve

Philanthropy Advisory Counsel serves both the nation's nonprofit organizations and individual philanthropists.

What We Do

Who We Serve

We work with nonprofit organizations to create and sustain vibrant gift planning programs and with individuals to implement creative and robust philanthropy.

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Who We Are

Who We Serve

Who We Are

We have 39 years of experience in the philanthropic arena with technical expertise in the charitable gift planning field.

Learn more

Who We Serve

The etymology of the word philanthropy comes from the Greek Philos (love) and Anthropos (humanity). It literally means “love of humanity”. Please note that there is no dollar amount associated with this. Any gift that is given in the spirit of this literal meaning is a true act of philanthropy.

We assist nonprofit organizations to create and implement strategic plans that support robust philanthropic engagement. Our work allows organizations to deploy staff who are well versed in the latest philanthropic methods and donor-centric in their work with the organization’s friends and stakeholders.

In addition, we assist individuals in making their philanthropic decisions wisely and implementing them in the most advantageous manner possible. This will empower their charitable giving to be in harmony with, and an integral component of, their financial and estate planning.

What We Do

For Nonprofit Organizations

We provide the Fractional Gift Planning services to nonprofit organizations:

‒ By the Donor

Developing strategic plans that engage a donor and create a strong and enduring relationship with the organization
Assistance in structuring and completing the most complex gifts
Meeting with potential donors alongside organizational representatives to discuss complex and tax-wise philanthropic options

‒ By the Project

Audit and analysis of a gift planning program to position it for success
Developing strategic plans that build robust gift planning programs
Educating gift officers, executive leadership, boards, and other volunteers on gift planning basics with a focus on meeting the donor’s best interests
Seminars for donors to introduce creative gift planning concepts
Audit and analysis of an organization’s endowment policies and procedures
Audit and analysis of an organization’s gift annuity program
Coaching for philanthropy office leadership and gift officers

‒ By Retainer

All of the services listed above
Integrating gift planning across the organization, resulting in blended gifts that maximize donor potential and provide resources both today and in the future

For Individual Philanthropists

We assist individuals and their families in the following ways:

Investigating various charitable entities to determine the best organization to fulfill the family’s charitable objectives
Acting as an intermediary with nonprofit organizations to negotiate the details and implementation of a specific philanthropic gift
Determining the best vehicles for philanthropic giving: family foundation, donor advised fund, charitable lead trust, charitable remainder trust, gift annuities, etc.
Drafting and implementing philanthropic giving instruments
Examining and explaining the tax implications of various giving options
Integrating philanthropy as a method of transmitting generational family values

Who We Are

Joseph O. Bull, J.D.

Founder and Principal Counsel

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joe-bull-8990a7a

With 39 years of experience in the philanthropic arena, Joe Bull is known as an effective leader of highly performing advancement teams and for his technical expertise as a charitable gift planner.

Over his career, he has helped facilitate 11 eight-figure gifts and 101 seven-figure gifts totaling $414.74 million, and his teams have been responsible for $811.5 million of philanthropic support. Throughout his career, Joe has embraced the challenge of rebuilding languishing programs and building new programs from the ground up.

He is a nationally recognized speaker and author on philanthropic issues. His comments and writings have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, Trusts & Estates, Planned Giving Today, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Joe received a BS in Business Administration, summa cum laude, from The Ohio State University. He also earned both an MA and a JD from Ohio State. He is admitted to the Bar in Ohio and North Carolina.

He has served several nationally recognized nonprofits:

Carnegie Mellon University, Assistant Vice President of Development
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Senior Vice President for Community Engagement
Wilmington College, Vice President of Advancement
The Nature Conservancy, Director of Philanthropy for Strategic Gifts and Senior Philanthropy Officer for Global Priorities
The Ohio State University, Director of Planned Giving
NC State University, Director of Gift Planning and Assistant University Counsel
Duke University, Assistant Director of Planned Giving

Service to his profession has been an important activity of Joe’s:

American Council on Gift Annuities Board of Directors, President, 2021-24
National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, Board Chair, 2005
Only the second person to have held the top leadership position at both of charitable gift planning's professional organizations
President of Central Ohio and North Carolina Planned Giving Councils
Editorial Advisory Boards for Planned Giving Today and Planned Giving Design Center
College of William and Mary’s National Planned Giving Institute, faculty member

Personal highlights include:

Married for 39 years with two delightful adult daughters and two adorable granddaughters
Conservation supporter – Guatemalan and Kenyan fieldwork
Sports enthusiast - attended Super Bowl XLVI, 3 National Football Championships, and 2 Final Fours; made a hole in one

Philanthropy is for Everyone

Philanthropy Advisory Counsel is dedicated to empowering philanthropists to create more effective and impactful contributions, enabling all nonprofits to better serve their varied communities. As the pace of change in our world continues to increase, it is essential for nonprofits to have the resources necessary to fulfill their wide-ranging missions.

We believe that philanthropy is enriched by a diversity of perspectives, reflecting both the communities served and the organizations themselves. Recognizing inclusion, equity, and diversity as strategic strengths, we strive to include a wide variety of perspectives in our work, and we are committed to assisting philanthropists of all backgrounds and identities in their efforts to make the world a better place.