Two planned-giving experts looked for the silver lining for fund raisers in the tanking economy in a session last week at the annual conference of the National Committee on Planned Giving, in Denver.

Jeffrey Comfort, senior director of planned giving at Georgetown University, and Cynthia W. Krause, vice president of gift planning at Baylor Health Care System Foundation, said fund raisers who seek bequests and other planned gifts have an opportunity to play a more central role in donors’ discussions with lawyers, money managers, and insurance agents they consult on managing their wealth and estates through the downturn.

One topic of discussion fund raisers may want to raise is the possibility of changes in the estate tax, which is now scheduled to expire in 2010 and return in 2011.

Another is that large stock-market losses have shaken many people’s faith in their financial advisers. As a result, said Mr. Comfort and Ms. Krause, more individuals will be seeking alternate or additional counsel as they make major financial decisions.

The downturn is also an opportunity to strengthen relationships with loyal donors, who may need a lot of hand-holding while times are tough, they said.

Lastly, they said, the downturn may be a chance to shift the emphasis of fund-raising offices from outright gifts to focus on the possibilities of planned gifts such as trusts and other tools that allow donors to continue to get a stream of income from their assets, in addition to generous tax breaks.

“With the opportunities we have around us, there is a possibility for a virtual renaissance in gift planning,” said Mr. Comfort.