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It’s Not as Scary as You Think: 10 Easy Steps to Launch a Planned Giving Program for Your Nonprofit

Planned giving scares many who work in nonprofits. We think it’s too technical and takes too much time. Here are 10 easy steps to follow to get started with creating a planned giving program at your nonprofit.

The fundraising term planned giving scares many of us who work in nonprofits. We think it’s too technical and takes too much time.

In reality, planned giving simply means building relationships with your donors and their professional advisors. Instead of taking up too much time, planned giving can actually offer time to ramp up donors’ desires to give major gifts as well as ensure your nonprofit is in the position to receive them. But planned giving also doesn’t have to be time-consuming; I believe a nonprofit can accomplish these tasks in an extra 1-2 hours a month.

So, what are planned gifts?

Planned gifts are donations that can occur during a donor’s lifetime—referred to as major—and/or via their estate—referred to as testamentary. Their name probably comes from the fact that it is very rare for a donor to give a major gift via their ready cash. Unlike small, one-time donations, major gifts come from assets that need time to process on the donor end—this is probably where the planning comes in.

Download: Donor Directions for Gifts of Stock Codicial Template

This brings us to our next question: why are planned gifts so important?

According to the Giving USA 2022, [1] $484.85 billion was given by donors to charities in 2021, an increase of 4% from 2020. Of that nearly $485 billion, corporations only gave 4% and foundations only disbursed 19%. So maybe slow down on your race to apply for those grants—you and everyone else are trying to get them, and they actually constitute a comparably small portion of the pie, as it were.

In contrast, (living) individuals contributed a whopping 67% of last year’s gifts. Bequests (gifts via estates) alone made up 9% of the donations—twice what corporations gave. This is why you need a planned giving program in your nonprofit, and, more specifically, why you should work to build rapport with both donors AND their professional advisors. At its most basic level, planned giving is all about building relationships with donors, including their professional advisors.

For the most part, we nonprofits are really good at communicating with donors (or at least we should be). Similarly, donors are usually really good at talking with their professional advisors. However, a breakdown occurs between nonprofits and professional advisors. As nonprofit professionals, we need to fix this. After all, it is the professional advisors (attorneys, accountants, wealth managers) who set up the trusts, annuities, IRAs, etc., that you find in planned giving. And if the professional advisors don’t understand how your nonprofit works, these advisors can even talk your donors out of their charitable gift ideas.

But never fear! These 10 steps will help you to figure out how to best communicate with both your donors and their professional advisors.

10 steps to best communicate with donors and their advisors

Step #1: know your nonprofit’s ein and legal name..

Yes, this sounds super elementary, but it is purely to eliminate confusion. Consider how many other nonprofits may have a name similar to yours, whether locally or nationally. For example, how many nonprofits have the words care, hope , help , or hospice in their name?

Make sure all professional advisors know your EIN and legal name so they can incorporate them into any documents they may prepare for your donors. Remember, your donors’ professional advisors might be—and probably are—doing this work without your knowledge. So, make sure that they can easily find your organization’s legal name and EIN by adding it to your email signature line, newsletter, and website.

Step #2: Mention planned giving whenever possible.

Consider adding a phrase that references planned giving to your email signature line, website, and social media posts. Examples of this might read: “Please consider a gift to us in your estate plan” or “Do you know that ABC Charity accepts gifts of stock? Ask us how!”

Make sure you mix it up with different phrases—you never know which one is going to strike a chord. Again, make sure your leadership (and the rest of your nonprofit) knows what you are doing. You might even consider asking staff and board members to use these phrases in their communications as well.

Step #3: Create a template codicil.

A codicil is something that donors can complete and submit to their attorney to file along with their will. You provide it to donors who then take it to their attorney, which may or may not trigger a re-writing of the will. The codicil should include phrasing along the lines of:

We the donors (name) leave ____% of our estate to ABC Charity, EIN #_______.

Having this template on hand will complete the circle of communications between your organization, the donor, and their attorney.

Step #4: Adopt a gift acceptance policy.

A gift acceptance policy can be as simple as the following:

ABC Charity will accept unrestricted gifts of cash and stock at any time in any amount. All gifts of stock shall be liquidated immediately. The Executive Director has the authority to accept these gifts. All other asset gifts shall be reviewed by the _____ Committee before being accepted.

However, make sure you edit the policy as donations come in and your organization decides whether to accept certain assets. You might be surprised what people give—land, art, jewelry, vehicles—but you should make sure to take into account whether the donation is worth the work.

Step #5: Open a brokerage account.

Since we nonprofits are not licensed to buy and sell stock, you need a brokerage account to accept those gifts of stock on your behalf.

As you shop for a brokerage firm, ask whether a) your organization needs to keep a minimum amount in the account to keep it open and b) whether you need to have a certain number of transactions per year to keep it open. Some brokerage firms close accounts due to lack of activity, and you don’t want this to happen when a donor gives you stock. Hopefully you can find a brokerage firm that is amenable to maintaining a low-activity account at first as you work toward more gifts of stock.

Once you have this account, create a “Donor Instructions for Donated Stock” form where the donor (or really their broker) fills in the blanks of stock name, ticker symbol, number of shares, and donor name. Make sure you list your broker’s name, contact information, DTC #, and your organization’s account number.

Step #6: Plan for unexpected gifts.

Many planned gifts will arrive to you out of the blue—you had no idea that they were in the pipeline, which might drive you nuts! So, make sure your organization has a plan for how you will use major gifts (without donor restrictions) that arrive unexpectedly.

Use time at a board meeting to imagine that your nonprofit just won the lottery. Will you hire staff, replace the roof, launch a new program, or start an endowment?

And since these surprise gifts come in varying amounts, develop a wish list of items ranging from low to high cost. You can even publish this Wish List to encourage donors to give for specific items!

Step #7: Incorporate planned giving into your marketing.

Incorporate planned giving items into your usual marketing, whether this marketing usually appears on your website, in your newsletter, or via social media.

Snoop the websites and social media of bigger nonprofits (including universities) to see what they post about planned giving. Consider adopting these tools for your own use.

You might also try to message to both donors and their professional advisors. Your goal is two-fold: you want to get donors excited to give big as well as to convince professional advisors that your nonprofit is worthy of major gifts—whether during a donor’s lifetime or via their estate.

Step #8: Devote a website page to planned giving.

Create an obvious page on your website to house planned giving messaging and forms. Again, so much planned giving is done without your knowledge; you want to make it as easy as possible for donors and professional advisors to access what they need when they need it.

On this website page, you would house your legal name and EIN, mailing address, 990, Gift Acceptance Policy, and other formal documents. For example, if you follow steps 3 and 5, you might also place either the template codicil or the donated stock instructions here as well.

However, this webpage shouldn’t just be a bunch of downloadable templates. Make sure you link this page to other pages on your website where you tell stories of the great work that your nonprofit is doing and how you are improving the quality of life in your community. Donors are more likely to give to nonprofits they view as doing important work, and, after all, the work is what your nonprofit is about!

You might also use this page to invite donors and/or their advisors to meet with you. Meetings like this will help you all get to know one another better as well as ensure that donor gifts can be tailored to benefit both the donor and your organization’s needs. However, some donors will want to remain anonymous, and that’s okay.

Step #9: Keep a list of professional advisors.

Create a database or spreadsheet of professional advisors in your community. This should include attorneys, accountants, wealth managers, insurance agents, and bank trust officers.

Start networking with them, whether by newsletter, mail, or chamber functions, so that they get to know you and your organization’s capacity to accept major gifts. You want to partner with them on the technicalities, but you also want them to be a cheerleader for you when they are advising their clients—who sometimes don’t have a specific organization they’d like to donate to in mind.

Step #10: Get to know your local community foundation.

This is a good idea for a variety of reasons. Mainly, your local community foundation has the technical expertise to accept major, complex gifts that smaller nonprofits might not know how to deal with. The community foundation will then deposit these gifts into a Designated Fund or Agency Endowment specifically for your organization.

In addition, partnering with a community foundation might also serve as the credentials that convince a donor and/or professional advisor to structure a planned gift for your organization. The bigger your network is, the more points of access you have to the slice of pie that is planned giving.

It’s All about Relationships

Of course, there are a lot of nuances in planned giving—the technical definitions of and differences between charitable lead trusts, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, IRA charitable rollovers, and gifts of business interests, for example. However, it is my hope that these ten steps should help you get started. Remember, while your first task is to ensure that your organization is prepared to accept major gifts, you also need to inspire community trust that you will use those major gifts wisely to do great things. Don’t be afraid to build that trust and those relationships—the big money will follow.

[1] You can see an paywall-free overview of this report at Resilia ’s “Highlights from the Giving USA Foundation 2022 Report”

About the Author

Julianne Buck

Julianne Buck is the Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Grundy County, Illinois, and is the founder of Nonprofit Brains and Brawn, LLC. She is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® and serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Council on Planned Giving.

Articles on Blue Avocado do not provide legal representation or legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for advice or legal counsel. Blue Avocado provides space for the nonprofit sector to express new ideas. Views represented in Blue Avocado do not necessarily express the opinion of the publication or its publisher.

One thought on “ It’s Not as Scary as You Think: 10 Easy Steps to Launch a Planned Giving Program for Your Nonprofit ”

My name is Lynell….I have owned my small business for 20 years and we are hosting a celebration party and with it a silent auction where all proceeds will be donated to our local food bank. I am not a “non-profit” business and I have been trying to gather direction as to what to do for the people who are donating the items to be auctioned off. Would you be willing to email me any advice on the matter?

Thank you in advance for your time.

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Planned Giving: The Complete Guide (+5 Tips to Get Started)

Similar to major gifts, planned giving is the accumulation of long, engaging relationships between donors and nonprofits. A thoughtful and considerate planned giving program opens your nonprofit up to a significant source of funding and provides donors the chance to continue supporting a cause they believe in. Establishing a planned giving program requires organizational forethought, strong donor relationships, and a willingness to create long-term investments. Your nonprofit may already be knowledgeable about how to manage its donors , but planned giving necessitates taking additional steps in researching, connecting with, and instilling loyalty in donors.

To help your nonprofit start creating its planned giving program, this guide will provide an overview of core components of planned giving before discussing actionable best practices your nonprofit can use to begin building a successful planned giving program. Let’s start with the basics: What is planned giving?

What is Planned Giving?

Planned giving is formally planning to donate at a later time. Planned gifts can be given at any time but are most commonly willed after the donor passes away.

Planned giving, also known as legacy giving, and is sometimes confused with memorial funds. Memorial funds are nonprofit donations made on behalf of an individual after their passing on by their family, while planned gifts are arranged with the donor during their lifetime.

The Importance of Planned Giving

Nonprofits often devote extensive resources to courting major gifts as the foundation of their fundraising strategy. However, planned gifts on average have a return on investment that is more than $20 higher than the return on investment for major gifts.

Planned gifts are often large as donors can bequeath money without fear of how it will affect their future finances. Additionally, planned gifts usually have lower investment costs as your nonprofit should be working to build relationships with donors as part of your routine stewardship efforts. Rather than hosting large events and other donor cultivation activities in the hope that donors will part with their funding at the current moment, you can leverage your long-term relationships and encourage supporters to pledge their gifts for later.

Confirming a planned gift also provides nonprofits insight into their future financial situation. Unlike other fundraising sources, planned gifts don’t decrease during times of economic hardship. Individuals investing in their legacy aren’t impacted by fluctuating markets or changes in donation regulations.

Planned giving isn’t restricted to just your wealthiest donors, either. Fundraising often begins by creating a model that assesses your donors' ability to give. While models are still relevant to planned giving, your pool of potential donors is often larger than your nonprofit might first assume. More moderate supporters are capable of bequeathing planned gifts to their favorite nonprofits, meaning you don’t just have to ask your largest donors for these contributions.

Planned Giving Benefits

Planned giving can seem difficult to talk about, but it’s ultimately beneficial for everyone involved to power through these challenging conversations. Relationship building is key to planned giving programs because planned gifts emerge from mutual respect, loyalty, and transparency between nonprofits and donors.

Benefits for Nonprofits

While your nonprofit obviously benefits from all donations, the specific positives of planned giving are more impactful than many organizations might first assume.

Planned giving requires long-term investment as your nonprofit builds relationships with donors over the course of their lifetime. This may lead to the assumption that planned giving has a low return on investment, when in actuality, planned giving has one of the highest return rates of any donation type.

To understand why this is, here are a few key benefits your nonprofit can gain through its planned giving program:

Receive substantial gifts. Major gifts are the bedrock of many nonprofit’s fundraising strategies due to a few individuals often providing the bulk of your funding. What counts as a major gift depends on your nonprofit’s average donation size. No matter your nonprofit’s size, planned gifts are usually on par with (if not larger than) major gifts.
Scout larger pool of donors. Wealthy donors are obviously awesome candidates for both major giving and planned giving. However, because planned giving allows individuals to contribute more in one gift than their budget would normally allow, moderate donors are also able to contribute sizable planned gifts. With a more expansive list of potential donors, every relationship your nonprofit builds becomes even more important to maintain.
Plan for the future. Once a planned gift is secured, your nonprofit can count on receiving the agreed upon amount of funding, independent of how successful other fundraisers are. The delayed nature of planned giving also requires your nonprofit to consistently think about its future in order to show donors that your nonprofit will still be around when they are ready to bequeath their planned gift.

Benefits for Donors

Planned giving donors weigh different pros and cons when considering a donation than your regular donors do. However, the benefits do exist and are compelling enough that with proper marketing and a well-designed planned giving programs, planned gifts can form the basis of your nonprofit’s incoming revenue.

To help you understand motivations for your potential planned donors, here are a few of the most commonly discussed benefits of planned giving:

Creating a legacy. As mentioned, planned giving is often referred to as legacy giving, and for good reason! Whether their gift is large or small, planned donors can continue to be remembered and celebrated as your nonprofit honors their contribution. Many nonprofits recognize planned donors who have passed away in speeches, at events, or through program names.
Determining how their gift is used. While donations to specific campaigns go to particular programs, donors have little control over exactly how their money is spent. Similar to major (and sometimes also mid-tier donations), funds given through wills often come with stipulations and rules that nonprofits need to follow in order to receive the planned gift. This allows donors to decide exactly how they want their gift to be used.
Earning tax breaks for their family. As with other donations, planned gifts can be deducted from your donor’s taxes, creating a financial incentive for long-term supporters to consider giving to your nonprofit in their will. The exact tax benefits are dependent on your donors’ estate, state, and other factors, which determine the method of giving that is most advantageous.

By building relationships with your donors, you will have the opportunity to iron out details regarding how they want to be remembered, how their money is used, and what tax breaks they qualify for. For example, some donors who want to specific how their gift is used might be curious about what parts of your nonprofit need the most help. By talking it out with them ahead of time, you can provide help that will lead to a win-win situation.

Types of Planned Giving

There are multiple ways for planned gift donors to contribute to your nonprofit. Most nonprofits are given money, but some receive land or other assets. The exact method of donating a planned gift also varies, giving donors a variety of options for what terms they want to give their contribution on.

To understand which planned giving method works best for your nonprofit and your donors, discuss your options openly to come to a choice everyone agrees with. Keep in mind that some forms of planned giving can quickly become complicated, so be sure to track every step of your planned giving process in your nonprofit CRM to stay organized

You should also be sure to thoroughly research each type of planned gift before entering into conversation with a donor about their prospective gift. Build out your planned giving program with the types of gifts that will be most advantageous to your organization and easiest for supporters to contribute. To help your nonprofit get started, here are three common types of planned giving:

Giving_typesofplannedgivingsupplementimage

With 90% of planned gifts being bequests , this is by far the most popular type of planned giving. This is likely because bequests are the most straightforward planned giving option. Bequests also give donors several options for how they want their money to be given, which generally fall into three groups:

Exact amount. As the name implies, exact amount bequests are a specific amount of money that the donor agrees to give to your organization.
Percentage. The nonprofit receives a percentage of the donor’s wealth. This option is often useful for donors with large estates that are only broken up or distributed after their passing.
Remainder. Your donors likely have wealth they want to give to their loved ones and even other organizations. Remainder bequests grant your nonprofit whatever is left over after all other bequests have been given.

When marketing your planned giving program, let donors know they have multiple options, but consider centering bequests as the preferred giving method. This isn’t just because bequests are easiest for your nonprofit to handle. It’s straightforward, easy to explain, and 33% of Americans have stated they would consider giving a charitable bequest.

Charitable Annuities

Charitable annuities are contracts between nonprofits and individuals where the donor makes a significant contribution (usually monetary but sometimes including other assets such as land or property). In exchange, the nonprofit provides the donor a fixed income for the rest of their life.

Charitable annuity funds are invested by the nonprofit to earn capital gains, and after the pay period ends (or in the event of the donor’s death), the remainder of the gift is then donated to the nonprofit. While smaller nonprofits can create charitable annuity plans, usually only large nonprofit organizations such as universities actively encourage charitable annuities due to the complicated nature of this investment process.

There are two major types of charitable trusts: charitable lead trusts and charitable remainder trusts. Both are trusts that provide significant tax benefits to the founder of the trust in exchange for contributing an annual portion of the money to a nonprofit. The difference lies in how the funds donated are calculated and what tax breaks are given to the founder. Here is a more detailed breakdown of their differences:

Charitable lead trusts are determined for a set period of time, usually ten years at a minimum. The trust gives the selected nonprofits annual payments over the course of the trust. When the trust ends, the rest of the money returns to the donor and their beneficiaries.
Charitable remainder trusts give annual funds to a specific individual over a period of time. When that period of time is over (or if the founder of the trust passes away), the remainder of the trust is donated to a nonprofit organization.

Trusts are usually established by exceptionally wealthy individuals seeking tax breaks. While your nonprofit may encounter a donor interested in establishing a trust, they are uncommon when compared to bequests.

Marketing Your Planned Giving Program

Planned giving is deeply personal and often emotional, so once you have identified potential candidates, promote the opportunity to them with customized, personal appeals. Keep in mind who your audience is as you craft your message to inspire a deeper connection without inadvertently coming off as rude or scaring them away altogether.

However, while you should adjust your marketing strategy to accommodate planned giving’s specific requirements, you can still leverage tried-and-true marketing techniques such as multi-channel outreach . Your nonprofit should have several avenues of communication at its disposal, and you can use a variety of these channels to inform donors about your planned giving program.

Your website. Your website is your main hub for information about your donation programs, including your planned giving program. When donors receive marketing materials related to your planned giving program, include a URL to your planned giving page so they can conduct research on their own without the pressure of responding immediately.
Brochures. It’s difficult to address a wide audience when advertising your planned giving program. However, you can create a tasteful brochure that offers general information about the benefits of planned giving. Unlike fliers, social media posts, emails, or other marketing strategies, brochures communicate a sense of formality that can inspire donors to consider the option on more neutral grounds than if they were asked directly.
Personal letters. Traditional mail appeals still carry a lot of weight, and a personally written letter lets donors know that your nonprofit is serious about your long-term connection with them. You can make use of templates and other automation tools to speed up the letter writing process, but be sure to take additional time preparing these letters due to their increased personal nature.

When making a direct ask, you can also reach out to donors directly through a phone call or in-person meetings. Make sure donors have privacy and the ability to think about the decision before making a direct ask so as not to pressure them into making a sensitive decision too quickly.

Communicating the benefits to your donors through marketing materials can be effective at getting the word out to a broad section of your audience. However, while some donors may approach your nonprofit to begin the planned giving process, many do need to be asked, making personal appeals a necessity.

5 Tips to Get Started With Your Planned Giving Program

While every fundraising effort your nonprofit launches requires extensive planning beforehand, planned giving is an exceptionally delicate topic that is accompanied by unique legal and ethical considerations. Ensure every member of your team is on the same page about how to approach donors and planned giving candidates, so as to create a sensitive but effective strategy for acquiring planned gifts.

To help give your team a sense of direction regarding how to approach donors, here are five key tips on how to start, build, and maintain relationships with your donors that can lead to planned giving:

1. Focus your energy on retaining existing donors.

Donors develop loyalty to your nonprofit over time. This means that the supporters who are most likely to consider becoming planned gift donors need to have been in contact with your nonprofit for several years (usually at least a decade). In turn, this means you’ll need to retain those donors for years in order to create the opportunity to ask them to consider planned giving options.

Retaining your current donors is ultimately more cost-effective than acquiring new donors, meaning this strategy is key for both your planned giving and other sustainable fundraising strategies . While you can (and should) implement strategies to attract new donors, you should never neglect your existing donor base.

You can show appreciation for your donors by continually providing opportunities for them to participate in your nonprofit through events, meet-ups, and other opportunities that are about more than just donating money. One of the key ways to continually engage donors over time is by showing them that they are part of a community and not just an ATM.

2. Design your planned giving program opportunities.

Many nonprofits create planned giving or legacy societies, creating a sense of community among your planned giving donors. These supporters can join to receive recognition, interact with other donors, and participate in entertaining stewardship activities.

What exactly goes into a planned giving society? Ultimately, these societies create a sense of community and help build the connection between your nonprofit and your planned giving donors. While every nonprofit approaches this in their unique way, a few key strategies to create a well-designed society include:

Giving it a meaningful name. Branding plays a major role in how donors think about your nonprofit, and a name that evokes emotion or suggests greater importance can make members of your planned giving society feel proud of their inclusion with the group. A strong name can also draw curiosity from potential candidates who may be interested in joining after learning more.
Collecting donor stories. Anecdotes from your donors about what your nonprofit has done for them or why your cause is meaningful can go a long way in making your donors feel heard. You can then share these stories (with permission) on your website’s planned giving page or bundle them into a collection to share with other members of your planned giving society.
Creating exclusive events. While few people become a planned giving donor to attend more parties, additional events and opportunities exclusive to your planned giving society can build a stronger sense of community. Not to mention providing a few extra perks like this increases donor loyalty and gives your supporters something to look forward to even after their planned gift agreement is confirmed.

These events and opportunities shouldn’t solely be focused on converting more donors. Give your planned giving donors real, engaging, meaningful activities that will capture their attention and show your appreciation for their involvement with your mission.

3. Create marketing materials for your planned giving program.

Before creating your marketing materials, consider what is important to potential planned giving candidates. While some people are inspired to invest in planned giving due to the tax benefits, the overwhelming majority do it out of genuine personal investment in your cause. In general, technical and statistical information does very little to convince donors when compared to emotional appeals. However, a healthy mix of both is ultimately ideal.

With this in mind, create materials that use stories and images to invoke sentimentality and other feelings that lead naturally towards considering becoming a planned giving donor.

Your brochures and planned giving page will be staples to get the word out about your program details and informing supporters about their options. Therefore, address these materials first, ensuring you have all of the facts on the table for supporters to conduct research before you start reaching out on a personal level.

4. Locate prospective donors.

Donors need to know your planned giving program exists in order to participate. However, due to the sensitive nature of planned giving, you should avoid posting about it on social media like you would an event or crowdfunding campaign.

Consider your planned giving program’s primary audience. While the pool of potential planned giving donors is larger than that of major gifts, candidates still need to meet their own set of specific requirements:

A long-term relationship with your nonprofit. Planned giving comes as a last step in a series of relationship-building interactions between donors and your nonprofit. Even if they fit the other two requirements, donors who don’t know your nonprofit well likely won’t be comfortable entrusting you with a planned gift. Avoid asking donors too early in your relationship by tracking previous interactions and only marketing your program after supporters have been with your nonprofit for at least 10-20 years.
Large to moderate net worth. There are more candidates for planned giving than major giving. However, you can still use wealth prospecting tools to identify potential donors from your current base. Identify those who make regular donations to your nonprofit, how much those donations are, and if they have increased over time. Then compare their giving behavior to the results of your wealth screening to find individuals who are both generous and have enough set aside that they might consider making a planned gift in the future.
Middle aged to late retirement. Approximately 53% of donors decide whether or not to contribute a planned gift when they first write their will. This means that donors who are ready to make planned gifts are likely to be middle-aged to older individuals, usually between the ages of 40-50 . While it is alright to let all of your donors know about your planned giving programs, the only ones who will consider enrolling in it are candidates who have already had the time to accumulate a fair bit of wealth over the course of their lives.

Identifying these candidates takes time as donors get to know your nonprofit and you get to know your donors. Monitor each donor’s engagement history so you can understand where they are on their donor journey to ensure you only ask appropriate candidates to consider planned giving. Once they fit these requirements and your nonprofit has built loyalty with them, you might be ready to make the first approach.

5. Steward and acknowledge your donors.

Thanking and acknowledging your donors’ contributions is an ongoing process. Personal and direct communication lets specific donors feel seen, which encourages them to continue supporting your nonprofit into the future. It might seem repetitive to thank your supporters over and over again, but deliberate and meaningful thank you messages are an integral part of any fundraising campaign c ycle for a reason.

There are more ways to recognize your donors than automatic follow-up messages after a successful donation. Sit down and consider all of the ways your donors can participate in your organization, and then thank them when they do so. A few methods you can use to show appreciation outside of email are:

Phone calls. If a donor made a contribution (especially a mid-tier or larger donation) to your latest campaign, be sure to follow up with them with a phone call within 48 hours. While your call doesn’t have to be long, a brief chat with a member of your team will show donors that your nonprofit is made up of people who see and appreciate every contribution.
Spotlighting donors. Between your website’s newspage, your social media profiles, and your newsletter, your nonprofit has several ways you can draw attention to donors. Always ask your donors permission before spotlighting them to the public. While some appreciate the attention, others may prefer to donate quietly.
Personal letters. Sending a handwritten letter or card will let your donors know that your nonprofit took the time to sit down and specifically acknowledge their contribution. Your volunteers can help by writing the cards, which are then signed by your board members or other leadership at your nonprofit.
Donor walls. For major gifts, sometimes a more permanent way to show appreciation is through public recognition. Donor walls are physical monuments to your donors’ contributions that your nonprofit can place in their office, in a common area, or even in public spaces (with permission) so visitors can come and read their names. Donor walls can be expensive, but remember that they are also an investment in your future fundraising programs.

In your thank you messages, be sure to express how grateful you are for donations, and also relay the gift’s impact. Use statistics and anecdotes from your programs to help donors get a better sense of what exactly your nonprofit is doing and why their donations matter.

Repeated acknowledgment and expressions of gratitude are fundamental building blocks of cultivating positive donor relationships. These opportunities can influence how long donors support your nonprofit and how receptive they will be to future donation requests such as asking for a planned gift.

How CharityEngine Can Power Planned Giving

Donors participate in planned giving programs for nonprofits to which they feel a strong sense of loyalty. Building these relationships doesn’t happen by coincidence. These connections develop over the course of multiple interactions between your donors and your nonprofit.

To track, plan, and solidify these relationship-building opportunities, your nonprofit will need a dedicated software solution to manage the journey of your planned giving donors.

CharityEngine’s comprehensive CRM can equip your nonprofit with key tools to set your planned giving program up for success. Along with being an all-in-one solution for fundraising, marketing, and data organization, CharityEngine allows your nonprofit to:

Retain donors and build relationships. CharityEngine’s CRM allows nonprofits to gain an in-depth understanding of their donors’ motivations and interactions with comprehensive donor profiles. Additionally, CharityEngine’s status as an all-in-one software keeps your planned giving timelines organized by coordinating all of your relationship-building efforts in one place.
Locate prospects. Before you receive a planned gift, you’ll need to identify potential planned gift donors. With the help of a planned giving prospecting tool, CharityEngine’s donor database can help your nonprofit analyze every aspect of your supporters’ journeys and record insights from additional prospect research to find donors who may be interested in your planned giving program.
Track planned gift conversations and opportunities. Planned gifts require careful organization to discover opportunities to build strong relationships and start the conversation about planned giving. You’ll only ever receive a planned gift if you ask your donors, and knowing when it’s appropriate to ask requires careful analysis of your donors’ relationship with your nonprofit. CharityEngine’s focus on donors’ journeys can help create an engagement history timeline. These timelines help your nonprofit understand where your donors currently are on your planned gift timeline and find key opportunities to move them further along towards asking for a donation.

Implementing new technology can be a challenge, and can lead to an initial slow down productivity as staff learn the best practices for their new software. However, in the long-run, an upgrade in your software can lead to a major boost in fundraising options. During your nonprofit’s transition, remember that investing in new technology is an investment in your nonprofit’s future success. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your software provider for additional support getting your team up to speed.

Wrapping Up

Setting up a successful planned giving program is dependent on your ability to craft long-term loyalty and relationships with your donors. Your nonprofit can accomplish this taking the time to listen to donors, engage them further in your organization, and showing how they impact your mission.

This means that before getting started with your planned giving program, you’ll need to conduct extensive research on outreach, donor relations, and giving trends. Here are a few resources your nonprofit can use to begin its journey towards a planned giving program that’s beneficial for both you and your donors:

Nonprofit CRM | How to Pick the Best Software Solution . Your CRM stores your donors’ information, and the best solution will allow you to organize and use that information to maintain and build relationships. Learn what features to look for to discover the software that meets your specific needs!
Year-End Giving: Strategies and Statistics for Nonprofits . Do you know when your donors are most likely to give? Understand why the end of the year is such a popular time for giving and what your nonprofit can do to make the most of it.
Multi-Channel Fundraising: What Your Nonprofit Needs to Know . Converting donors requires reaching out to them—usually multiple times. Get started researching multiple platforms to expand your communication strategy across channels.

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Unlocking the Power of Planned Giving Events

Jun. 4, 2024

For every non-profit, the quest for sustainable financial support is ongoing. There are several proven tactics to gain one-time donations, which of course are valuable, and other events support and cultivate lasting relationships with donors that can provide a steady stream of support.

When planning events for your non-profit, it's essential to consider the specific goals you want to achieve. Donor appreciation events are an excellent way to recognize and thank your existing supporters for their generosity and loyalty. These events can range from intimate gatherings to larger celebrations, depending on your budget and resources.

Another type of event to consider is aimed at growing your donor pool. These events focus on engaging with potential new donors and introducing them to your organization's mission and impact. They can take various forms, such as networking mixers, open houses, or informational sessions. By effectively communicating your mission and highlighting your work, you can inspire attendees to become future supporters.

Additionally, informing new people about your mission is crucial for raising awareness and building community support. Consider hosting educational events, such as panel discussions, workshops, or guest speaker presentations, to share your organization's story and highlight the issues you're addressing. These events provide opportunities for dialogue and learning, fostering connections with individuals who may be passionate about your cause.

And, more specifically, a growing trend for non-profits is hosting planned giving events. A planned giving event is a specialized fundraising event organized by non-profit organizations to educate, engage, and inspire donors to make long-term commitments to support the organization's mission through planned gifts. Planned giving events are designed to highlight the benefits of legacy giving and provide donors with information and resources to include the organization in their estate plans or make other types of planned gifts.

With different events serving different purposes, your organization will likely continue to host a variety of events to support your mission both in the short- and long-term. Let’s continue to discuss event best practices and why a planned giving event should be part of your events plan.

An Event Is More Than Just One Day

The success of an event isn't determined by what happens on the day of. Promotion and follow-up are key contributors.

It’s essential to promote your event to reach your target audience effectively. Utilize a mix of marketing channels, including email newsletters, social media, and targeted advertising, to ensure maximum visibility. Moreover, getting engagement from your board members can significantly enhance the success of your event. Board members can leverage their networks, lend their expertise, and serve as ambassadors for the organization, helping to attract attendees and build credibility.

It's also crucial to have a robust follow-up strategy in place to maintain momentum and deepen relationships with attendees. This can include personalized thank-you notes, follow-up emails with event highlights, and opportunities for further engagement. Additionally, data collection is key to understanding your audience to nurture them to become a donor. Asking for feedback by utilizing surveys, registration forms, and other tools to gather valuable insights can be meaningful touchpoints in the follow-up process.

Looking at the Big Picture: Cultivating Donors Through the Planned Giving Cycle

The cultivating of donors involves several key stages, beginning with identification. This stage entails identifying potential donors who may be interested in making planned gifts to your organization. This can involve analyzing your donor database (which you help grow through events), conducting prospect research, and leveraging relationships with existing supporters to identify potential prospects.

Once potential donors have been identified, the cultivation stage begins. During this phase, it's essential to engage with donors and build relationships with them over time. This may involve personalized communications, one-on-one meetings, and opportunities for donors to learn more about planned giving options and the impact of their contributions.

Understanding the pool of donors who are interested and capable of giving in this way is crucial for effective planned giving. By segmenting your donor base and tailoring your cultivation efforts accordingly, you can maximize your success in securing planned gifts. Remember, planned giving is about creating a legacy, so it's essential to nurture relationships with donors and provide them with the support and information they need to make informed decisions about their charitable giving.

5 Benefits of Hosting a Planned Giving Event

By incorporating a planned giving campaign into your toolkit, your organization is on its way to ensuring the longevity and effectiveness of its mission. Planned giving events offer a unique platform to engage donors on a deeper level, leaving a lasting impact on both the organization and the community it serves.

1. Fostering Personal Connections

Planned giving events create an environment for non-profits to connect with donors on a personal level. Whether it's through intimate dining events or special presentations, these events offer opportunities for donors to interact with the organization's leadership, staff, and beneficiaries. Building these personal connections fosters trust and loyalty, encouraging donors to consider long-term commitments to the cause.

2. Educating Donors About Legacy Giving

Many donors are unaware of the benefits of legacy giving or how to include charitable donations in their estate plans. Planned giving events serve as educational platforms, providing donors with valuable information about legacy giving options such as bequests, charitable trusts, and gift annuities. By demystifying the process and highlighting real-life examples of the impact of planned gifts, non-profits can inspire donors to leave a legacy that extends far beyond their lifetimes.

3. Cultivating a Culture of Philanthropy

Planned giving events play a crucial role in cultivating a culture of philanthropy within the donor community. By highlighting the importance of planned giving and recognizing donors who have made legacy commitments, non-profits can inspire others to follow suit. These events create a ripple effect, encouraging donors to think strategically about their charitable giving and empowering them to make a meaningful difference for generations to come.

4. Ensuring Financial Stability

One of the most significant benefits of planned giving events is the potential for long-term financial stability. Unlike traditional fundraising efforts that rely on periodic campaigns and appeals, planned giving provides a steady and predictable source of revenue. By securing commitments from donors to include the organization in their estate plans, non-profits can build a sustainable financial foundation that enables them to weather economic uncertainties and continue their vital work for years to come.

5. Honoring Donors and Celebrating Impact

Planned giving events offer non-profits an opportunity to honor donors and celebrate the impact of their generosity. Whether through donor recognition ceremonies, legacy society memberships, or commemorative plaques, these events acknowledge the contributions of those who have made a lasting commitment to the organization's mission. By publicly expressing gratitude and sharing success stories, non-profits can inspire others to follow them and join the legacy of giving.

At the end of the day, events, including planned giving presentations, are a powerful tool for non-profits seeking to secure sustainable support for their mission.

We can help with a planned giving event for your donors

If you're not sure where to start, need support taking your planned giving event across the finish line, or are looking for a guest speaker, we can help. Our experts can speak to your donors about planned giving, educate them on their options for leaving a legacy, and help everyone walk away feeling empowered to make a lasting impact for a cause they care about. Contact us today to get support for your event!

The information in this paper is not intended as legal or tax advice. Consult with an attorney or a tax or financial advisor regarding your specific legal, tax, estate planning, or financial situation.

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How to Make a Compelling Presentation at a Donor Meeting

You got the appointment with a potential donor. Now what? It’s presentation time. Here are six helpful tips on how to make a compelling presentation at a donor meeting.

1. Believe in what you are doing

Why are you doing what you are doing? Don’t undersell yourself. A lot of times I’ve seen people walk into a meeting timid, unenthusiastic, and unconfident. They don’t believe that what they are doing is worth people’s time and resources. If you don’t believe in yourself or your organization, why should your donor? Walk into that meeting knowing that what you are asking for is important. You can do it!

2. Do your research, know your audience, and understand what’s important to them

Who are you presenting to? Is it a business person, a teacher, alumni? Find out what’s important to them. Don’t just walk in with a pre-set script that you say to everyone—tailor it to the specific type of person.

I used to work for a non-profit called InterVarsity on college campuses. In my own fundraising efforts, I spoke with many different types of potential donors. When I met with business people, I knew they were used to talking about money, so I talked to them about the numbers in my organization and directly how their money would make an impact. Whenever I met with a parent, I’d talk about how what I’m doing impacts students’ lives. If I met up with alumni, I’d ask them to share their favorite moments while they were involved in InterVarsity. The better you know your audience, the better the presentation you’ll have.

3. Share about you

Sometimes people jump quickly to the organization they are working for and how people can give to that . Instead, try connecting with them through your personal story first. Tell them about yourself and why you are passionate about what you are doing. Share the story about how you got involved in the organization and why it matters to you. Then , share more about the organization. 😀

4. Show how and why their giving will be meaningful, have an impact, and be a good return on their investment

Your donor has the opportunity to give and invest in many things—why should they invest in you? Share a meaningful and compelling story about how you and your organization has made an impact. Give them some numbers. Be specific. People like details:

“We have the opportunity to reach 1,000 people like this.”
“This isn’t just one story, but one of many of the 100s of teens we interact with.”
“This past year, we’ve seen 500 people impacted by this organization.”
“Through your $100 gift, we were able to feed 100 people.”
“This story all happened by a $30/month donation.”

Give numbers and show them concrete examples of how their donation will have an impact on people’s lives.

5. Share your big, compelling vision and invite them to imagine

Donors give to big, concrete visions. What’s your vision? So many times, I’ve had people share a small and vague vision—“Our vision is that we will build a strong community with each other.” So what? What does that mean? Give me a big vision with clear, concrete points.

“Our vision is to see 100% of the homeless youth find community in this city.”
“Our vision is to end hunger in all of Downtown Los Angeles.”
“Our vision is to reach 100 campuses in ten years.”

Give me a concrete and visible dream that I can imagine and see. Give me numbers, so I know when you’ve reached your vision. “Imagine the impact of ending hunger in Los Angeles.” That’s compelling!

6. Make an ask

Now you’ve shared your compelling vision and presentation—don’t forget to make an ask. Give your donor clear next steps on how to get involved and put the ball in your court to follow-up—something like “can I follow-up with you next week?”

Best of luck and happy fundraising!

About the Author

Brian chung.

Brian is a former staff worker with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of Southern California and co-founder of Alabaster Co. He enjoys walking with his dog, Levi, and drinking kale smoothies.

Why You Should Add Planned Giving to Your Fundraising Strategy

Many nonprofits have added planned giving to their fundraising strategy. You may ask why and find it difficult to understand how waiting around for a gift could benefit your organization. But there are some facts that will blow your mind. In 2020, despite the onset of the pandemic, over $41 billion was given through planned giving. Another report shows that an average planned gift amount is almost 200 times a donor’s largest annual gift amount. These figures are self-explanatory as to why nonprofits these days choose to rely on these gifts alongside other donation methods.

This article will explain what planned giving entails, why it’s important, and how to include it in your fundraising plans.

What is Planned Giving?

Why are planned gifts important, what are the different types of planned gifts, 10 best practices for your planned giving program.

Planned giving is also known as legacy giving or legacy gift planning, and these gifts are major gifts for a nonprofit organization. It is hugely driven by the donor’s intention to make a major gift to a charity, which otherwise might be difficult with their current income. Donors plan for these gifts as a part of their overall financial or estate planning. These may include life insurance, personal property, cash, real estate, donor’s retirement plan, and gifts of equity. Annual donations and membership payments are not a part of planned giving.

Many major donors are concerned about taxes limiting the amount they can leave to their heirs. Whereas nonprofits are increasingly looking for ways to encourage major donations . Creating a planned gift or legacy gift program gives both sides the chance to benefit from the gift.

1. For donors

There are several reasons why an individual will include a planned gift in their will. These reasons range from supporting an organization’s mission to tax breaks. Below is a list of why donors may want to leave a planned gift:

Donors get a chance to leave significant amounts to their favorite charities and causes.
Planned gifts offer tax breaks for the donor’s heirs.
Donors can add requirements to their donations and have more power over how their gift is used.
Donors leave a legacy and are honored for their support.

2. For nonprofits

Nonprofits can benefit in many ways from a planned giving program. Here are a few reasons an organization will want to include it in their fundraising plans:

Planned gifts offer a level of security and ensure the organization’s future.
Planned giving provides an excellent return on investment. The cost of securing a legacy gift is much less than the amount received.
Studies have found that after arranging such a giving program with the donor, there was an average increase of $3,171 in their annual gifts.
Donors willing to leave a planned gift have a stronger attachment to the organization. By creating a legacy gifts program, nonprofits have a chance to strengthen relationships with these donors.

While most planned gifts do not benefit your nonprofit right away, some can. Regardless of the type of planned gift program, nonprofits must have a plan to receive the gift and use it to fulfill the organization’s mission.

1. Real estate

Donors may want to give a nonprofit real estate to benefit from the large tax break they can receive. Nonprofits can either use the real estate for their own needs or sell it at fair market value. For this gift type, donors leave this gift in their estate plan, wanting to support an organization of their choice at some time in the future.

When receiving property through an estate plan, your organization must know about any liens, environmental hazards, other landowners, insurance requirements, and maintenance needed before accepting the donation.

2. Charitable lead trusts

A common way nonprofits receive revenue right away from a planned gift program is with a charitable lead trust. The charity gets payments from the trust during the donor’s lifetime and other non-charity individuals, most often the donor’s heirs, receive the remaining income at the end of the trust.

3. Appreciated securities

Appreciated securities are not cash gifts. These gifts are stocks and are an excellent way to get the largest tax break for a donation . The donor can claim the total amount the stock was sold for on their taxes even if they purchased it at a lower price.

4. Retirement plans

When individuals reach 70 ½ years old, the IRS requires them to withdraw a certain percentage from their IRA (Individual Retirement Account) or 401K every year. Each withdrawal is taxed. In 2018, a new tax law was passed that allows people to give up to $15,000 as an individual or $30,000 as a couple without paying taxes. Owners of a retirement plan can either provide this amount to their heirs or a charity.

5. Bequests

Bequests are the most popular type of planned gift. Donors leave a specified amount to a charity in their will, and charities will receive the full amount in the event of their death. It is not rare for nonprofits to be unaware of this gift until they’ve received one.

6. Life insurance

Life insurance is a must-have for your family, but something people may not think about is the tax-free cash payout when the owner dies. Most individuals purchase a life insurance policy for the sake of their family, but donors can also leave this policy or part of this policy to their favorite charity.

7. Charitable remainder trusts

Split interest gifts, like a charitable remainder trust, can be complicated and require financial and legal professionals to help your organization and donor finalize the details. These gifts provide nonprofits a donation in the future and regular investment payments for the donor during their retirement. The benefit of this type of planned gift is obvious and provides a fantastic retirement income for the donor.

By creating a program that lays out ways donors can contribute significant amounts to your organization, you simplify the process. When promoting your planned giving or legacy gifts program, there are several steps your organization can take to encourage more donors to give.

1. Involve your board

Board members may be unaware of this donation opportunity and the tax breaks they can get in exchange for these donations. By informing them of the reasons and benefits that come from this type of gift, you may luck out and find a few board members interested in scheduling planned gifts for themselves. It is also the best way to get your board excited and willing to promote the program to the community. Many board members have connections with people who want to make this type of donation.

Pro tip: You should build a committee or advisory board of legal and financial experts willing to provide necessary information to your donors. Look for a financial advisor, attorney, and board member with previous experience with this type of donation. This committee will be in charge of developing a planned giving guide that includes in-depth information on the same.

2. Develop a planned giving case statement

Along with your planned giving guide, your nonprofit must have a case statement to hand out to individuals that may be interested. When creating a case statement, there are several things to include, but the most essential are your organization’s mission, vision, values, programs, financial status, impact on the community, and details about this giving program.

3. Create policies for acceptance and refusal of planned gifts

As we said earlier, there may be times when it is not in the best interest of your nonprofit to accept all planned gifts. In this case, you must have a policy in place that details how and when to deny these gifts. Keep your mission front of mind when creating these policies, so when specific gifts like property come up, you can make the right decision for your organization.

At first, your planned gift committee will want to keep these policies simple. As you receive more gifts and issues come up, you can add details more specific to your nonprofit.

4. Create a planned giving society

Planned gifts or legacies are a wonderful opportunity for nonprofits to recognize donors. Individuals that support your organization and leave a significant donation in their will should be honored. Creating a society and donor wall to highlight these gifts is an excellent way to promote the program and thank those who have given.

5. Create a planned giving brochure

The committee can work with your nonprofit’s development or fundraising department to create a brochure. This marketing piece should give a simple explanation of how donors can designate your nonprofit as a beneficiary in their will and why it benefits them and the organization.

Pro tip: Promote planned giving to all donors regardless of their annual income and make them aware of what it is. These gifts are one such section of major gifts that you get to acquire from all kinds of donors irrespective of their current wealth status.

6. Add a planned giving page to your website

Marketing a planned giving program should not stop with a brochure. Adding your legacy society and information on this giving program to your website makes it easy for donors to learn more. You should check out the below planned giving page on Friends of PEB ’s website for an excellent reference.

7. Include the planned giving link on donation forms/gift acknowledgments

Since planned giving is not an immediate concern for most, it is crucial that your nonprofit reminds donors of such opportunities whenever possible. An easy way to do this is by adding a link to your online donation form or a check box on all gift acknowledgments for people to learn more. The below image shows a simple online donation page that lets donors select the option of being contacted for planned gifts right from the donation form.

8. Add a statement about planned gifts with your email signature

A great way to subtly promote the program is to add a planned giving message to your email signature . Most donors will ignore the message, but you may find a few donors interested in learning more and even could end up with a gift. Add the link to your respective page on your website, maybe also a line about which different gifts you’re open to receiving.

9. Offer a planned giving presentation for donors

An informational meeting is one of the best ways to educate your donors. Most of your donors do not have their own financial advisor and will appreciate the chance to learn more about planned giving and how it can benefit them, their families, and your nonprofit.

Pro tip: It is best to use experts that serve on your committee or ask outside professionals to lead the meeting. The focus should be on education, especially the fact that planned giving has nothing to do with their current wealth status and can, in fact, benefit them too.

10. Create a separate planned giving campaign

Your nonprofits should have a planned giving campaign every year for the best donor response. These campaigns can cost next to nothing when done online, so you do not have to worry about tracking your return on investment right away. You can also add such giving options to other fundraising campaigns like your year-end holiday campaign.

The below campaign is simple and can work as a great reference for building your own planned giving campaign page. Apart from donations, they have also added a checkbox for donors who want to donate stock to the campaign. This way a nonprofit can encourage different options.

Pro tip: An excellent time for a planned giving campaign is when people have it on their minds during tax season. By bringing up the tax benefits for donors, you can entice supporters to learn more and potentially set up a planned gift this year with their accountant.

Planned giving should be an essential part of your fundraising strategy. Even if you do not see a return on your investment right away, you are investing in the future and attracting major gifts to your organization.

Donorbox helps you create intuitive and effective online campaigns for your nonprofit. It is an affordable online fundraising tool with advanced features like crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising, text-to-give, membership campaigns, and more. Visit our website for more info.

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Kristine Ensor

Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.

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Giving Tips

Understanding legacy giving in 2024: planned giving basics, gift types, benefits and more.

Finding a way to give back to your community or to an organization that aligns with your values provides purpose and meaning. While we often take a ‘what can we do now’ approach to charitable giving, the truth is planned giving is a great way to maximize charitable impact after your lifetime.

Planned gifts are often larger than standard donations and help drive major philanthropic dollars into the nonprofit sector.

In 2021 alone, charitable bequests (the most common type of planned gift) accounted for 9% of all donations , totaling $46.01 billion. It’s a significant amount – more than doubling donations from corporations ($21.08 billion) – and underscores the importance for nonprofit organizations.

What is Planned Giving?

Planned giving , also referred to as gift planning or legacy giving, is a donor’s intention to contribute a planned gift to an organization beyond their lifetime. This is often a continuation of the donations an individual or couple has made while living, but on a much larger scale.

Unlike an annual gift, a planned gift is scheduled for the future – often as part of financial or estate plans. Typically donated through a will or trust, planned gifts are realized after a donor passes away. Typically, planned gifts are coordinated with professional advisors , attorneys and nonprofit organizations.

It’s important to note that planned giving is not limited by your current wealth.

Planned gifts are typically larger than lifetime donations because they can come from a variety of traditional and non-traditional assets at times not eligible for gifting during one’s lifetime, including life insurance policies, retirement assets, equity, or real estate holdings, rather than standard income.

This means even if you consistently contribute small gifts, your planned gift can be of a much greater value and impact.

Download: Guide to Building Your Charitable Legacy

Why Make a Planned Gift: Benefits of Planned Giving

Why is planned giving important?

“Not only does planned giving represent the opportunity to provide long-term support to an organization, but it also gives donors a chance to establish a legacy,” explained an article in Trust & Will.

Other benefits include:

Planned giving provides an opportunity to leave a major gift that may not have been possible in a donor’s lifetime due to financial commitments.
Charitable gifts are often exempt from estate tax, allowing more of the gift to go directly to the organization.
Donors can avoid capital gains taxes when they transfer assets as part of a planned gift, maximizing the charitable contribution.

Perhaps the biggest benefit is that planned giving preserves a donor’s legacy.

Typically, a donor begins thinking about planned giving as they near retirement age but could start the process as early as their 40s. Since a planned gift usually aligns with a donor’s values and beliefs, the gift can be a personal one that represents a cause or nonprofit close to their heart, thus solidifying an impactful and lasting legacy for the donor.

Legacy Giving vs. Planned Giving

Planned giving is often referred to as legacy giving. The terms are generally interchangeable.

Planned gifts – or legacy gifts – can be used to support nonprofit organizations or establish legacy funds at community foundations . Legacy funds often fall into one of four categories:

Advised Fund: Grants from a donor-advised fund are recommended by a fund advisor of your choosing. This type of fund is best when you want to designate a specific person to make grants from the fund on your behalf, typically a child or other close relative, after your lifetime.
Broad-Purpose Fund: Broad-purpose funds support a chosen cause – for instance, protecting the environment. This type of fund is best if you are passionate about specific impact areas but you do not want to choose specific organizations to support.
Designated Fund: Designated funds support specific organizations that you choose during your lifetime. This type of fund is best when you know the exact organization(s) you want to support, each of which receives a set percentage adding up to 100% of your total gift.
Scholarship Fund: Scholarship funds support students’ academic pursuits and are tailored to match your interests. You set scholarship award criteria. Community foundation staff and volunteers review applications and award scholarship recipients on your behalf.

Opening an endowment, or permanent legacy fund, with a planned gift is a flexible, efficient, tax-effective way to ensure the causes you care about will benefit from your generosity forever.

Legacy gifts are usually given upon a donor’s death – but not always.

According to an article by Nonprofit Hub, legacy giving can take several forms, “including recurring donations that begin while the donor is alive and continue after they’re deceased. And legacy gifts don’t have to be monetary, either. They can include material goods, property, stocks—anything that’s of value to the beneficiary.”

Types of Planned Gifts

The planned gift definition is any charitable donation that funds a legacy fund.

Planned gifts come in several forms, each distinct and beneficial in their own unique way.

Some planned gifts provide lifelong income to families while others use estate and tax planning to provide for charity and heirs in ways that maximize gifts or the impact on an estate.

What is a planned gift example?

Some of the more common types of planned gifts San Diego Foundation stewards are:

Donor-Advised Fund : A donor-advised fund (DAF) can be used to give now , give later or both. A DAF succession plan engages family members within the philanthropic goals set by the donor. DAFs are the most popular philanthropic option at San Diego Foundation.
Bequest by Will or Living Trust : Naming a charity in your will or living trust enables you to support your community and retain complete control over the assets during your lifetime while earning a full charitable deduction on estate taxes. This type of gift – called a charitable bequest – can be a specific dollar amount, a percentage or all of your estate, or what remains after other bequests are made.
Charitable Gift Annuity: A Charitable Annuity is essentially a contract between you and a charity of your choosing that involves transferring cash or property to the charity in exchange for a partial tax deduction and a lifetime stream of annual income.
Charitable Remainder Trust: A Charitable Remainder Trust is a qualified trust that pays income to beneficiaries. After all income payments have been completed, the remainder is distributed to qualified charities. With this trust you’re able to bypass capital gains tax, increasing income, and receiving a charitable income tax deduction.
Charitable Lead Trust: Through a Charitable Lead Trust, you and your legal or financial advisor select assets to fund a lead trust: the charity receives a fixed annual payout from the trust, and the remainder goes to your beneficiaries at the end of the charity’s payout term.
Charitable Endowment: With a Charitable Endowment, you can leave property or money in an endowment so that the charity does not spend the principal. Instead, the nonprofit grants the endowment income per your instructions.
Life Insurance: Gifting a life insurance policy allows you to make a significant legacy gift to the nonprofit community with tax benefits that you can enjoy during your lifetime. Through a relatively small annual cost of the premium, you can give a gift to your favorite charity that is larger than otherwise would be possible.
IRA, 401(k) or Other Retirement Assets: A retirement plan can be a tax-efficient and simple way of including your favorite charity in your estate plan. A charity that is named as the beneficiary does not pay income or estate taxes on the distribution.
Custom Estate Plan for Business, Investments or Special Needs Child: If you own a family business, substantial real estate holdings or a large estate, then a custom plan that considers your special property goals can be created. A custom plan option is also useful if you have a child with special needs. A child with special needs may be provided for through a “special needs trust.”

Maximizing Planned Gifts with Community Foundations

SDF can help determine which planned giving option is best for you and your family.

Our Giving Team is available to answer questions and assist with planning to ensure that your values and interests live on. By creating a charitable legacy, you can provide lasting benefits for you, your family, and your community.

Download our Guide to Estate Planning and Wills today to continue learning about planned giving and legacy funds.

Download the Charitable Legacy Guide

This valuable resource will help you understand how to set up a legacy fund and the lasting impact planned gifts can have for you, your family and your community.

Engaging Your Board in Fund Development

Speaker: bill stanczykiewicz, ed.d., senior assistant dean for external relations, indiana university lilly family school of philanthropy.

Fewer than half of nonprofits have boards of directors fully engaged with fundraising. Using data from BoardSource and interviews with successful nonprofits, this session reveals six research-based findings pointing toward practical steps you can take toward 100 percent board giving and fundraising.

How to Maximize Donor Potential

Speakers: Krista Lamp, Sr. Director of Brand, Events, Communication, Classy & Elizabeth Ruikka, Sr. Director of Demand Generation, Classy

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain strategic insights and tools to increase the lifetime impact of your supporters.

Discover how to maximize the lifetime value of your supporters through various campaign types. Learn about the essential elements of an effective stewardship strategy and how an all-in-one fundraising solution can unlock valuable donor insights. Gain practical knowledge on engagement strategies such as nurturing first-time supporters into repeat donors and engaging your recurring supporters at your next fundraising event. The Classy expert team will also discuss how to identify and cultivate your next generation of peer-to-peer fundraising leaders.

About Krista Lamp

Krista Lamp is the Senior Director of Brand, Events, Communication for Classy, a GoFundMe affiliate and Public Benefit Corporation that enables nonprofits to connect supporters with the causes they care about. Classy’s giving platform provides powerful fundraising tools so nonprofits can convert and retain donors. Since 2011, Classy has helped nonprofits raise over $5 billion. Previously, Krista spent 10+ years at some of the nation’s top public relations agencies.

About Elizabeth Ruikka

Elizabeth Ruikka is the Sr. Director of Demand Generation and at Classy. She is a strategic marketing leader with a decade of expertise across digital and owned marketing channels. Passionate about staying up to date with the ever-changing digital landscape, Elizabeth enjoys advising nonprofits on how to maximize the impact of their online fundraising strategy. During her tenure at Classy, she has developed a strong understanding of the unique challenges nonprofits face and is invested in their success.

About Alyssa Celones Senturk

Alyssa Celones Senturk (or Ally) is a Filipino-American creative storyteller with a multimedia marketing and science communication background. She specializes in building communities around causes for the common good – like clean water, science, and climate resilience. She is the Communications and Outreach Director for San Diego Coastkeeper, an environmental nonprofit working to protect and restore fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waters in San Diego County.

Stewardship & Engagement: Increasing Donor Loyalty

Speaker: muhi khwaja, mpa, cfre, cfrm, trainer, fundraising academy and co-founder, american muslim community foundation.

Fostering donor loyalty is an ongoing activity. The way you engage with donors after they make a gift is as important, or perhaps even more important, than the gift itself. Keeping all levels of donors involved and inspired can be the difference between a good fundraising practice and a great one. During this session, you will learn how to make your supporters feel every bit as important as they are, as you learn effective communication strategies to showcase impact and inspire major donors to continue to provide financial support. Join our presenter, Muhi Khwaja, MPA, CFRM, to learn how you can increase donor loyalty through creative stewardship and meaningful engagement strategies.

Understand the value of donor loyalty and what it means to your organization.
Learn the keys for retaining a higher number of donors.
Build systems to showcase donor impact to foster their continued commitment to your cause.
Develop a stewardship plan with meaningful follow-up activities that will inspire your donors and keep them involved in an ongoing way.

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How to talk to donors about planned giving: 10 tips

Anyone who makes a will can make a planned gift to a nonprofit. Gifts in a will or trust, also called bequests, don’t affect your supporters’ everyday cash flow. This makes planned gifts a simple and painless way for donors to show their support. For this reason, nonprofits should talk to all their donors about planned giving .

Donors who are asked to include a charitable gift in their will or trust are 17 times more likely to make a bequest than those who aren’t asked. By simply asking, your organization could receive more donations and secure its future. Just make sure that you simplify the giving process as much as possible. Direct your supporters to resources on how to create a will and make it easy for them to notify you of their gift. But how do you start the planned giving conversation? It can certainly feel like an awkward or unnatural topic to bring up, especially if you’re new to legacy giving or your nonprofit doesn’t have a solid planned giving program in place yet. However, by understanding how planned giving works, its benefits for your mission and for donors, and its pros over other forms of giving, you should feel confident laying out a thoughtful and informative approach. Here are ten tips to help you talk to donors about planned giving today.

1. Don’t mention death.

Generally, organizations only receive planned gifts upon the donor’s death. But that doesn’t mean you should lead your communications with it. In a recent white paper , planned giving experts Russell James and Michael Rosen write: “Legacy fundraising communications that ‘lead with death’ need to be shelved… communications should be about delivering value to the donor. Through your outreach, you should strive to enhance each individual donor’s sense of wellbeing.” Reminders about death actually cause two reactions in people: avoidance or the pursuit of a lasting impact. When talking to donors about planned giving, you want to steer clear of avoidance behavior and instead activate the desire for people to create an impact. The best way to do this is to focus your communications on how your donors can create a legacy. When a donor makes a planned gift to an organization, they ensure their own legacy by supporting the future of causes they care about. Use this idea to lead all of your communications on planned giving. In a similar vein, avoid language like “leave a legacy” because it implies death. Instead, use active language like “create a legacy” or “make a gift.”

2. Provide resources to create a will.

Another way to open up conversations about planned giving is to provide your supporters with resources that make it easy to create a will. Let them know that creating a will is the best way to protect the people and causes they love. Having a will ensures that your donors’ wishes are known and saves their loved ones the stress and cost of intestate probate proceedings. These resources could include links to free tools for creating a will online, such as freewill.com . We also offer a full blog and glossary explaining key concepts and recent developments in the world of estate planning — try sharing them with your donors.

To create the best possible experience for your donors, we also recommend creating a dedicated Planned Giving Microsite to serve as the central digital location for your educational materials and will creation tool. An effective website will streamline your donors' journeys and simplify the process of promoting your program. Learn more about how FreeWill's Planned Giving Microsites can support your goals.

Planned giving language templates

On your Planned Giving Microsite (or other landing pages that educate donors about planned giving), provide estate planning templates with language on how to include your organization as a beneficiary. Here are a handful of basic templates that a nonprofit might provide donors to include in their estate plans to create a legacy gift:

Gift of a specific dollar amount for unrestricted use
I hereby give, devise, and bequeath [amount] and 00/100 dollars to [your organization] located at [address], [Federal Tax ID #], for [your organization]’s general use and purpose.
Gift of a percentage of the donor’s estate
I hereby give, devise, and bequeath [amount] percent (X%), determined as of the date of my death, to [your organization] located at [address], [Federal Tax ID #], for [your organization]’s general use and purpose.
Gift of real estate
I hereby give, devise, and bequeath all of the right, title, and interest in and to the real estate located [address or description of property] to [your organization] located at [address], [Federal Tax ID #], for [your organization]’s general use and purpose.

Many donors choose to give restricted planned gifts, meaning your organization must use the funds for specific purposes and programs. When a donor wants to discuss planned giving to support specific aspects of your nonprofit, work with them and their attorney to develop language that will accomplish those objectives. Important note: For more complex planned gifts or estate plans, an attorney should be consulted. While online tools are an effective choice for the majority of planned gifts, the expertise of a professional is a must for ensuring complex plans meet the needs and desires of donors while also establishing legal clarity.

3. Mention the benefits of planned giving.

Planned gifts are mostly rooted in values. Bequests are a way for donors to make a large, meaningful gift — one that they might not be able to make otherwise. If they care about your organization and cause, this is an incredible way for them to make a lasting impact.

alt="Tax benefits for donors should be a key point when talking about planned giving."

However, some planned gifts can offer some bigger tax advantages as well. If you’re talking to donors about charitable remainder trusts or gift annuities, mention the tax deductions.

Leading with language on receiving tax deductions actually increases charitable interest. Russell James explored this in his work on planned giving myths . He showed a 19% difference in charitable interest when communications led with tax deductions versus not mentioning them at all.

4. Talk about bequests as a tribute to a family member.

Many planned giving donors like to make bequests in honor of a loved one. In the same way that people desire to create their own legacy, donors may want to see their family or friends live on through the causes they loved. When talking to donors about planned giving, try framing bequest gifts as a way to honor friends or family. In the work cited above, 23% of people showed interest when asks led with legacy giving language like, “Honor a friend or family member by making a memorial gift.” However, only 13% showed charitable interest when requests led with "make a bequest gift.”

5. Emphasize the long-term impact of planned gifts.

Let your donors know how their gifts will support your organization’s future . Use phrases like “support our mission for generations” or “make an impact for decades to come.” By emphasizing the long-term significance, your organization will assure supporters that their planned gifts will create a lasting legacy for them. Explain to donors that they can also restrict their planned gift if there’s a particular program that they’re passionate about supporting.

6. Use social proof.

One of the most powerful things you can do when talking to donors about planned giving is to include stories from other legacy donors. These stories can feature why those donors chose to give and the impact they hope to have.

Social proof and donor stories can be an extremely effective tool for talking about planned giving and illustrating its benefits.

But even social proof as simple as “Many of our supporters have included our organization in their will” can tremendously impact both willingness to give and the size of gifts. If you have a legacy giving society or another casual membership program for planned giving, it’s even easier to source personal stories and start conversations about what draws donors to create planned gifts.

When prompted with this type of planned giving language, more than 15% of people will decide to include an organization in their will , up from 10% of people who make a bequest after they're asked without social proof. With social proof, gifts have also been seen to double in size.

7. Include planned gifts as one of several ways to give.

It's important to put thought into both what you're asking donors to consider and how you're asking it. Your Ways to Give page , for example, should be designed in a way that supports your organization's goals and offers an appealing experience to visitors.

Here's our favorite tip for boosting results when asking donors to consider different ways to donate. Offering three ways for supporters to give can significantly impact planned giving efforts. Many of our nonprofit partners see success when they use phrases like, “There are several ways you can help.” They then provide three options, including making a gift in a will. Adding bequests as one of several approachable options can help your organization introduce planned giving to many supporters at once without alienating anyone who might prefer to give in another way. This is also a great way to keep planned giving top of mind for potential legacy donors.

8. Avoid technical language.

When introducing supporters to planned giving, avoid technical language. This includes terms such as “bequests,” “charitable remainder trusts,” or “charitable gift annuities.” Formal terms like these actually lower charitable interest. In the “Planned Giving Myths” study cited above, 23% of people showed charitable interest when approached with the sentence, “Make a gift to charity in my will.” Only 12% showed interest when prompted with the phrasing, “Make a bequest gift to charity.” When you talk to donors about planned giving, use language that’s easy to understand. Skip the planned giving jargon that your nonprofit throws around internally. Instead, phrase communications around the actual process of how to make planned gifts. For example, you can say, “Make a gift in a will,” or, "Make a gift that pays you income for life.” Using language that’s too technical may confuse and alienate potential donors.

9. Be a human — not an institution.

From the pandemic to politics to a turbulent economy, there’s a lot going on in the world. It’s more important than ever to communicate with donors in a genuine, authentic way. When reaching out to supporters to talk about planned giving, tell them how you’re doing. Give them a peek behind the scenes of your organization or your life. Along with this, make sure that your supporters know you care about them. Provide them with ways to reach out — even if it’s just to chat about how they’re doing.

10. Don’t ask for a planned gift in the first one-on-one conversation.

Use the first conversation you have with a potential planned giving donor to get to know them better. Ask them open-ended questions about their families, recent developments in their lives, and why they support your organization. Before setting up the first meeting, you can even tell them that you don’t intend to ask for a gift. Let them know that you simply want to learn more about them, thank them for their previous contributions, and start an ongoing conversation. At the end of the initial call or meeting, try to schedule another meeting with a specific purpose in mind. This could be to chat through planned giving options or give your donor a tour of your organization’s facility.

Talking about planned giving doesn't have to be hard.

For organizations that haven’t yet prioritized this type of fundraising, learning how to talk about planned giving to donors can definitely be challenging. It may feel awkward or even insensitive at times, but remember to lead with the long-term benefits that legacy gifts have for both them and your mission. Use resources like FreeWill to simplify the entire process for donors, removing the logistical barriers that may otherwise slow down the conversation. Our advanced features can also help you kickstart or revamp your planned giving program with custom marketing support, analytics, and options to reach new prospects. Keep learning about planned giving with these additional resources:

The benefits of planned giving for nonprofits and donors

How to start a planned giving program: Step-by-step guide

8 types of planned gifts your nonprofit should know
How to find planned giving prospects: 4 steps

The FreeWill Planned Giving Suite has already generated over $9B for nonprofits.

Related resources

Crafting dynamic planned giving journeys: 5 CRM tips

How to start a planned giving program: Step-by-step guide

Legacy giving: How to build thriving programs & connections

More From Forbes

12 strategies for building planned giving programs.

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Economies around the world are moving into an uncertain period, and nonprofits need to adapt. With such a slow rate of growth predicted, funding will be a significant concern for many nonprofits. Ensuring an organization has funding to keep it afloat allows it to weather the potential storms during this period.

A planned giving program sets up donors to keep funding the nonprofit even during the toughest of economic problems. This lifeline may be the only one the nonprofit can rely on since funding from public sources may be severely curtailed. Below, 12 leaders from Forbes Nonprofit Council examine the crucial elements of a planned giving program and how these elements can be used to create a strategy that helps a nonprofit survive.

Members of Forbes Nonprofit Council recommend useful strategies for building a planned giving programs.

1. Develop Strong Relationships

Planned giving starts and ends with strong relationships. Donors who give a planned gift are the donors who are "all in" on your work and mission. Look to your donors who have never wavered in giving their time, talents and treasures to your organization. Demonstrate the impact their support has provided the mission to date and help them craft a legacy that continues that impact. - Cortney Nicolato , United Way of Rhode Island

2. Understand Your Donor Base

Building a planned giving program requires understanding your donor-base demographics and giving patterns. Create substantive engagement touch points to support your fund development, communication and marketing teams. These are strategies that remind organizations that it’s all about relationship building. We must be fully engaged. - Charles A. Archer , One Hope United

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3. Integrate Donors In Your Programs

The most successful planned giving programs integrate donors into the programs, giving them ownership in the work. Donors want to be engaged in the work of building a better world, so don't treat them as investors but as co-participants in your mission. - Robin Ganzert , American Humane

4. Focus On Your Loyal Major Donors

Understand that your pipeline for this will be your most loyal major donors. You probably have acquired these donors from direct mail. Make sure part of your direct mail offer is asking all of your donors if they would include your organization in their wills. Then, as your mailing list begins to age, begin approaching them individually to provide a menu of planned giving gifts. - Rupert Scofield , FINCA International

5. Team Up With Advisors To Potential Donors

The key to building a planned giving program is to team up with advisors that work directly with current or potential donors who may consider planned giving as an option—estate lawyers, CPAs and financial advisors. If they aren't already aware of your mission, give them the lowdown. There is also the possibility that they may refer their clients to your organization. - Frances Arias , Green Beret Foundation

6. Have A Reputation For Providing Results

Establishing a reputation for providing results that are transparent and accountable is key to earning faith from donors. Donors appreciate and respond to a plan that is clear and capable of marshaling partners with purpose and urgency. - Jose Luis Castro , Vital Strategies

7. Have Visionary Leaders

Having leaders who are visionaries is essential to building a long-term vision and the related planned giving program. Organizations need to develop a sort of projection between 10 to 20 years to create this plan for five to eight years and expose it to sponsors and donors for a long-term relationship. Keeping the actions short term confirms a lack of insurance about the great impact of your mission for donors. - Lobna Karoui , AI Exponential Thinker

8. Share How The Money Will Be Used

A planned giving program is an investment in a nonprofit's future economic well-being. Therefore, your donors need to be rest assured that their funds will be used wisely. Before you speak to your supporters, make sure that you have a plan for how the money will be used. Your donors should be able to see that your organization's work is a representation of what they truly believe in! - Patrick Coleman , GiveCentral

9. Believe In The Program's Power

The key to building a planned giving program is to believe in its power. If you have made a considerate choice, this planned giving will be part of the everyday ebb and flow of your spinning plates. Those who wish to serve after their passing know you will make good on this solemn promise. - KellyAnn Romanych , Veterans Legal Institute

10. Highlight The Legacy Potential

People want to leave a legacy, and planned giving is about leaving a legacy. If the cause compels a giver to feel deeply about the cause and the solutions being offered, they are highly likely to become engaged. Passion, solutions that work and a sustainable future-state are key elements to everyone who wants to leave a legacy. When the giver and the cause are in alignment, magic happens! - Randy Wolken , MACNY - The Manufacturers Association

11. Enable Long-Term Impact Goal Investment

The key is to find opportunities where donors can invest long term in impact goals. Many strategies focus on planned gift mechanisms which can be cumbersome to monitor and forecast results. A strong planned giving program matches donors to levels of giving that fit their long-term charitable needs using a menu of giving options best presented to a donor's accountant, lawyer and other advisors. - Amanda Israel , Burger King Foundation

12. Focus On Income Or Capital Gains Tax

The key to a successful planned giving program is not planned giving. It's actually helping focus people on income tax or capital gains tax. Those are current, urgent issues which create more immediate action. A part of the income tax reduction question is where the best planned gifts come from. It is too easy to set aside planned giving as a future event. This is not so with income tax. - Bill High , The Signatry

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Planned Giving Marketing

Planned giving is about the pursuit of a better future. It represents a hope of passing on one’s values. It is an act fundamentally rooted in idealism, empathy, and aspiration. Faircom New York can help your nonprofit organization achieve powerful planned giving marketing and increase your planned gifts.

Planned giving marketing starts with your vision

A charitable organization starts with a mission statement that sets the tone and vision. In turning to planned giving as part of your fundraising strategy, it is important to keep in mind that planned giving is all about vision and what’s possible through concerted action in our communities. Those who leave a bequest in their wills for their favorite charities acknowledge that the organization’s mission will not be achieved during their lifetime, but they are hopeful that it will in the future.

Faircom New York believes that every client has the potential to receive bequests and other gifts falling into the category of planned giving — we are eager to share with you some critical background about this valuable revenue source, as well as the various strategies that can be employed in securing planned gifts.

While bequests are certainly the most significant of all planned gifts, the range of what falls under this category also includes:

Gifts of Stock
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)
Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs)
Qualified Charitable Gift Distributions (QCDs)
Gifts of Life Insurance
Gifts of Real Estate
Transfers of IRA or other retirement account funds
Pooled Income Funds
Remainder Unitrusts
Gifts of personal items (e.g., art and other collectibles)

Given the prominence of bequests in the field of planned giving, the information below ties largely to them, with additional information on other leading sources of planned gifts — namely Gifts of Stock, DAFs, CGAs and QCDs.

A few statistics about bequest giving in the united states

In 2019, the largest source of charitable giving came from individuals at $309.66 billion, or 69% of total giving; followed by foundations ($75.69 billion/17%), bequests ($43.21 billion/10%), and corporations ($21.09 billion/5%). [1]

Bequests represented 10% of total giving . This is twice the amount given by corporations, and this number will grow.

In the next 20 years, an estimated $30 trillion will be inherited in the United States as the large and prosperous Baby Boomer generation passes its wealth on to the next generation. This is the largest wealth transfer in human history and may be the single greatest opportunity for philanthropy in the modern era. [2]

While Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation represent the majority of most nonprofits’ direct mail donors and most likely the majority of bequest intentions to any nonprofit with a direct mail program, the average age at which donors write their first will is 44 years old, and over half (53%) of donors established their first planned gift at the time of writing their first will. [3]

Why is this important? If a nonprofit does not communicate the possibility of legacy giving to donors regularly, the organization will miss the opportunity to be included in someone’s will. And while donors of course change their wills as their families evolve and as they approach the reality of death, most donors do not remove a bequest designation from their will once it is made. [4]

The greatest barrier to receiving a bequest is not asking. This is a huge mistake, because bequests are large. Bequests from middle-class donors frequently exceed $100,000, and some colleges report that their typical bequest is 2,500 times their average annual gift. [5]

Bequests are of course not the only form of planned giving. Once a person names a charity in their will, they are far more likely to give other forms of planned gifts.

A few key points:

93 of 119 total bequests (78%) came from direct mail donors!
The average direct marketing-sourced bequest was 21.5 times greater than the donor’s average lifetime gift before the bequest.
Direct mail donors’ bequests are 27 times greater than their average lifetime gift.
Online donors’ bequests are 63 times greater than their average lifetime gift.
Staff-solicited gifts are very few in number, yet huge in value. If we encourage and train staff to solicit more bequests, the results can increase dramatically.

Sample of Faircom New York’s Planned Giving Marketing

Postcards .

The beauty of a planned giving postcard is that it doesn’t need to be opened to be read. It is also the least expensive direct mail marketing tool, and while you will rarely receive a known pledge from it (because it has no reply device), its contents are immediately seized by the recipient — even if it goes into the recycling bin. We know that the biggest obstacle to planned giving is not asking, and we also know that as much as 90% of direct mail solicitations remain unopened. We respond to the first barrier while addressing the latter with a clear, visually-impactful message, unhidden by an envelope: You can leave a bequest to (YOUR CHARITY’S NAME HERE!)

Buckslips are little slips of paper, about a third the size of a letter or the size of a Business Reply Card. These can be used to communicate offers or to add last minute news. We often use them to communicate planned giving options within an appeal or an acknowledgement.

Acknowledgments

Another inexpensive way to push for planned giving is through your acknowledgment strategy.

For example, we designed new acknowledgment stationery for Human Rights Watch that includes a legacy tag line at the bottom. This design was used only to multi-givers who have shown a genuine and, most importantly, constant interest in the organization’s mission over time. The acknowledgment is also mailed with a post-script that stresses planned giving.

Newsletters

Newsletters are valuable communication tools, particularly for planned giving. A planned giving newsletter can offer helpful tips to enable a donor to include you in their will or make another planned gift, such as a gift of stock or life insurance, QCD, recommended DAF grant, and so on. We can also include testimonials from other pledged planned gift donors in the newsletter, which adds social proof as an incentive to drive the reader to make a pledge as well. It likewise allow you to celebrate and honor donors who have made a commitment to you — an important effort to steward that donor over time.

A planned giving newsletter can also allow nonprofit to cultivate this important group of donors and provide them with information — fostering a greater sense of partnership. This is essential to building a relationship with the donor.

Planned Giving Survey Package

A planned giving survey package is designed to convince a donor to pledge a bequest and drive responses that you, as a fundraiser, will act on. We can use checkmark questions or open-ended questions — the latter potentially supplying you with great quotes that you can use in future planned giving or fundraising packages. Most donors like to be heard and they engage in surveys, and you also learn a lot about your donors through these tools.

Planned Giving Seminars

The most effective and direct way to promote planned giving is to talk about it directly with your target audience.

We would recommend inviting up to 20 people at a time to sit in a roundtable format, structured to facilitate conversation. A planned giving seminar involves give and take, question and answer; it should not be a lecture. It should be very informal and friendly, helping to further build a warm relationship with your donors.

Faircom New York can help your team prepare, including determining the channels that you will use to promote the session. We will also help to craft materials and a presentation to fit the content you most want to share; for example, some organizations are prepared to launch charitable annuity programs, while others may want to limit their options to bequests and transfers of life insurance. The final agenda will lead to our team preparing a presentation geared towards your volunteers, donors, or other stakeholders to educate them about their options. Most presentations will include:

An overview of planned giving.
How planned giving benefits the individuals who give.
How planned giving would benefit your organization.
Projects for which your organization may be raising funds.
Life insurance transfers,
Real estate transfers,
Stock transfers.

We could deliver the presentation to your constituents or train you to do so. We recommend the latter as a more powerful way to deliver this message, as you are the best messenger for your mission. Even if you are the presenter, we could attend the meeting to answer specialized questions or offer additional support.

Planned Giving Brochure

A brochure outlining planned giving options is a very useful tool for any nonprofit. Its uses are many, including:

A tool for your development officers to use on personal visits.
Annual fund mailings,
Gift acknowledgements, and
Welcome packs.

We typically design three-panel brochures that can fold neatly into a #10 envelope — the standard letter-sized envelope —mailed at no extra cost. There is usually a business reply device integrated into the piece.

Planned Giving Webpage

Every nonprofit should have planned giving options clearly described on their website. The planned giving page should be linked to your donation page and will enable people to sign up for more information or to inform you that they plan to include you in their estate plans.

Faircom New York has had great success recruiting bequest pledges via Facebook retargeting ads. In the same way that we may utilize retargeting pixels to build visibility of your organization to audiences visiting your site, these tools can be important in tracking planned giving page visitors. However, as a note, there must first be a planned giving webpage in place.

Face-to-Face

Development officers must be armed with materials and trained to make the planned giving ask when they meet with their donors. To successfully maximize a planned giving solicitation effort, training and constant communication are key.

[1] https://www.nptrust.org/philanthropic-resources/charitable-giving-statistics/

[2] https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-are-bequests-how-every-nonprofit-can-get-them-2501795

[3] https://givingusa.org/just-released-special-report-leaving-a-legacy-a-new-look-at-planned-giving-donors/

[4] http://www.thefundraisingauthority.com/planned-giving/20-facts-about-planned-giving/

[5] https://ssir.org/articles/entry/philanthropys_missing_trillions

Need Help Marketing Planned Giving?

We can customize a scope of work to respond to your greatest needs — building either a standalone project to fill essential gaps in the short term or looking at a longer-term relationship for ongoing strategy consulting.

If you aren’t sure where to begin, we are eager to open up a conversation to explore more!

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm

Phone: 212.727.3876 Contact us

Address: Faircom New York 12 West 27th Street, 13th Floor New York, NY 10001

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How to Write and Design Effective Planned Giving Ads

How to Write and Design an Effective Planned Giving Ad

Viken Mikaelian

June 20, 2020

Any fundraiser can raise more and larger gifts by using planned giving ads in all their outreach, because they get the point across to your donors without thought.

I live, eat and breathe planned giving marketing. I also live, eat and breathe copywriting. And it’s all about your brand (mission) and getting your message across to your donors; and not getting the message across to your peers about the generation skipping tax.

Anatomy of Great Planned Giving Ads

We devise planned giving ads for a living. Some are “safe,” some humorous, some conservative, and a few edgy. I’ve seen the edgy ads get most of the attention, but since my audience here likes to play it safe, this example is based on the “safe.” Regardless, the principles are the same across the board.

First things first. The headline. A headline is the “ad for the ad.” It can destroy it or increase response rates by 5. (We provide 6 to 10 compelling choices to clients, from conservative to traditional to humorous to emotional. We recommend; clients choose.)

Quality photo. A well-known representative of your organization, or an image that represents your cause well. Children and pets do a miraculous job. So does a well-known professor or board member. Avoid moribund photos.

Subheads . Critical to drawing attention to planned giving ads.

Donor-centric language . Be subtle and “sneak” it in. Makes donors part of your mission and encourages bigger gifts.

Let them “smell it.” Showing the benefit to the donor “sells the sizzle, not the steak.” (“Imagine the sweetness in every bite of this crisp, organically grown apple” vs. “buy this apple because it’s red and round.”)

Power words . There are “power words” and “magic words” in planned giving. These trigger emotions that drive donor decisions. Use these as often as possible in your planned giving ads!

A compelling headline and photo at the top draws the reader in. Donor-centric language shows the donor how they’re helping. Power words trigger emotions that help guide them along their donor journey. This type of branding establishes trust and credibility. I regularly see top-tier institutions miss this simple mark. That’s because they do not have the time (or expertise) to devote to the critical and strategic. That’s why we’re here.

[ Click here to download an infographic to help you create your next planned giving ad! ]

The Big DAF Gaffe

A Mountain of Evidence: Donor Stories Work

Two men ducking a revolt / complaints from public

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A Complete Guide to Planned Gifts for Nonprofits
Communicating Planned Giving to Your Donors: 5 Tips
How to Start the Planned Giving Conversation with Your Donors
Stelter Insights
Planned Giving Marketing: How to Inspire your Donors
Nonprofit Planned Giving: A Complete Guide

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What Are Some Benefits of Donor Advised Funds?
Development Day
Stick Figure Planned Giving Webinar
Donor Advised Fund Informational
Planned Giving Design Center
Strategic Charitable Giving for Tax Savings

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PDF Get Planning for Effective Planned Giving Slideshow
Effective Planned Giving. Katherine Swank, J.D. Senior Consultant III. 2 Presentation Speaker Katherine Swank, J.D. • Senior Fundraising Consultant, Target Analytics • Past president, Colorado Planned ... Three donors (typical giving behavior for ages 50-70) A Loyal Investor • Consistent giving of $25 annually.
10 Steps to Launch a Planned Giving Program for Your Nonprofit
Step #3: Create a template codicil. A codicil is something that donors can complete and submit to their attorney to file along with their will. You provide it to donors who then take it to their attorney, which may or may not trigger a re-writing of the will. The codicil should include phrasing along the lines of:
Planned Giving: The Complete Guide (+5 Tips to Get Started)
One of the key ways to continually engage donors over time is by showing them that they are part of a community and not just an ATM. 2. Design your planned giving program opportunities. Many nonprofits create planned giving or legacy societies, creating a sense of community among your planned giving donors.
Unlocking the Power of Planned Giving Events
By incorporating a planned giving campaign into your toolkit, your organization is on its way to ensuring the longevity and effectiveness of its mission. Planned giving events offer a unique platform to engage donors on a deeper level, leaving a lasting impact on both the organization and the community it serves. 1. Fostering Personal Connections.
Planned giving: A complete guide to planned giving programs
How donors benefit from planned giving. Nonprofit organizations aren't the only ones that benefit from planned giving — there are several ways that donors can take advantage of these types of gifts as well. Emphasize these benefits when discussing planned giving with your donors: 1. Planned giving allows donors to leave a legacy.
How to Make a Compelling Presentation at a Donor Meeting
Here are six helpful tips on how to make a compelling presentation at a donor meeting. 1. Believe in what you are doing. Why are you doing what you are doing? Don't undersell yourself. A lot of times I've seen people walk into a meeting timid, unenthusiastic, and unconfident. They don't believe that what they are doing is worth people's ...
PDF The Power of Planned Giving
Planned gifts can help you establish or build an endowment Planned gifts can be a source of working capital to support growth Planned gifts can be a way to build stronger relationships with donors today Donors with a planned gift often increase their annual giving. ©2024 foundation for the carolinas4. Types of Planned Gifts.
PDF Simple Steps to Secure Your Future: September 28, 2021 Creating a
planned gift is added to a donor's estate plan * Major gift propensity increases by 22% over 10 years after a planned gift is added by a donor** Why Planned Giving? *Source: Russell James, ^The Emerging Potential of Longitudinal Empirical Research in Estate Planning: Examples from Charitable Bequests," June 2020, UC-Davis Law Review.
PDF HOW TO DISCUSS PLANNED GIFTS
the presentation Profiles, Clues and Cues of Planned Giving Donors (see section Resources), you will learn about the attributes typically associated with planned giving donors. These include the nature of their affinity with your organization as well as the demographics, financial profiles and giving behavior associated with
What Is Planned Giving?
Thus, by definition, a planned gift is any major gift, made in lifetime or at death as part of a donor's overall financial and/or estate planning. These include gifts of equity, life insurance, real estate, personal property, or cash. By contrast, gifts to the annual fund or for membership dues are made from a donor's discretionary income ...
Why You Should Add Planned Giving to Your Fundraising Strategy
9. Offer a planned giving presentation for donors. An informational meeting is one of the best ways to educate your donors. Most of your donors do not have their own financial advisor and will appreciate the chance to learn more about planned giving and how it can benefit them, their families, and your nonprofit.
PDF Nonprofit Planned Giving Toolkit
OVERVIEW. Planned giving allows donors to transform their personal wealth into philanthropy—creating positive impact for the benefit of their community. For nonprofits, planned giving can help ensure the long- term success of an organization. As part of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado's services to nonprofit agencies, we can ...
PDF Presentation for the Arc and the State Chapters
WHY PLANNED GIVING? - The number of potential donors increases significantly when planned gifts are considered. - Planned Giving can significantly deepen relationships with existing donors and establish you as someone looking out for their best interest - It's the right thing to do from an organizational standpoint, and diversifying income ...
Planned Giving Basics
Planned Giving Basics. As the baby boomers age, and trillions are set to transfer between generations over the next several years, lots of charities know they need to get serious about seeking bequests and other planned gifts. Here's a collection of fundraising advice aimed at helping donors build a legacy — and organizations secure their ...
Understanding Legacy Giving in 2024: Planned Giving Basics, Gift Types
Typically, a donor begins thinking about planned giving as they near retirement age but could start the process as early as their 40s. Since a planned gift usually aligns with a donor's values and beliefs, the gift can be a personal one that represents a cause or nonprofit close to their heart, thus solidifying an impactful and lasting legacy ...
15 Donor Conversation Starters
That's why we've developed these 15 Donor Conversation Starters. Use them the next time you meet with a donor or prospect. Along with the 31 Quality Questions To Ask Donors, they'll help break the ice, establish trust, and get you started on the path to building a meaningful, mutually beneficial relationship.
How to start a planned giving program: Step-by-step guide
How to talk to donors about planned giving: 10 tips. Donors may be unfamiliar or even uncomfortable with the concept of planned gifts. Prepare your teams to navigate these conversations with confidence and grace using these tips. Planned giving marketing: 7 strategies and ideas you need. Planned giving can and should be promoted like other ...
How to talk to donors about planned giving: 10 tips
Use this idea to lead all of your communications on planned giving. In a similar vein, avoid language like "leave a legacy" because it implies death. Instead, use active language like "create a legacy" or "make a gift.". 2. Provide resources to create a will. Another way to open up conversations about planned giving is to provide ...
How to Launch a Planned Giving Program
Avoid the dull and dry — look for outgoing types. The last thing you want is to bore your donors and prospects. Also, make sure your presenters cover topics useful for donors (like Estate Planning; Succession Planning; etc.) Make an agreement that they will not turn their speech into a sales presentation.
Planned Giving Presentation
This is the presentation that accompanied a series of free workshops CCF held across the county to help nonprofits implement planned giving programs. This presentation can be used by any nonprofit to present to their boardmembers, donors, and others who would be interested in being leaving planned gifts. Read more. Business. 1 of 24. Download now.
12 Strategies For Building Planned Giving Programs
2. Understand Your Donor Base. Building a planned giving program requires understanding your donor-base demographics and giving patterns. Create substantive engagement touch points to support your ...
Good at Planned Giving? Prove It. Start With These Tips and Metrics to
Prove your value in planned giving with actionable tips and essential metrics. Learn how to boost your ROI, increase donor engagement and secure long-term sustainability for your nonprofit. Explore the benefits of planned giving, backed by concrete data and real-world applications. ... Donors who've made a planned gift often have a stronger ...
Planned Giving Marketing in 2024
In 2019, the largest source of charitable giving came from individuals at $309.66 billion, or 69% of total giving; followed by foundations ($75.69 billion/17%), bequests ($43.21 billion/10%), and corporations ($21.09 billion/5%).[1] Bequests represented 10% of total giving. This is twice the amount given by corporations, and this number will grow.
Tasia Bade is on a mission to demystify planned giving
Because Bade is making this decision at age 40 -- younger than many planned giving donors -- the dollar-for-dollar match could add up to well over another million dollars. Upon her passing many years from now, Bade estimates her $1 million gift could result in another $1.8 million in funding for the cause she cares about.
Nonprofits rely on planned giving efforts thanks to tax benefits
Mlakar said, "Our most popular giving vehicle is a donor advised fund. DAF's offer the ability for donors to make suggestions on which charitable causes are supported from the fund each year.
How to Write and Design an Effective Planned Giving Display Ad
Avoid moribund photos. Subheads. Critical to drawing attention to planned giving ads. Donor-centric language. Be subtle and "sneak" it in. Makes donors part of your mission and encourages bigger gifts. Let them "smell it.". Showing the benefit to the donor "sells the sizzle, not the steak." ("Imagine the sweetness in every bite of ...
Donate
Honor Roll of Donors. Explore This Section Close. donate. How to Give. Annual Giving Opportunities. Planned Giving. Advancement Staff. Honor Roll of Donors. Guided by our Jesuit traditions and service to others, Le Moyne College makes a significant impact locally and globally. Your support in any area of student experience helps shape leaders ...

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It’s Not as Scary as You Think: 10 Easy Steps to Launch a Planned Giving Program for Your Nonprofit

The fundraising term planned giving scares many of us who work in nonprofits. We think it’s too technical and takes too much time.

So, what are planned gifts?

This brings us to our next question: why are planned gifts so important?

10 steps to best communicate with donors and their advisors

Step #2: Mention planned giving whenever possible.

Step #3: Create a template codicil.

Step #4: Adopt a gift acceptance policy.

Step #5: Open a brokerage account.

Step #6: Plan for unexpected gifts.

Step #7: Incorporate planned giving into your marketing.

Step #8: Devote a website page to planned giving.

Step #9: Keep a list of professional advisors.

Step #10: Get to know your local community foundation.

It’s All about Relationships

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Julianne Buck

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How to Make a Compelling Presentation at a Donor Meeting

1. Believe in what you are doing

2. Do your research, know your audience, and understand what’s important to them

3. Share about you

4. Show how and why their giving will be meaningful, have an impact, and be a good return on their investment

5. Share your big, compelling vision and invite them to imagine

6. Make an ask

About the Author

Why You Should Add Planned Giving to Your Fundraising Strategy

What is Planned Giving?

1. For donors

2. For nonprofits

1. Real estate

2. Charitable lead trusts

3. Appreciated securities

4. Retirement plans