Making Planned Giving Work for You: Planned Giving Strategy Tips for Every Organization
Lawrence Henze, J.D., Managing Director, Blackbaud Analytics
“Golden Age of Philanthropy”
According to a study by the Social Welfare Research Institute at Boston College, Americans will transfer at least $41 trillion between 1998 and 2052. At least $6 trillion of that funding will be bequests to charity, according to authors Paul Schervish and John Havens, who wrote that “a golden age of philanthropy is dawning.”
With so many philanthropic dollars up for grabs, non-profits need to position themselves to capture a share of the wealth. Research from the National Committee on Planned Giving shows that although 42 percent of Americans have wills, only about nine percent have included charities. But once charities are included, they stay: 97 percent said they had not revoked a charitable provision. An additional 14 percent of those surveyed said they had considered including a charitable bequest in their wills even though no non-profit has asked them to do so. This leaves a largely untapped market.
About Planned Giving:
Planned giving, once called deferred giving, refers to any charitable gift that requires more thought and planning to execute than the average donation. Planned giving has traditionally been defined as the gift that an individual makes near the end of his or her lifetime. There are many kinds of planned gifts, from simple bequests in a will or an estate plan, to annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, pooled income, life insurance, and life estates. Non-profits often have trouble securing planned gifts. Why? The answer generally boils down to four basic factors: targeting the wrong prospects, sending the wrong appeal, asking too late, and soliciting planned gift prospects for major gifts instead so the organization can get the money more quickly.
Many charities assume that their major gift donors will be their best prospects for planned gifts. When these solicitations fail, organizations are left with the impression that planned giving is just not right for them. Other organizations send broad-based planned giving mailings to older individuals. However, developing a successful planned giving program can be a complex undertaking, but it is one that is well worth the trouble. Extensive research has shown that planned giving is about lifestyles and loyalty, not just wealth.
Many organizations still think they have to find the millionaires in their database to secure planned gifts. The truth is that everyone in your annual fund program has the potential to be a planned giver. This means you have more control over the process than you think. Equipped with solid information and the right marketing strategy, your organization can build a successful planned giving program.
Source:
- Schervish, P. G., & Havens, J. J. (1999). Millionaires and the Millennium: New Estimates of the Forthcoming Wealth Transfer and the Prospects for a Golden Age of Philanthropy.
- Social Welfare Research Institute, Boston College, Boston, MA. National Committee on Planned Giving.
- (2000). Planned Giving in the United States 2000: A Survey of Donors.
