Study Says Funding Women’s Causes Helps Everyone

A new study of focus group participants who are potential planned giving candidates - the vast majority are highly educated donors who make more than $100,000 per year - finds that they believe the increasingly sophisticated marketing of women's causes is having a positive impact on society at large.

Pentera CEO Claudine Donikian to Present Planned Giving Study Recommendations at PPGGNY

Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian will be presenting implications and recommendations from The 2016 Planned Giving Study at the plenary session of PPGGNY's Annual All-Day Conference May 25 in New York City. Presenting with Ms. Donikian is Una Osili, director of research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Free Webinar by Pentera and Lilly School Presents New Planned Giving Research

A free Webinar on new planned giving research will be presented Tuesday, May 17, by Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian and Una Osili, director of research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The Webinar is hosted by the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning (PPP).

Identifying Your Donor’s Empathy Type Can Help with Gift Conversations

There are two different kinds of empathy, and identifying the type that is more prevalent in a particular donor can help when it comes to your gift conversations. That's the conclusion of new research presented at a session moderated by Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian at last year's annual symposium on philanthropy at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Wealthiest Women Cite More Reasons to Give; One-Size-Fits-All Marketing Does Not Work

New research shows that the wealthiest women cite more and different reasons for giving to charity but also that high-net-worth women and men are more alike than the general population in their philanthropy. The 2015 study from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University also found that one-size-fits-all fundraising programs are inadvisable for nonprofits.

While Women Are More Altruistic, Egoism Plays Important Role in Giving

Women are more motivated to give to charity by altruism and by trust in an organization, according to new research presented at a symposium panel moderated by Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian. While the research applies to outright gifts, it lines up well with previous research on planned gifts and on women in philanthropy.

Understanding Motives of Volunteers May Help with the Ask for Planned Gifts

Like many nonprofits, you likely have a plan to approach some of your organization's volunteers to ask them for planned gifts. A recent panel discussion on research moderated by Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian included information that could be useful in tailoring that conversation: research on the motivations of volunteers, including whether they are motivated primarily to help others or motivated by receiving some type of benefit.

Pentera CEO Claudine Donikian to Moderate Session on Motivations of Donors

Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian will be moderating what should be a fascinating session on the latest research on the motivations of donors at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy's annual symposium Oct. 30.

Groundbreaking Research on Donors to Be Presented at NCPP

You are soliciting a very targeted audience for planned gifts, of course, but most planned giving research has not focused on that audience. Now there is research that is truly relevant: a new study on the characteristics and behavior of actual donors will be presented at NCPP 2015 in a session with Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian.

Bequests Lead the Way as Giving Reaches New High

Giving in the U.S. hit a record high last year - $358 billion - and the news for planned giving was especially good, with bequests increasing more than any other category, according to the just-released Giving USA report.

New Study Predicts Growth in Charitable Giving

The nonprofit sector "continues on the road to recovery," with growth in charitable giving of just under 5 percent predicted for both this year and next, according to brand new research from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Giving by estates - which makes up the bulk of planned gifts - is expected to do particularly well in 2016.

More Wealthy Donors Give, and More Rely on Nonprofits

More wealthy donors than ever are giving to charity, and those donors are relying more and more on nonprofit personnel (including planned giving professionals)—consulting with them more than they do with accountants or attorneys.

Women Who Are Young, Single, and Not Religious Are Especially Generous

Young, single women with no religious affiliation were found to be more generous than expected in the newly published Women Give 2014, the latest in a series of research studies about women in philanthropy.

Women Are More Likely to Use Philanthropic Networks

Research shows that women are more likely than men to use philanthropic networks when making charitable decisions, and they give more when they do. Thus it behooves planned gift officers to connect women prospects with women donors who are already in philanthropic networks—and some nonprofits are forming their own women’s councils in order to do so.

Women Donors Care More About Personal Experience with a Charity

One of the key ways that women donors think and act differently from their male counterparts is that women donors care more about personal experience with an organization when making philanthropic decisions.

New Study Profiles Legacy Society Members

The findings of a new study profiling legacy society members will be presented by Pentera and Indiana University Oct. 16 at the National Conference on Philanthropic Planning.

3 Key Ways That Women Donors Are Different from Men

New research in the last few years makes it clear that women donors think and act differently from their male counterparts. Not surprisingly, the key with women donors is to be “relational”—which includes establishing a meaningful working relationship with her but also means helping her deepen her connections to your cause, to the values behind your cause, and ultimately to your organization.

Bequests Up, Says New Giving USA Report

Good news for planned giving: Bequests are up significantly, according to one of the most notable findings in the recently released Giving USA report. Giving by bequest increased 8.7 percent (7.2 percent adjusted for inflation) from 2012 to 2013—by far the largest percentage increase in any sector.

Should You Market to Younger or Older or Both?

You’ve heard about one groundbreaking study that says to market bequests to those aged 40-60. Then another groundbreaking study comes out more recently saying that most of those who make charitable estate gifts add them in their 70s and 80s, within five years of death. And you’re left scratching your head.… Which strategy is best? Yes, it is confusing! But the solution is simple: It turns out that both studies are right and you should follow exactly what Pentera has been advising clients to do for years.

New Study Shows How to Teach Children to Be Charitable

Almost 90 percent of American children give to charity at least occasionally, and the best way parents can raise charitable children is to talk directly with them about it. Those are key findings from the latest Women Give study.