Cultivate Small Gifts and They Multiply

Joe Schmoe dies and leaves a million dollars to a college that has never heard of him: He didn’t attend, wasn’t a sports booster, didn’t use the library.… But he lived in the college town all his life, and neighbors say he used to walk his dog around the campus perimeter.

Donor Stewardship: More Than Thank You Notes

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines stewardship as “the office, duties, and obligations of a steward” and “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care ”

Turning Obstacles into Golden Opportunities

Most planned giving professionals frequently face obstacles in pursuit of their goals. For instance, a long-time donor may fail to properly execute his or her will before death; family members may dispute a donor’s charitable bequest; a loyal donor may suddenly stop supporting your organization, and so on.

The Autobiographical Connection - Why Your Donors' Life Stories Matter

MRI studies show a visible brain response between donor recollections of their life stories and their willingness to engage in charitable bequest giving, according to Russell James III, JD, PhD, professor at Texas Tech University. What does that mean for planned giving professionals? It means that your focus should be donor-centric. In other words, when soliciting a bequest, or other planned gift, you will want to ask about and listen to your donor’s life story rather than simply communicating the needs of your organization.

Prepare Today for Tomorrow's Donors

In planned giving, like any field, it's smart to anticipate future trends. One trend that planned giving professionals won't want to miss is the upcoming cohort of Generation Y donors. Marketers are paying attention to this group because it numbers over 70 million. These individuals are currently ages 19-36. They are also described as the Millennial Generation or Echo Boomers. Below are things you need to know to prepare now for Generation Y donors.

Ten Key Legacy Dreams to Explore With Your Donors

For planned giving professionals, successful solicitation of potential donors involves more than just uncovering a person’s level of wealth and interest in your organization. It also entails knowing what motivates donors to make meaningful philanthropic gifts.

While it may not show up on the job description, discovering your donors’ legacy dreams is one of your significant planned giving responsibilities. By acquiring such knowledge, you can then better understand how to communicate with donors so as to encourage their heartfelt philanthropic impulse.

Many people may give to the same organization or to similar causes, but they likely have different reasons for doing so. Below are five legacy motivators to explore with donors as they contemplate supporting your organization. We’ll continue this topic with additional legacy dreams in Part II.

Three Secrets Behind Successful Legacy Society Names

While the name of a rose may not change its sweet scent according to Shakespeare, the name you select for your legacy society can significantly impact how donors respond—or fail to respond—to membership invitations. Below are three secrets behind successful legacy society names.

Tips for Getting a "Yes" From Your Planned Giving Prospects

Planned giving professionals understand that extensive time, patience, and effort normally must go into cultivating donor prospects and transforming those relationships into loyal planned giving donors for their charitable institutions. However, that difficult work can be made easier. Below are three essential tips for increasing your chances of arriving at a “Yes” when asking for planned gifts.

How Donor-Centric Is Your Planned Giving Web Site?

In order to create the best user experience for visitors to your planned giving Web site, you must provide prospective donors with much more than simply your organization’s name, brief information on planned gift vehicles, and your contact info. Your site is your virtual storefront window. If you want your donors to become more than casual window shoppers, your site will have to draw them in, provide them with a pleasant experience, and then offer them something of value.