Starting
a Planned Giving Program
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
President/CEO CAPITALVENTURE SM
According to a variety of experts,
the next fifty years will see the largest intergenerational
transfer of wealth in history. It is anticipated
that $41 trillion will be bequeathed to the next
generation. For charities, the good news is that
$6 trillion is anticipated to be given to charitable
causes. That’s almost 15% of this massive
wealth transfer! So how does your organization
cash in? By starting a planned giving program!
If you aren't already doing planned giving, here
are some tips:
Establish a Planned Giving Committee comprised
of experts in the field-estate planning attorneys,
financial planners, trust officers, insurance
agents, CPAs, etc.
Develop a simple bequest program by asking
on your website, printed materials and email
signatures-"Have you remembered XYZ organization
in your will?" "Would you like information on
making a bequest to XYZ?"
Be sure if you invite people to request information,
that you are prepared to give it to them!
With the help of your planned giving experts
or outside consultant, develop a planned giving
brochure.
Distribute the brochures to attorneys, funeral
directors, and potential donors.
Survey your donors and record their approximate
or actual ages in your software so you can target
planned giving appeals to the correct audience.
Conduct planned giving seminars-approximately
75% of people in the United States do not even
have a will, so a "wills seminar" can be a simple
first step.
Include endowment opportunities in your capital
campaign, offering a variety of planned giving
opportunities to build your endowment.
Have patience-many times the seeds planted
by one development officer may not yield fruit
until many years later, after that person has
left the organization. So, realize that sometimes
you will be the sower and sometimes the reaper
of planned giving efforts!
Do it NOW! If you aren't asking your donors
to consider a planned gift, someone else IS!
If you need help getting your planned giving program
started, contact Capital Venture at info@cvfundraising.com.
Please
contact CAPITALVENTURE sm
for your Capital Campaign needs!
