Still Putting Off Planned Giving? ? Pride Philanthropy Blog -

One need not look very far to find a development program with a planned giving effort not yet up to speed. Many reasons are cited: We?re in a capital campaign, we don?t have enough staff, or I just don?t know enough about it. The greatest opportunities appear to be found in the small shop.

Here are a few steps you can take now, to launch or advance your planned giving effort.

1. Use your governance process to identify, recruit, and actively engage the top two or three financial advisors in your community. Enlist them to support your planned giving effort, beginning with the recruitment of a strong committee of their colleagues.

2. Identify your long-term donors ? individuals who have supported your organization year in and year out ? and reach out to them with a periodic educational offering, or the opportunity to opt-in to a special estate planning newsletter.

3. Add a brief and simple estate planning message to all of your communication. Remind your current donors that you accept planned gifts.

4. Create a ?heritage society? or similar donor recognition program, enabling you to thanks and recognize the planned giver?s generous intent during their lifetime; building awareness, and encouraging others to join them.

5. Include a regular planned giving feature in your monthly e-letter or quarterly newsletter. It need not be long or complicated. Give a by-line to your volunteer committee members.

6. Stay focused on wills. While other charitable estate planning vehicles might be more exciting, remember that most of your planned gifts will come in the form of a simple bequest. Remind your constituents why they need a will, what happens if they don?t have one, and how easy it is to include their favorite charity.

You can start and sustain a planned giving program in your small shop. Stop putting it off. You can?t afford to wait.

T. Christian Rollins, MBA, CFRE
Executive Vice President

Source: http://www.pridephilanthropy.com/blog/2012/02/06/still-putting-off-planned-giving/

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