Engaging donors in the planned giving journey takes time and strategy. When talking to donors about how they want to leave a legacy, listening to their plans and dreams for the future takes time.
The question becomes: how do you find these people to have these conversations with? That is where the strategy part comes in.
A common group that exists in a non-profit is one of your best places to start: giving circles.
Whether they are called giving circles, giving societies, or giving groups, we will define giving circles as groups of donors that are already committed to your non-profit, give regularly and have been formalized into a cohesive group.
Your giving circle is a perfect group to engage in planned giving discussions. A few reasons why:
Start the legacy conversation with the leaders of your giving circle. Hopefully, the leaders of the giving circle will start the conversation with you and then become your champions with the group. Once you have engaged them, ask for time at their next meeting to discuss leaving a legacy.
This process also allows you to hone your message with a group that is close to you already. Use the stories of these consistent givers to show the importance of leaving a legacy to your larger audience.
Conversations with these core groups, like giving circles, helps build momentum in your planned giving program!
michael@lifelegacy.io
Planned giving doesn’t have to be complicated, but for many nonprofits, it still feels that way. For years, legacy gifts have depended on personal outreach, mailers, and in-person events to keep donors engaged. That approach worked for a while, but times are changing.
For many nonprofits, gifts from long-time supporters over age 70½ represent a vital source of stability and growth. Yet, one of the most powerful giving tools available to this group remains underutilized: the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD).
In one of my first planned giving discussions early in my fundraising career, I faced something I had never considered before. Over lunch, a longtime donor hesitantly told me he had no one to serve as executor of his estate. He had confided in me about the strained relationship with his children and extended family, leaving him with a difficult decision. It was hard for him to talk about, and my job at the moment was, first and foremost, to listen.
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