Key Foundational Components for a Strong Planned Giving Program

The word “increase” is a bit of a conundrum. Many nonprofits are being asked to do more (increase) with less (no increase). Your planned giving program is no different. Raising more planned gifts with increasing headcount is not just a recommendation but a requirement.

Planned giving has long been a vital—yet underutilized—source of revenue for nonprofits. Unlike annual donations, which fuel today’s operations, planned gifts create a pipeline of sustainable funding for tomorrow. According to Giving USA, planned gifts account for billions of dollars each year, with bequests alone contributing more than $40 billion in 2023. Yet many nonprofits, even those with strong donor bases, fail to maximize this powerful opportunity.

In today’s increasingly digital world, nonprofits have more tools than ever at their disposal to engage donors and increase impact. But when it comes to planned giving—one of the most meaningful and transformational forms of donor support—many nonprofits are finding themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place: do they partner with a large tech company with little experience in the fundraising world that sees adding a nonprofit vertical as a revenue play, or do they work with a lean, experienced team that has decades of combined fundraising experience and an advanced online estate planning platform?