Key Foundational Components for a Strong Planned Giving Program

A strong, intentional, planned giving program takes work. Building the foundation for that work is the first step in creating a planned giving component to your fundraising strategy.

Like building a house, when you have a strong foundation, something great can grow. Without it, the possibility of things falling through the cracks increases exponentially. 

Here are a few key components to building a planned giving program that will grow over time:

1.  A fully implemented and clean database: Your database is the lifeblood of your organization. Spend time cleaning your database to ensure that you have valid addresses and emails.
2.  An up-to-date website and consistent social media presence: The public face of your organization is your website and social media presence. Consistent messaging helps educate donors and potential donors about the work you do.
3.  An annual giving program with a cadre of individual donors to reach out to: Annual givers, especially those who have given for multiple years, are the ideal group to begin the planned giving discussion with. This group should receive regular communication about planned giving.

When you have the above three components, the stage is set for a strong, planned giving program. Your foundation is there, and the rest of the house is ready to be built!