Making the Planned Giving Ask Part 2: Why Ask?

Making the Planned Giving Ask Part 2: Why Ask?

The majority of planned gifts are received by non-profit organizations through bequests, and most of them are a complete surprise to the nonprofit!

Asking for a planned gift brings value to the donor and the non-profit in many ways. Here are just a few:

1. Thinking Through Legacy: Having this discussion will help the donor think through how they would like their resources to be used. It is not just about how they can help your non-profit, it also helps them clarify how their family will be taken care of as well. 
2. Clarifies Impact: A planned giving conversation helps the donor think through what part of your mission they would like to impact while allowing you to talk about organizational priorities. Ask open-ended questions: what of our programs means the most to you? What area of our mission would like to see improved?
3. A Window into Donor Priorities: This conversation gives you a window into how your core donors view your organization and what they view as priorities. If multiple planned giving conversations focus on priorities that are not in your strategic plan, it could be time to redo your plan.
4. Stewardship: This conversation allows you to steward a planned gift donor because you know more about who they are and what they value. (See a future blog of why I think it is important to treat a planned giving donor like a major donor.) Also, this gives your organization the ability to have a sense of the planned giving landscape.

The key is listening to the donor and understanding who they are and what is important to them. Then, you can match what is important to them to your organization’s priorities. That match is the key to a happy donor and a happy organization!