The Power of Planned Giving

Securing a Lasting Legacy for Your Mission

For nonprofit and advocacy organizations, long-term financial sustainability is everything. While annual donations and grant funding are essential, planned giving is the reliable cornerstone—fueling long-term impact and creating a legacy that lasts for generations. As we navigate an era where donors seek deeper, more meaningful ways to support causes they care about, planned giving offers an invaluable opportunity to grow your organization’s future.

What Is Planned Giving?

Planned giving—also known as legacy giving—is a way for individuals to have charitable donations arranged in the present but allocated at a future date, often as part of their will or estate plan. These gifts can take many forms, including:

• Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs): A donor gives a gift in exchange for a lifetime stream of income and the remainder goes to the nonprofit.
• Legacy Gifts / Bequests: Donors name your organization in their will or trust.
• Beneficiary Designations: Donors name your organization as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement account.
• Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): Donors aged 70 ½ or older can make direct transfers from their IRAs to a nonprofit—tax-free.
• Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): Donors recommend grants from their DAF accounts.
• Gifts of Appreciated Securities: Donors give stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, often avoiding capital gains taxes.

Each of these options offers financial or tax benefits to the donor while providing essential support to your mission.

Why Planned Giving Matters

1. Long-Term Stability: Planned gifts help organizations weather economic downturns or funding gaps.
2. Stronger Donor Relationships: These gifts reflect deep, emotional connections to your mission.
3. Bigger Impact: Often, planned gifts are significantly larger than annual gifts.
4. Legacy Building: Donors get to leave a meaningful, lasting footprint in the world.

Marketing Planned Giving: Direct Mail Strategies That Work

Your planned giving program is only as strong as your outreach. Thoughtful, targeted direct mail can be a game-changer for educating and inspiring donors.

Here are some effective ideas for mail pieces:

Quarterly Planned Giving Newsletter

• Content: Includes a personal message from the president or board, organizational updates highlighting impact made possible by legacy gifts, and donor stories to inspire future giving.
• Educational Focus: Each issue features clear, detailed explanations of planned giving options.
• Engagement & Stewardship: Encourages readers to reach out for personalized guidance, offers estate planning tools, and reinforces the value of leaving a lasting legacy.

Charitable Gift Annuity Mailer

• Secure Income for Life: Highlight how donors can receive fixed, guaranteed payments for life while supporting your mission—an attractive option for those in or nearing retirement.
• Dual Benefit Messaging: Emphasize the win-win: part charitable gift, part steady income—with potential tax advantages, including a partial charitable deduction and tax-free income portions.
• Include a Personalized Example: Feature a sample rate chart or donor story (e.g., “At 80, Mary receives 8.1% annually for life after setting up her CGA with us”) to make the benefits tangible and relatable.

“Leave a Legacy” Postcard Campaign

• Front: Beautiful imagery and a bold statement: “What will your legacy be?”
• Back: A short explanation of bequests and a call to action: “Request our free guide to creating your legacy.”

Thank You Letter + Survey with Premium

• Mail to loyal, longtime donors thanking them for their impact and asking if they’ve considered a planned gift. Include a postage-paid response card or QR code for online responses. Include a special gift commemorating the importance and longevity of their support. (Decal, window cling or lapel pin are a few examples.)

Year-End Giving Reminder

• Around November, include a section in your regular appeal encouraging donors to make QCDs or gifts of appreciated securities before December 31 for tax benefits.

Inserts in Gift Acknowledgements

• Small inserts highlighting the different means of legacy giving.

Bringing It All Together

Planned giving isn’t just for major donors—it’s for everyone who believes in your cause. By illuminating the process and showing the real-world impact of these gifts, you can turn goodwill into a sustainable future. Whether through a gift annuity or a simple bequest, every legacy gift is a powerful statement: “I believe in this mission enough to make it part of my life story.”

Now is the perfect time to plant the seeds for tomorrow. With the right tools, stories, and strategies, your organization can build a legacy that grows for generations.

Want help drafting a planned giving mailer? We’d be happy to assist—just say the word!