Fire up your computer and go to the folders where your fundraising collateral and/or mailings are located. Hit ctrl+F to search those folders for the words “planned giving.” Are you finding donor-facing materials that use the term “planned giving”? It’s an ineffective term because most donors don’t know what it means. (Remember that their desire and ability to make a planned gift doesn’t necessarily corelate with deep knowledge about estate planning or tax law!)

Can’t you just see a loyal $100 per year donor—often the best planned-giving prospect  over and above your major donors—sitting in their living room with your brochure thinking, “But I plan all my gifts!”

Help them out by making your planned-giving language more precise.

Replace those “planned giving” references with “will and estate plans” or “legacy giving.” You should also make clear references to “gifts of stock or real estate,” and you are more likely to connect with potential planned-giving donors.

Or if you are finding “will” and “estate plan” everywhere on your collateral, celebrate with your team that you are ahead of the curve. And if you don't yet have a planned-giving society, you can check out this article for six steps to launch a basic planned-giving program.


It’s my goal to help purpose-driven organizations achieve their fundraising goals, craft clear and compelling communications, and achieve greater influence. Please let me know if and how I can be of help to you, feel free to shoot me an email at mgerken@americanphilanthropic.com, or check out our consulting services online at AmericanPhilanthropic.com and ongoing fundraising events throughout the year.