Q: Why were the Standards developed?

A: Successful gift planning programs can weather changing conditions and yield long-term benefits for donors and charitable organizations. The National Standards for Gift Planning Success describe the fundamental best practices of a well-constructed, sustainable gift planning effort.

Q: How were the standards developed?

A: A task force of gift planners with experience in a wide variety of gift planning programs drafted the standards. They were refined by the CGP Leadership Institute and other volunteer leaders who have many years of experience as fundraisers, charitable planners and managers of gift planning programs.

Q: How are the standards organized?

A: There are sixteen standards divided into three general categories. Each standard includes a statement of the best practice, a set of indicators that show the practice is in operation and links to resources that support development of the best practice. Three assessment surveys allow organizations to compare their programs to the best practices and locate resources to help with areas that need to be strengthened.

Q: Can gift planning really be “standardized?”

A: Every relationship with a donor is unique. Those relationships are supported by an infrastructure of plans, policies, resources and values that emphasize lifetime giving and not just the annual bottom line. NSGPS helps organizations build that infrastructure. 

Q: The standards are numbered—are they really sequential?

A: For organizations starting a new gift planning program, the standards are sequential. They should be addressed in order to build readiness. Organizations with an existing program can use the NSGPS Assessments to identify areas they need to strengthen.

Q: Are the standards just for larger organizations?

A: NSGPS describes the fundamentals for programs of all sizes. Whether the budget is large or small, organizations that want to accept planned gifts need to consider all the areas described in the standards.
 

Q: What kind of help is available for organizations that want to implement the standards?

A: CGP offers resources and training to support all the standards. Some resources are available to the public and many are collected in CGP Link, a member community. New resources are added continually. We encourage gift planners to join CGP to gain access to the widest selection of resources.

Q: Who can I contact with questions or suggestions about the National Standards for Gift Planning Success?

A: Send queries and ideas to the CGP staff at nsgps@charitablegiftplanners.org. We are also collecting models to show how NSGPS is applied by various organizations. Please contribute policies, marketing messages, donor stories, case statements, training materials and anything else that shows best practices in operation.

Checklist

  The organization formally endorses the Donor Bill of Rights and CGP Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner

  All fundraisers receive training on planned gift tools and techniques and ethical issues at least quarterly

  Donor-focused information about gift planning opportunities is included on the organization’s web site and in print materials 

  Internal resources (staff, web site, mailings, gift illustration software etc.) and external resources (technical advisors) are available to answer donor questions

Tools

  FREE How to Train Your DO: Deploy an Army of Skilled Gift Planners (Katherine Kotlzrczyk)

  Training Boot Camp (Alexandria Brovey)

  Model Standards of Practice for the Charitable Gift Planner (National Association of Charitable Gift Planners)

  Donor Bill of Rights (Association of Fundraising Professionals)

Checklist

  The organization tracks retention for all donors and reviews statistics annually and for a 10-year period

  The organization tracks Legacy Society members as a group and reports data on their giving and engagement annually 

  The organization seeks feedback from donors regularly to understand communication preferences and solicit feedback 

Tools

  FREE Donor Insights: Why Planned Gifts Remain Secret (Katherine Kotlarczyk and Gordon Trafton)

  Donor Retention: What Do We Know and What Can We Do About It? (Adrian Sargeant)

  Commission on the Donor Experience Studies (Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration)

  Leaving a Legacy: A New Look at Planned Giving Donors (Giving USA Special Report) 

Checklist

  The organization has a calendar for marketing that coordinates messaging across organizational units

  All planned gift marketing messages (including acknowledgments, thank yous, welcome kits, appeals, newsletters, web pages, etc.) are audited in conjunction with the organization’s overall marketing calendar at least annually for consistency and currency of message and branding

  Profiles of planned gift donors are included in web and print marketing

Tools

  FREE Moving from Tactics to Strategy: Finding the Secret Sauce for Your Gift Planning Marketing (Kathryn Miree)

  Visualized Autobiography and Donor Stories: Good for Your Donors, Good for Your Organization (Elissa Leif)

  Getting the Most ROI from Your Planned Giving Marketing Investment (Phyllis Freedman)

  The Coming Gift Boom and The Art of Integrated Marketing (Andrew Ragone)

  Developing a Proactive Planned Giving Marketing Plan (Timothy Logan)

Checklist

  The organization has a stewardship plan that specifies the touches donors at various levels receive and who is responsible

  Stewardship activities are included in fundraiser performance metrics

  The organization has a clear process to connect donors to engagement opportunities

  All donors receive personalized communication  describing the impact of their gift at least annually

Tools

 FREE Ready, Set, Go -- Reaching New Heights with Your Legacy Society (Alison O’Carroll and Sara Elward)

 Unleashing Planned Gift Stewardship (Scott Lumpkin) 

 Attracting More Donors with Honey: Sweet Rewards from Good Stewardship (Charlotte Meyer)

  If You Build It They Will Commit: Mining Your Loyal Donor Pool for Bequest Fundraising and More (Liz Thompson and Aleksandra Stankovic—on-demand webinar)

  Sample Stewardship Plan--Lincoln Park Zoo 

  Best Practices in Donor Reporting (ADRP/AASP)