The Real Reason Donors Aren’t Making Planned Gifts, and What To Do About It
Helen Zou and Patrick Schmitt
“Scary. Complicated. Expensive.” This is what donors say about estate planning today. Many donors are interested in giving to charities through planned gifts, and yet fewer than 5.7% of Americans have actually left a charitable gift in their estate plans. With 85% of Americans donating to charities in their lifetimes, clearly there is a missing link. This session will delve into the findings we’ve uncovered interviewing hundreds of donors, attorneys, and nonprofits to understand the common pitfalls that prevent donors from converting intent into action. We will share best practices to help a donor overcome the mental hurdle of estate planning and subsequently increase the likelihood that they will both consider and make a planned gift to boost your development efforts. Additionally, we’ll delve into how you can engage a broader audience with planned giving marketing to help them realize that estate planning (and planned giving) is accessible to all.
Learning Objectives:
1. Examine the planned giving landscape today and what prevents donors from doing their estate plans.
2. Describe ways to make planned giving accessible to a wider range of donors (younger age, lower income, etc.).
3. Develop strategies to encourage older donors to finally take that first step and make their estate plans.
CFRE: Approved for 1 point
CAP: Approved for 1 PACE credit