National Audubon Society
- Digital communications & marketing
- Fundraising ideas
- Nonprofits
- Donor Engagement
- Animal welfare
Planned giving can be a nonprofit organization’s most powerful revenue source. Along with major gifts, these donations make up the largest individual contributions made to nonprofit organizations, providing financial sustainability for the future. Plus, they allow donors to leave a lasting legacy by arranging to support your nonprofit’s purpose beyond their lifetime.
Establishing a bequest program helps your nonprofit organization make the most of planned gifts. Bequests, which are contributions arranged through a supporter’s will or living trust, are the most common planned giving vehicle and the easiest for donors to understand. While other types of planned gifts are also valuable, starting with a bequest program allows your organization to begin cultivating legacy donors and explore other gift opportunities as your program expands.
In this guide, we’ll walk through four simple steps to start a bequest program that streamlines your efforts as you actively pursue these critical funding opportunities.
For your bequest program to be successful, you first need to have the right system in place. Ensure your nonprofit has financial policies in place that ensure compliance and dictate the types of gifts you can receive. These policies include:
Because they have many moving pieces, bequest programs require a team effort. Start by appointing or hiring a planned gifts officer to lead your organization through the research, marketing, and relationship-building process. As your nonprofit organization grows, add to your planned giving team to divide responsibilities among staff members who have skills suited to each role.
Your nonprofit’s board plays a key role in securing bequests. While their main duties are overseeing your hiring plans and approving your marketing budget, they also contribute to the success of your program in many ways. For example:
As you establish your bequest program, ask your nonprofit organization’s board members to approve your plans and solicit their valuable feedback on the program’s direction. Then, if any members show particular interest in legacy giving, contact them individually about making a planned gift or being a bequest program ambassador.
While your board is often a good starting point for cultivating bequests, conducting prospect research maximizes the number of planned donors your organization can reach.
Planned giving prospect research process is similar to major donor prospecting in that you use donor data and specialized research tools to find top candidates. However, identifying the best prospects for your bequest program requires you to examine slightly different data points, including the following:
Once you’ve identified planned giving prospects, group them according to their engagement level and specific interests. Effective donor segmentation will help you prioritize outreach to the best-planned giving candidates and craft personalized communications they’ll be receptive to.
After you’ve identified and segmented your planned giving prospects, begin reaching out to them to inform them about your program. Use these tips for marketing your bequest program effectively:
Once donors have arranged planned gifts for your organization, ask them if they’re willing to provide short testimonials about why they chose to make bequests and what your nonprofit means to them. With their permission, incorporate these firsthand perspectives into your marketing materials to inspire more donors to join your bequest program.
Seeking out bequests is an ongoing process, but having an established program will help your organization make the most of these critical funding opportunities. Add staff members to your planned giving team, evaluate your prospect research process, and track conversion rates from your marketing materials to improve your promotional strategy over time.
Ready to Get Started?
Guide