Category: Planned Giving Marketing

Year-end gifts usually make up the bulk of most nonprofits’ yearly cash donations (about 31% in December; 12% in the last three days of the year). Which is why it literally pays to keep your donors up-to-date on tax-law changes. Now, more than ever, helping your donors stay up to date with their tax planning can have huge year-end fundraising benefits for your non-profit.

When charities refuse to accept donations of life insurance, they miss out on a multi-trillion-dollar asset class and a valuable alternative to cash gifts. Likewise, when policyholders surrender or sell their insurance policies, they often miss out on the opportunity to support charities that they care about.

Do you have an estate plan? Many people think estate planning is unnecessarily complicated – but it doesn’t need to be. A qualified estate attorney or easily accessible online tools can help you create a will that will make things easier on your heirs and ensure that your wishes are known to those who follow you.

Not so long ago, the outlook for fundraising reflected the sunny optimism of the overall economy.  Our donors had secure, well-paying jobs (often two per household); the value of their McMansions and vacation condos was projected to follow an endless upward arc; and when they opened their retirement-plan statements, the ending balance was always gratifyingly larger than the previous month’s.

Today, fundraisers are faced with a battery of e-marketing tools. They are tempted to put their hands on everything they can get. “I can contact 2000 prospects with the push of a send key. And it’s cheap!” Well, not quite that cheap. Too much reliance on fundraising technology can hurt your development program. That’s why you need to focus on human-centered fundraising!

Studies consistently show that businesses using video marketing have phenomenally increased their lead generation. Your nonprofit can enjoy the same success by using video to market your planned and major gifts programs. Here’s why a nonprofit video marketing program is so important for your fundraising efforts.

If you feel your prospects are “really different,” chances are you’re hanging out with a few sophisticated (and detail-oriented) donors and making assumptions about the rest. My hunch is that you are alienating a majority with financial advice and high-brow messaging. Most donor prospects want simple, down-to-earth messaging that makes them want to get involved with your nonprofit!