The natural experiment forced on us by COVID-19 has pushed everyone to pivot and think differently. The planned giving world was no exception. Here’s how the recent past can direct our fundraising future. Continue reading The Real Impact of 2020 on Fundraising: What We Lost, What We Gained
Most donors aren’t telling us if they’ve made a planned gift (according to a 2019 Giving USA study, fewer than 40% of legacy givers informed the nonprofit). Here we propose and solve for a key reason why: We’re not asking them! Continue reading This 1 Thing Encourages Donors to Tell You About Their Planned Gift
Recently, I read a Q&A with Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin, in Delta’s Sky magazine. (Work travels.) Something he said stuck with me. Continue reading The 1 Mistake (You Can Avoid) That Can Kill a Planned Gift Prospect
How long have you been in planned giving? Think back, say 15-20 years, and you may remember taking a more traditional path to cultivating prospects’ and donor’s planned gifts. Continue reading What Are You Doing to Connect with Your Self-Directed Donor?
With every marketing piece that we encounter—an email on our phone, an envelope in our mailbox, a post on our Facebook wall—we ask, Is this worth my time? The fact that you’re reading these words implies that you likely did all the following: Opened an email or stumbled upon a social media post from TheContinue reading How to Make Them Care: Inspire Donors Through Storytelling
The season of giving and receiving is here. Instead of wrapped gifts and glad tidings, however, let’s reflect on the season in a way that speaks to our business. The reciprocal nature of giving and receiving with donors, of building relationships with them that last throughout every season and through the years. The Fundraising EffectivenessContinue reading The 3 Things Your Donors Really Want
We’ve all heard the phrase, ”Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!” The meaning behind this old saying: Don’t put all your efforts into one thing because you could lose everything else—and be left with nothing altogether. The same logic applies to fundraising. While we at Stelter spend majority of our time in theContinue reading How to Fill Your Baskets with Funding Support
Have you heard? The kindness is catching, and it’s going global. Knowing you, my planned giving friends, you’re already committing random acts of kindness daily. It’s who you are and what you’re inclined to do, especially in the realm of nonprofit work. The good news is that we’re taking it to the streets: World KindnessContinue reading 3 Ways to Thank Your Supporters on World Kindness Day
Let’s face it, planned giving has a spooky side. As fundraisers, you may have your share of nonprofit horror stories. But being prepared, makes things a whole lot less scary. SCARY TRUTHS OF PLANNED GIVING Gift planning isn’t easy, and it can be confusing. Bequests, CGAs, DAFs—these acronyms can overwhelm your donors. That’s why you’reContinue reading Scary Truths About Planned Giving
“It’s not personal. It’s strictly business.” The person who coined this phrase must not have been referring to nonprofit work. As I see it, if we are to continue “doing business” successfully for our nonprofits then we have to make it more personal, especially in how we connect with donors and supporters. Today, it’s notContinue reading Dear Sir/Madam: Your Marketing Needs to Be More Personal
Today we welcome back a special guest to the blog: Stelter’s Senior Technical Consultant Lynn Gaumer, J.D. Lynn returns to share 3 ways you can grow your CGA program. One of the key takeaways from the American Council on Gift Annuities Conference held earlier this year was that rapidly growing planned giving programs shifted fromContinue reading 3 Tips to Grow Your Charitable Gift Annuity Program
I’ve been thinking about two stats all week: Only 22 percent of Americans over the age of 30 say they’ve been asked for a planned gift. (Stelter Donor Insight Report: Donors On the Move) An estimated $59 trillion in wealth, with $6.3 trillion in charitable bequests, will be transferred through 100 million estates from 2007-2061.Continue reading Inexpensive Ways to Promote Your Planned Giving Program
Recently, we were lucky enough to have Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® join us for our webinar series. He shared his latest research in our webinar Why Cash Is Not King In Fundraising: Results From 1 Million Nonprofit Tax Returns. He uncovered the secret to fundraising growth—and it’s not cash. 3 Things to Think AboutContinue reading This is the Secret to Fundraising Growth
How do you capture the attention of your donors in a world crowded with marketing messages? Writing marketing materials that resonate with your donors is not an easy feat. Whether these messages are print or digital, the challenge and competition remain great. To help you, we’ve compiled some pointers from our editorial team at Stelter.Continue reading 10 Tips to Write Better Marketing Materials
Stewardship is the reason people give. It’s often a buzzword in our industry. But how exactly should you steward your donors? Cultivate strong donor relationships by showing— and telling—your donors how much your organization values them and the impact they are making. A handwritten note still goes a long way, but many nonprofits are lookingContinue reading How to Steward Your Donors
