At almost 8 months into the novel coronavirus pandemic, many of us may be scratching our heads, wondering, “What’s next? When will it end? What do I need to do to keep our nonprofit above water and moving forward with our mission?” Continue reading Latest Research: Planned Giving’s Positive Impact on Annual Giving
While we’ve already rung in the new year, let’s countdown one more time. Here are our most popular webinars of 2019 AND an exclusive sneak peek of our 2020 Webinar Series. Continue reading Top 3 Webinars of 2019… and an Exclusive Look at Our 2020 Lineup!
The president just signed into law the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. The new law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. This legislation marks the most significant changes to retirement security since the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Continue reading Special Update: President Signs New Retirement Plan Legislation into Law
Are you wondering how your nonprofit can promote planned giving this holiday season? Check out our Holiday Marketing Checklist for 10 tips to promote legacy gifts during the holidays. Continue reading 10 Ways to Promote Planned Giving During the Holidays
Take the scare out of planned giving. Here’s how to discuss 5 common donor hesitations and make planned giving a treat to complete. Continue reading Planned Giving Doesn’t Have to Be Scary
Another amazing national conference has come and gone, but the connections and learnings will impact gift planners and their work long after the last person left New Orleans. Continue reading 4 Key Takeaways from CGP 2019–In a Nutshell: Planned Giving Is Alive and Well!
National Volunteer Month is the perfect opportunity to thank your nonprofit’s volunteers. Here are 3 ways to celebrate them this April. Continue reading [FREE IMAGES] How to Make the Most of National Volunteer Month
We all know that a longstanding challenge for planned giving professionals has been to inspire donors to take action—but could estate planning tools help? Continue reading DIY Online Wills: Technology Is Putting Estate Planning Tools in the Hands of Your Donors
Today we welcome back a special guest on the blog: Stelter Senior Technical Consultant, Lynn Gaumer, J.D. Lynn returns to share her insights on promoting, receiving and acknowledging donor advised fund gifts. Donor advised funds date back to the Great Depression, yet they were not actively promoted until the early 1990s when Fidelity established FidelityContinue reading What You Need To Know Now to Promote, Receive and Acknowledge a DAF Gift
A friend of mine, a retired hospice-facility fundraiser, recently made a sizable gift to a local women’s shelter. But she never received an acknowledgment or thank you. She was even told, “No thanks, we’ve got it covered,” when she volunteered to write their thank you notes. Needless to say, she’s hesitant to go any furtherContinue reading How to Cultivate Donor Loyalty: 5 Marketing Tips
Earlier this year, I shared the primary three stages of the donor journey. Today, I’m back with the final two stages. As you may recall, the donor’s journey starts off similarly to the buyer’s journey—but can conclude with two additional destinations: donation and believer. Your nonprofit’s ultimate goal is to help your donors reach theContinue reading What Kind of Donor Journey Are You Delivering?
In her continuing series, we welcome special guest, Stelter Editorial Director, Katie Parker. Marketing is piquing interest, evoking emotion, triggering response. It’s about making something that you do relevant to them (better yet, it’s listening to their needs and answering them with your product). At the core of marketing your service is compelling copy. Here areContinue reading The 5 Questions You MUST Answer in Your Copy
The simple answer is yes. If you haven’t heard already, the donor pyramid that many of us have come to know, has changed—and perhaps is even dead. (R.I.P.) Now, if that’s the case, what kind of journey are donors experiencing today? And, more importantly, how do we engage them? First, let’s cover why the donorContinue reading Is the Donor Pyramid a Thing of the Past?
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
Today we welcome a special guest author to the blog: Cathy R. Sheffield, CAP®, CFRE, CSPG, FCEP, ThinkGiving President and Thompson & Associates Vice President. Cathy is here to share 10 things that you can do right now to start creating your legacy. Cathy is a fundraising executive with 25-years experience, specializing in major gifts and giftContinue reading How to Plant the Seed to Create a Legacy
“A rising tide lifts all boats.” -John F. Kennedy Historically, this phrase was used referring to the economy. Today, I can’t help but apply it to our fundraising world, in that a good outcome—and good information—benefits us all. (This logic is a large part of why we’ve provided our research and webinars free of chargeContinue reading 10 Fundraising Blogs (And a Few Podcasts) You’ll Love
Today we welcome back a special guest on the blog: Stelter Senior Technical Consultant, Lynn Gaumer, J.D. Lynn returns to share her insights on the importance of having a plan for your planned giving marketing program—and not just leaving it to luck. “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.” It’s a common phrase used dailyContinue reading [FREE DOWNLOAD] Don’t Leave Your Planned Giving Program to Luck
You’ve got a planned giving program in place. Check. You’ve amped up your marketing and generated a healthy pipeline of planned gift prospects. Check. Check. But, you soon realize, you’ve also got a board that thinks planned giving is too hard to understand or simply not an organizational priority. They check out whenever the subjectContinue reading If Your Board Is Bored with Planned Giving Try These 5 Reality Checks
We all have a tendency to gravitate toward the latest shiny new thing. Today’s technologies ring a shiny bell? While it’s true that technology has enabled us to target communications with donors and prospects in ways we never thought possible, even a few short years ago, they can overwhelm. Then we throw out the shinyContinue reading How to Meet Your Donors & Prospects Where They Are
New year, new trends. Early on last year, we called out some 2018 planned giving marketing trends. And we’re back to do it again. So, what’s in store for planned giving in 2019? 1. The Donor Journey The idea of a journey is not new, but returning your focus to this simple methodology could be aContinue reading Planned Giving Trends to Watch this Year
Is this the year that it’ll happen, when your planned giving program grows into what you always knew it could—and should—be?
Yes, with a little planning, of course… Continue reading What You Need to Have a Successful Planned Giving Program in 2019
We are back. After a long holiday weekend, recharging with family and friends, I hope you are feeling ready to take on 2019.
Now, I could talk about how yet another year has come and gone all too quickly. I could talk about how much we’ve learned and how our industry has changed over the course of 2018, which is all important. But today, I’d rather show you […] Continue reading Top 3 Webinars of 2018
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
Today we welcome back a special guest on the blog: Stelter’s Senior Technical Consultant, Lynn Gaumer, J.D. Lynn returns to share a special IRA update. When it comes to marketing the IRA charitable rollover, is January the new December? Christopher Hoyt, Professor of Law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, seems toContinue reading What You Need to Know About IRAs Right Now
As each year new year approaches, I like to review the last 12 months: the successes, the learning opportunities and everything in between. Then, I try to determine a theme for that year. When reflecting on 2018, the word “change” comes to mind. Changes in the industry, from tax reforms to charitable gift annuity rates.Continue reading Best of 2018
Last Friday was Black Friday, perhaps you’re familiar with it. It’s a day dedicated to saving money. (As a nonprofit officer you’ve probably made an art of this.) While I stayed out of the stores, it did get me thinking. What are some more ways nonprofits can save? Like where I’m headed? I thought youContinue reading How to Save Your Nonprofit Money with Plannual Giving
Hard to believe we’re two days away from Thanksgiving. Your office chatter, like ours, has probably temporarily turned from planned giving to potlucks. Whether you’re enjoying goodies or tying up plans for Giving Tuesday: Press pause and give thanks to those who support your nonprofit’s works through every season. We’re not talking anything big hereContinue reading [FREE IMAGES] Last-Minute Ways to Thank Your Donors
Today we welcome back a special guest on the blog: Stelter’s Senior Technical Consultant, Lynn Gaumer, J.D. Lynn returns to provide us with steps you can take to collect IRA proceeds. Naming a charity as a beneficiary of an IRA is easy… Collecting the proceeds is harder. Charitable organizations often highlight the ease and flexibilityContinue reading [FREE DOWNLOAD] How to Collect IRA Proceeds
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
This year, Giving Tuesday lands on November 27. Is your calendar marked? More importantly, does your nonprofit have a plan in place? If you’re still in the “planning to plan” phase, don’t sweat. It’s never too late to put together a Giving Tuesday strategy. (That being said, it’s never too early to start organizing aContinue reading How You Can Make the Most of Giving Tuesday
Is mailing in December a nonprofit do or don’t? Traditionally, sending direct mail in December has been viewed as less-than-ideal in the nonprofit industry. The logic behind this was simple. Donors most likely just donated their year-end gifts—not to mention the added financial strain of the holidays. The assumption: No one wants to think aboutContinue reading Why You Need to Hit Your Donor’s Mailbox First Thing in 2019
Did you know that most of us receive over 100 emails a day? With a number like that, getting your donors to read your emails seems like a daunting task. So how can your nonprofit cut through the clutter? We gathered some of Stelter’s experts last week to help us answer this question. Our DigitalContinue reading How to Make Your Donors Want to Read Your Emails
We get a lot of questions about using social media to promote planned giving. “How should we be using it?” “What’s the real opportunity?” We know that fundraising is all about doing more with less. To help you reach your social potential with ease, we’ve compiled some social media do’s and don’ts. Don’t: Create aContinue reading Get Social: A Simple Guide to Improve Your Social Media
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
Ready or not, the end of the year is upon us. With half of nonprofits receiving a majority of their annual donations from October through December, we all know that the months ahead can be the most hectic, challenging and rewarding. We are here to help lighten the load a little this year. Here areContinue reading How to Plan the Most Successful Year-End Campaign Ever
Quick stat: Ninety-one percent of U.S. consumers check their email daily. For nonprofits, this means countless opportunities to connect with “our people” in meaningful ways, through their inbox. Rise above the other 120 emails office folks like you and I receive every day—and reap the rewards—with these 5 tips. 1. Let’s be clear, here. AboveContinue reading How to Make Email Campaigns Work (So They Actually Get Read!)
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
Today we welcome back a special guest to the blog: Stelter’s Senior Technical Consultant Lynn Gaumer, J.D. Lynn returns to share 6 tips to minimize risk to your charitable gift annuity program. The recent increase in the suggested maximum CGA rates is a win for donors and nonprofits. Annuitants will receive a higher percentage ofContinue reading Minimize Risk to Your CGA Program
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
As a nonprofit professional, you know that things are changing all the time, from your board to your budget. But what about your planned giving marketing program? Change is hard. Repeating the same marketing program year after year is the easy, safe choice, but it also makes it difficult for your program to grow. AndContinue reading Change the Plan: How to Refresh Your Planned Giving Program
Today we welcome back a special guest on the blog: Stelter’s Senior Technical Consultant, Lynn Gaumer, J.D. Lynn returns to give us her analysis on Giving USA’s 2018 numbers. Why Now Is the Time to Market Planned Giving Between individual donations, corporate donations, bequests and foundation giving, Americans gave a record $410.02 billion in 2017.Continue reading ‘Giving USA 2018’: Inside the Numbers
Working with my dad, Larry Stelter, has definitely been a unique family experience—one that I wouldn’t change for the world. Growing up, I assumed that everyone worked countless hours and frequently traveled across the country. My dad never slowed down, and still truly hasn’t. When I was younger, I hoped to grow up to beContinue reading 3 Important Things I Learned from My Father, Larry Stelter
A few weeks ago, my brother Jeremy and I met up at the American Council on Gift Annuities Conference in Seattle. Jeremy is Stelter’s director of business development for the Western U.S. and has helped fundraising professionals grow their gift planning programs through research-based marketing strategies for more than 15 years. While together, we talkedContinue reading A Planned Giving Conversation Between Stelter Brothers
Stelter’s senior technical consultant, Lynn Gaumer, J.D., is back to give you an update on the new schedule of CGA rates. The American Council on Gift Annuities has released a new schedule of suggested maximum gift annuity rates for gifts established on or after July 1, 2018. On average, rates will increase from 30 toContinue reading New Charitable Gift Annuity Rates Released
Recently, I was talking with someone who’s been in planned giving for nearly 20 years. She definitely talks the talk and walks the walk, able to expertly adjust her approach and vocabulary to meet any situation—donor appreciation luncheons to industry Q&A panels. She was describing a meeting with a potential donor in which a teamContinue reading 17 PLANNED GIVING TERMS YOUR TEAM SHOULD KNOW
Today we welcome a special guest to the blog: our own Creative Director, Zach Christensen. Zach inspires and provides vision to Stelter’s creative services team, which serves more than 1,500 organizations nationally. He draws on more than 15 years of experience in marketing and design to produce work for Stelter’s most strategic nonprofit brands. InContinue reading [Infographic] Generational Giving: Do They Differ?
With each new year comes a fresh start, whether that be for your physical fitness regime or your planned giving efforts: Use it to your advantage. 2017 was a year of learning, growth and—as always—change. Kickstart 2018, and your planned giving program, with these ideas: 1. Targeting vs. “Spraying and Praying”—Use our research to yourContinue reading Planned Giving Marketing Trends of 2018
