Power in Telling “Why?”: The benefits of encouraging donors to create an ethical will or donor legacy statement
Especially for Planned Giving Professionals:
Planned giving professionals share hallowed space in their relationships with donors, often privy to insightful stories, thoughtful reflections and conclusions that few others may hear. It is information that is often fascinating and potentially very impactful, but its value is unrealized when it is captured only by jottings buried in your files. There is tremendous value – for the donor, their families and heirs, the institution and beneficiaries – in finding an avenue for articulating and sharing the back-story of WHY the gift was given, and planned giving officers are in a uniquely advantaged position to provide the encouragement and the tools for doing so. In this class you will:
- Understand the history and parameters of ethical wills and donor legacy statements
- Appreciate your privileged position as gatherers of stories, values, visions and important information
- Consider the value of helping donors capture some of those thoughts and feelings in an ethical will or donor legacy statement: the value to your institution, to the donor, to their heirs and to the beneficiaries
- Weigh the idea of creating such a document (or recording) in-house, as an especially meaningful gift of appreciation for major donors
Class given monthly, 4:00 – 5:00 EST. Next date below. Please register by midnight the day before. We’ll be in touch with you personally to provide instructions about how to join the conversation.
“Yours was one of the most creative presentations we have had at PGGNE (Planned Giving Group of New England) in my opinion and very helpful in looking at donors as people and not dollar signs.” Donna Laconti, NEADS
