Planned Giving Marketing & Websites for Nonprofits

Legacy Giving Isn’t About Forms—It’s About Follow-Through Lately, you’ve probably seen the headlines:“Half a million wills created.”“Ten billion dollars committed.” The dashboards are slick. The numbers are impressive. And yet—most of those figures live in a world of promises, not payments. A donor can add your nonprofit to their will today, and yes, that feels like a victory. But here’s the hard truth: you might see that gift in 2045. Or you might never see it at all. That’s not cynicism. That’s planned giving reality. The Difference Between a Form and a Future I respect what the new digital platforms have built. They’ve made will creation accessible, even elegant. That’s a good thing. But a form is only the beginning of a much longer journey. Because what happens after the signature? I once worked with a nonprofit that proudly announced a $5 million “commitment.” Fifteen years later, they discovered the

A few weeks after donating to a youth literacy nonprofit, my friend Elena received a surprising email. It wasn’t the usual automated receipt or slick newsletter, but instead was a short video from a second-grade teacher. In the video, the teacher stood in her colorful classroom, holding up a book. “Hi Anne,” she said with a smile. “Thank you so much for your generous support. Thanks to you, my students were able to take home their very first books this year. You’re helping build lifelong readers. We are so grateful!” That 60-second video made Anne feel seen, appreciated, and deeply connected to the mission, and she became a monthly donor just two weeks later. In an age of digital overload, a heartfelt, personal thank-you video stands out. It fosters emotional connection, boosts donor loyalty, and converts one-time donors into long-term partners. And the best part? It only takes about a

While capital campaigns often focus on immediate fundraising needs, integrating planned giving creates lasting impact. A well-run campaign provides the perfect platform to identify and cultivate legacy donors. By including planned giving language in campaign materials, training staff on legacy conversations, launching a legacy society, and sharing donor stories, organizations can secure both short-term pledges and long-term estate commitments. This dual approach transforms campaigns into meaningful exercises in stewardship that ensure organizational sustainability for generations.