Tired of hearing, “You need planned giving”?
That’s a warning sign. Resisting common sense puts your nonprofit on the fast track to irrelevance.
With only 5% of this nation’s wealth in hard-to-get cash and 95% in easy-to-access assets, the time for planned giving is now.
“But we need the cash right away!” Sound familiar? Many fundraisers said the same thing 10 years ago—and even then, it didn’t hold up. Not all planned gifts are deferred, and a solid planned giving program actually increases annual gifts.
If a suspension bridge can be built with a kite, you can build a planned giving program.
Ignoring planned giving is like refusing to accept major gifts because they don’t fit neatly into your annual fundraising calendar. It’s shortsighted. Worse, it tells donors that your organization isn’t thinking ahead—that you’re only concerned about short-term survival rather than long-term impact.
And that’s exactly why planned giving isn’t just an option. It’s a necessity.
Click the link to see a few planned giving myths to consider — and learn why ignoring them puts you at risk of becoming the next Titanic. Then read these 10 reasons you need to pursue planned gifts (and why you need to stop deferring the deferred):
- If you do not accept planned gifts, eventually that “someone else” will steal your cash gifts, too. Why? Because planned gifts are gifts from the heart.
- A typical planned gift is 200 to 300 times the size of a donor’s largest annual gift.
- Planned gifts do not affect your donors’ cash flow. They’re easy to give and to receive.
- Donors are eager to make a planned gift but simply don’t know how.
- Donors making gifts through their wills typically increase their annual support. Why? Because they’ve made you part of their family.
- Anyone can make a planned gift; it’s easy and it works.
- Even a small planned giving programs gives you legitimacy and credibility.
- It gives you trust.
- It shows the public that you’re serious..
- It makes you sustainable.
The Intersection of Trust, Authority, and Career Growth
Planned giving does more than bring in larger gifts. It builds trust, credibility, and authority—not just for your nonprofit, but for you as a professional.
Think about it. Every serious institution—whether it’s a university, hospital, or national nonprofit—has a planned giving program. Why? Because real organizations think long-term.
If your nonprofit isn’t engaging in planned giving, it sends the wrong message:
- It suggests financial instability.
- It signals a lack of strategic vision.
- It makes major donors question whether their contributions will be stewarded wisely.
This matters because high-net-worth donors don’t give to organizations they don’t trust. And nothing builds trust more than showing that you’ve planned for the future.
For fundraisers, trust isn’t just about securing gifts. It’s about career credibility. If you want to move up in the industry—to land bigger roles at well-respected institutions—you need to demonstrate that you understand long-term philanthropy. Knowing how to manage a planned giving program makes you more valuable, not just to your current employer, but to your entire career trajectory.
Planned Giving Secures Your Nonprofit’s Future
The nonprofits that thrive over decades are the ones that understand how money really moves. It doesn’t come from bake sales, it doesn’t come from social media buzz, and it doesn’t even come from annual giving campaigns.
It comes from assets—real estate, stocks, retirement funds, and estate plans.
And here’s the harsh reality: If your nonprofit isn’t prepared to accept these gifts, another organization will be. Donors who leave gifts in their wills want to support causes they care about—but if your organization doesn’t offer an easy way to make a planned gift, they’ll simply move on to a nonprofit that does.
Planned giving is a win-win: It allows donors to leave a legacy, and it ensures your nonprofit has the resources to continue its mission for generations to come.
10 Reasons Why You Need Planned Giving Right Now
1. If You Don’t Accept Planned Gifts, Someone Else Will
It’s that simple. Donors don’t spend years agonizing over where to leave their legacy. If they approach your nonprofit about a planned gift and you hesitate or lack a structured program, they’ll move on.
Once they’ve committed their gift to another nonprofit, you won’t get a second chance.
2. Planned Gifts Are 200 to 300 Times the Size of a Donor’s Largest Annual Gift
Planned giving isn’t just about getting gifts; it’s about getting transformational gifts.
A donor who gives $1,000 annually might leave a $250,000 bequest. A donor who contributes $5,000 each year might leave $1 million in real estate. These are numbers that change the trajectory of an organization.
3. Planned Gifts Do Not Affect a Donor’s Cash Flow
Unlike annual gifts, which require donors to part with their money immediately, planned gifts allow donors to contribute without impacting their current lifestyle.
This is a game-changer. When donors realize they can make a significant impact without touching their bank accounts, they are far more likely to give.
4. Donors Want to Make a Planned Gift—They Just Don’t Know How
One of the biggest myths in fundraising is that donors aren’t interested in planned giving. The truth?
Most donors simply don’t know how it works.
They don’t realize they can leave a bequest without rewriting their will. They don’t know they can donate stock or name your nonprofit as a beneficiary of their retirement account.
If you’re not educating them, no one else will.
5. Donors Who Make Bequests Typically Increase Their Annual Support
When a donor makes a planned gift, it changes their psychological relationship with your nonprofit.
They’re no longer just a supporter—they’re invested. They’ve made you part of their legacy.
And that means they’re more likely to increase their current giving, because now they see your nonprofit as an extension of their personal values.
6. Anyone Can Make a Planned Gift
Many nonprofits assume that planned giving is only for ultra-wealthy donors. This is completely false.
Most planned gifts come from everyday donors—middle-class individuals who care deeply about your mission but don’t have large amounts of disposable income.
These donors might not be able to write a $10,000 check today, but they can easily leave a portion of their estate to your nonprofit.
7. Even a Small Planned Giving Program Boosts Your Credibility
A planned giving program isn’t just about securing gifts—it’s about showing the world that your organization is serious.
It tells donors, board members, and stakeholders that you have a strategic financial plan. That you’re not just focused on the next fiscal year, but on the next 50 years.
8. Planned Giving Builds Trust
Trust is the foundation of fundraising. If donors don’t trust you, they won’t give—period.
Planned giving signals that your nonprofit is stable, reliable, and built for the long haul.
9. It Shows the Public That You’re Serious
Donors don’t give to nonprofits that look like they might disappear in five years. A planned giving program tells the world: We’re here to stay.
It reassures donors that their gift will be used wisely and that their legacy will be honored.
10. Planned Giving Makes You Sustainable
Without planned gifts, your nonprofit is stuck on the fundraising treadmill—constantly scrambling for the next check, the next campaign, the next donor event.
With planned giving, you’re not just surviving. You’re building an endowment. You’re securing major gifts that allow you to plan years ahead, rather than living fundraiser to fundraiser.
The Bottom Line
Planned giving isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.
It’s what separates serious nonprofits from those that are constantly struggling to stay afloat.
And it’s what separates serious fundraisers from those who are just checking boxes.
If you want to build trust, grow your career, and ensure your nonprofit thrives for decades to come, the time to act is now.
