In Part 1 of this series about planned giving, we talked about what planned giving is and why it is important for your congregation. (Re-read Here)
In Part 2 we offered a simple (general market study) survey to distribute in your congregation to get an idea of what (if anything) people are thinking about planned giving. (Re-read here)
In this post, we will identify the first steps to take once you have received feedback from the survey.
- Ask your congregation about planned giving – The Survey (Find the Survey Here)
Start simple to gain an immediate understanding of your congregation’s familiarity with and interest in planned giving.
Key Action Items:
- Identify those who have already created planned gifts for your church – your lead pastor or record keeper may already have this information. There’s a chance that members may have created planned gifts without notifying you.
- Send out the survey.
- Collect and organize survey responses. Immediately reach out to your existing legacy donors to express your thanks. Secondly, create a list of potential donors who expressed interest so that you can begin reaching out to them.
- Designate two leaders for your planned giving program.
It will be difficult to move your legacy gift goals forward and inspire members to reflect on them without a concerted effort led by enthusiastic leaders.
Key Action Items:
- Recruit a staff member or volunteer to help lead your program and raise awareness of planned giving among the congregation. This person does not need to be wealthy, financially sophisticated, or a planned giving expert – they just need to be excited about the benefits that legacy gifts can bring to the church and community.
- Equip them with planned giving tools – brochures, pamphlets, etc. Encourage your legacy leaders to learn more about planned giving with reputable resources and/or denominational recommendations.
- Offer planned giving forums or small group house gatherings at least twice a year. Identify and personally invite planned giving prospects to attend.
- Investigate how to incorporate planned giving into your website.
To make planned giving an effective long-term practice for your church, it needs to be incorporated into the central resources and places that the community looks for information – starting with your website.
Key Action Items:
- Add information about planned giving to your website’s “Donate” or “Give a Gift” page. If you are using specific resources to help facilitate bequest decisions, directly link to the tool to make the step as easy as possible.
- Consider creating a standalone web page or set of web pages to more thoroughly explain your planned giving opportunities, why these gifts matter, and how they work. These planned giving website additions can become the go-to resource that anchors your program.
With these essentials in place – a foundational understanding of your community’s interest, leaders to oversee the program, and helpful, easily accessible tools – you’ll have everything you need to get your program off the ground.
Begin reaching out to potential legacy donors to discuss this way of giving and its benefits. Add planned giving to your communications. Ask any existing planned gift donors if you can use their endorsement to help spread the word.
Remember the mustard seed – with faith and care, you can start small and grow a thriving program that will support your church and empower you to do more of God’s good work.
John V. Clark, President/Partner
The James Company
(815) 353-8997
Email: jclark@jamescompany.com
Recent Comments