In planned giving, perhaps more than in any other type of development effort, your focus must be on the donor rather than on the gift. Donors are the heart of your planned giving program.

Have you heard this one? An elderly woman decided to make one large charitable gift this year in December but she was not sure which of three worthy organizations to support. In April, as a test, she sent each organization a $100 contribution. The first organization processed the gift according to its usual standards and the donor received a pre-printed receipt ten days later.

The prospective donor’s first impression of you and your organization is during the initial contact—usually by letter or phone call. The person who makes that first contact is the person to whom the prospect cannot say no. This is often, but not always, a member of the board. The phone call or letter should be personal and warm and also to the point. Whether the letter is from you or a board member, tell the prospective donor who you are (unless you are already acquainted), what you are doing, and what you want.

Endowments and planned gifts are separate concepts that work hand-in-hand for donors and nonprofit organizations. Planned gifts are contributions made as a result of a