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Fundraisers: Why Mark 2029 on Your Calendar? (Hint: Planned Giving)

Posted on  January 23, 2018
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Some things are worth repeating. In 2017 I shared a statistic that I believe should be on the minds of all fundraisers, particularly those seeking planned gifts. The Census Bureau projects that by:

2029

there will be

61.1M Baby Boomers

It so happens that according to this article, Just How Many Baby Boomers Are There?

2029 is the year that the youngest Baby Boomers turn 65

Oh, and it’s important to note that 20% of women age 51-56 never had children of their own.

What’s a fundraiser to do with this information?

If you are just launching or want to bolster your focus on planned giving:

  • Look at the current age ranges of your most loyal donors ( 10+ years of giving, no matter what size the gift),
  • Identify the Boomers, and
  • Begin marketing planned gifts.

FYI planned gift marketing does not have to be complicated. Why? The number one planned gift is still a gift made via a will. You could easily begin marketing by adding these two lines to your annual appeal reply card or envelope:

___ I have included (YOUR NPO) in my will/estate plans

___ Please send me information about ways to include (YOUR NPO) in my will.

If you want to step up marketing various vendors can provide materials: plannedgiving.com, Stetler, The Sharpe Group, and MarketSmart. (FYI none of these vendors are compensating me for sharing their names).

 Wonder whether using a line like this in an appeal really works?

I know of a nonprofit that included a line about bequest giving on their envelope for several years. They were about to give up after no one marked either line, but then they started telling more stories about the impact of gifts. In that year seven couples/individuals identified themselves as planned gift donors.

The lesson?

Don’t just market gifts – share a vision, tell compelling stories (see Tom Ahern’s work or visit Ignited Fundraising if you need assistance), and ask your most loyal donors.

Speaking of stories, please do share your successes, I would be happy to highlight your work in my monthly newsletter or in my blog.

Sophie Penney is the President of i5 Fundraising, you can follow her blog here and sign up for her newsletter here.

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