Your most loyal donors are thinking about their legacy. Is your organization ready for that conversation?
Most organizations avoid Planned Giving conversations because they feel presumptuous or premature. That avoidance is costly. Donors who have given loyally for years are often already thinking about the legacy they want to leave, and they are waiting for an organization they trust to open the door. Steven approaches Planned Giving conversations with the patience and care the subject deserves, helping organizations build the kind of relationships that lead donors to include them in their estate plans naturally, not because they were pushed.
Steven reviews the organization's existing donor base to identify which donors show the strongest signals of legacy giving potential, looking at long tenure, consistent giving, and depth of relationship with the organization rather than gift size alone.
Steven prepares the organization and its staff to open Planned Giving conversations in a way that feels natural and respectful, providing the framing, timing guidance, and language that makes these discussions feel like a logical extension of an existing relationship.
Steven ensures donors have access to the clear, simple language they need to include a bequest in their estate plans, and helps the organization understand its role in that process without overstepping the boundaries of the donor relationship.
Steven builds a stewardship program that acknowledges, recognizes, and maintains relationships with donors who have made or indicated a planned gift, ensuring they feel connected to the organization's mission for the rest of their lives.
Steven trains board members and staff on how to talk about Planned Giving comfortably, how to respond to donor questions, and how to create an organizational culture where these conversations are welcomed rather than avoided. Just to be clear — these conversations are not suited for everybody.
The engagement concludes with a complete set of program documentation including policies, gift acceptance guidelines, and a donor recognition framework, giving the organization everything it needs to sustain the Planned Giving program independently.
Steven reviews the donor file to identify which individuals show the strongest signals of legacy intent, looking at giving tenure, frequency, and depth of organizational connection rather than recent gift size alone.
Steven helps the organization approach Planned Giving conversations with the right framing, timing, and tone so that donors feel honoured by the ask rather than solicited, and the relationship is strengthened rather than complicated by the discussion.
Once intent is expressed, Steven guides the organization through confirming the gift, providing appropriate bequest language, recording the commitment accurately, and ensuring everything is in place to honour the gift when the time comes. Legal and professional advice is always sought when writing up agreements.
Steven establishes the stewardship practices that keep legacy donors connected to the mission for the rest of their lives, communicating impact, expressing gratitude, and ensuring the relationship remains meaningful long after the gift is confirmed.
A planned gift is a charitable contribution that a donor arranges during their lifetime but that is typically received by the organization in the future, most often through an estate. The most common form is a bequest, where a donor includes the organization in their will. Other forms include beneficiary designations on registered accounts or life insurance policies, and charitable remainder trusts. Unlike an annual gift or a major gift, a planned gift is not about what a donor can give today. It is about the legacy they want to leave and the organizations they want to carry that legacy forward.
For most staff and board members, the Planned Giving conversation feels awkward to initiate, and that discomfort causes organizations to avoid it far longer than they should. The reality is that donors who have given loyally for years are rarely surprised by the conversation. Most of them have already thought about it. What they need is for someone they trust to open the door with care and without pressure. Steven's approach focuses on listening first, asking about what the donor values and what they hope their giving will accomplish over time. That kind of conversation almost always lands well, and it is the foundation every Planned Giving relationship is built on.
"Outsourcing our major gift program felt like a risk. It turned out to be the most cost-effective fundraising decision we've ever made. Steven treated our donors like he'd known them for years."
Every engagement starts with a free, no-obligation conversation. Bring your goals, your timeline, and your questions.
