An Argument Against Asking Donors to Provide Proof That They Left Your Organization in Their Estate Plan

So you did some great marketing and you met with a bunch of folks. You did your job well and 5 (…or 50… or 500) people said that they left your organization in their estate plan.
Next step: Confirm it?
I’m not so sure. Why not spend more time doing the following and less time trying to “confirm” the gift?

• Meet with the donor
• Bleed, from the bottom of your heart, with appreciation for their very thoughtful gift intention
• Learn about the donor’s story so you can understand why they planned a gift (people like to be heard)
• Write personal, heartfelt letters to the donor from time to time
• Continually prove to the donor that he or she made the right choice because the organization and its leadership has a solid plan for the future
• Reemphasize that the donor made a wise investment decision because the money will be managed well to help others in the future
• Remind the donor that their gift will help them continue to live on even after they are gone
• Provide the donor with opportunities to get deeply engaged with the organization
• Make sure the rest of the donor’s family understands the decision so they won’t contest it later

And most of all, see if you can increase the size of the gift!
I guess I’m saying that gift intentions are nice. But that’s the beginning of the process, not the end. And, it really doesn’t matter if you get a confirmation in writing because many gifts can and will be changed during the turbulent, unstable late stages of the donor’s life.
The key is not to get the confirmation but to steward the relationship properly. Only if you do so will your organization actually get the gift after all.
 

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