The Annual Giving Exchange

One of the most pleasant sounds in fundraising is the harmony between annual and planned giving.

Consistent annual fund donors are excellent prospects for planned gifts.  In fact, consistency of giving, rather than gift size, is often the best predictor that a donor will consider longer term planned gift strategies.  Some of the most meaningful planned gifts come from donors who have never even considered a major or capital gift, but who have instead made small annual fund gifts throughout their lifetime.

In the mind of a donor, a planned gift can actually feel like a way of endowing their annual support beyond their lifetime.  Planned gifts can also provide solutions for donors who don’t feel in a position to make a significant donation during their lifetime, but do want to support a charity over the long term.

All too often we in development perceive annual giving and planning giving at opposite ends of a spectrum.  When we do, we miss out on the many benefits of collaboration.

Here’s my advice to those of us in annual giving.  Take time to meet with members of your gift planning team.  Ask them what they perceive to be the link between annual and planned giving.  Offer to help identify prospects for them.  (More than likely they will offer to return the favor.)  Familiarize yourself with your organization’s current planned gift donors to see who is also providing regular support to your annual fund.  If you have a recognition society for planned giving, consider ways that it might provide additional stewardship to some of your best annual fund donors.

Whatever you do, don’t think that planned giving has nothing in common with annual giving.  Or worse, don’t think of it as a threat.  Most donors do not stop making annual fund gifts after they have decided to include a charity in their estate plans.

There is great harmony between annual and planned giving.  You just have to listen for it.