The Pentera Blog
A Common Reason Charities Get Deleted from Estate Plans—Don’t Let It Happen to You
Good communication with prospective and current bequest donors is vital—not just how you communicate but when.
In a recent Pentera webinar, Professor Russell James emphasized the importance of timing in planned giving stewardship—especially not going “radio silent” when your most loyal supporters stop making annual gifts and volunteering, which often happens near the end of their lives.
As James notes, even the most loyal donors stop making annual gifts and volunteering in their final few years. But, because most nonprofits base their communications strategies around their most recent interactions with donors, they often fail to communicate with these donors during that period.
As James says, this approach is “exactly wrong” because estate plans often change when death feels near, such as after a stroke, cancer diagnosis, or other decline in health. And because existing estate plans are typically not consulted when new plans are drawn up, prior charitable provisions are often lost. In fact, one study found that more than a third of estate plans with confirmed charitable components resulted in no actual gift after death.
The best way to avoid that outcome is to remain in contact with loyal donors even when they have stopped making annual gifts. Studies have shown communication in those final years is strongly correlated with donors not removing charitable provisions from their estate plans. Pentera’s CEO Claudine Donikian notes Pentera clients should be mindful when pulling lists for planned giving marketing to adjust the criteria used to ensure older, loyal donors who have stopped giving recently remain on the list. This way, your organization will remain top-of-mind—so when loyal donors’ estate plans change, your organization has a better chance of not being removed.
