Planned giving may offer affiliated funds the biggest (often untapped) opportunity to transform their place. The vast majority of planned gifts happen because someone educated, motivated, and asked the donor to make a gift. Whether it’s a group of FAC members who commit to making future gifts, or someone who moved away from their hometown but saw their fund mentioned in the local newspaper and decided to give back, for most individuals, planned gifts are the largest gifts they’ll ever leave . . . not to mention, an affiliated fund’s most effective way to capture a portion of the transfer of wealth occurring across Greater Nebraska.
We invite you to join us in advancing your fund’s gift planning efforts through NCF’s 2021 Planned Giving Marketing Campaign—an easy, step-by-step, month-to-month communications strategy to help advance your fund’s planned giving efforts.
JANUARY
LEARN: Watch NCF Classroom video on Planned Giving Basics.
EDUCATE: Download the January social media graphic (below) and post it to your fund’s Facebook page and/or on the personal pages of your FAC members with the following caption:
An estimated 70% of American adults have either no will or their will is outdated. Planning for the future is easier than you think and this year is the perfect time to get started. Nebraska Community Foundation’s FREE Wills Guide will guide you through the process. Download an easy to use, fill-in-the-blank booklet that can help you organize all the information you’ll need to plan your legacy at: https://nebcommfound.giftlegacy.com/?pageID=19
TAKE ACTION: Encourage friends and loved ones to make 2021 the year they finally get their affairs in order! Refer them to NCF’s Free Wills Guide if they need some help getting started.
FEBRUARY
LEARN: Check out our virtual session on “How to Launch a Planned Giving Program (It’s Easier Than You Think!).
EDUCATE: Because it is a very common time of year for CDs (bank certificates of deposit) to mature, February is a popular time of year for your donors to consider establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). Your donors may appreciate converting a low-interest investment into fixed, lifetime income for themselves or another income beneficiary and receive a tax deduction, all while knowing they’re leaving a future gift to a cause near to their hearts. NCF has developed a Charitable Gift Annuity brochure that you can share with prospective donors. Our Office of Gift Planning is also equipped to run illustrations for your prospective donors to help them and their advisors determine what a CGA would look like in their situation. Download this brochure or request printed copies from NCF to share with donors who may be interested in making a gift to your hometown through a Charitable Gift Annuity. Contact Jim Gustafson at jgustafson@nebcommfound.org or 402.323.7329 if your donors are interested in establishing a CGA!
TAKE ACTION: Have a discussion with your Fund Advisory Committee about assembling a small working group or committee of planned giving enthusiasts. Perhaps these folks have planned gifts in place themselves and love talking about the benefits to others. Or maybe they are just energized around the possibility of helping others plan their legacy. Moving forward, this person/people can be listed as contacts in any planned giving marketing materials and will also be the driving force behind your Fund’s planned giving efforts.
MARCH
LEARN: Review the non-cash ways to give back to your hometown.
EDUCATE: Download the March social media graphic below and post to your Fund’s Facebook page and/or on the personal pages of your FAC members with this message:
10,000 baby boomers will turn 70 today! Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) allow those age 70 ½ to make tax-free gifts of up to $100,000 from their IRAs to the causes and communities they care about most. Learn more at nebcommfound.giftlegacy.com
TAKE ACTION: Have you assembled your working group of planned giving enthusiasts? If so, reach out to Jim Gustafson to schedule a call about how NCF can best support you whether that’s identifying planned giving prospects, hosting a planned giving education event, or creating new marketing materials to inform your donors about their giving options.
APRIL
LEARN: Watch and read the NCF Classroom post on “Teaching Others About Planned Giving.”
EDUCATE: Download the April social media graphic below and post to your Fund’s Facebook page and/or on the personal pages of your FAC members with this message:
When it comes to charitable giving, think beyond cash. There are lots of out-of-the-box, tax-wise ways to give back to our community that don’t involve writing a check. Reach out if you are interested in learning about the many options for gifting assets that will benefit our community! Read more at https://www.nebcommfound.org/news/how-to-give-back-to-your-hometown-it-doesnt-always-have-to-be-cash
TAKE ACTION: Discuss the “Teaching Others About Planned Giving” session with other members of your Fund Advisory Committee and consider if your Fund should coordinate a planned giving education event in the future. Reach out to Jim if you are interested!
MAY
LEARN: Check out our Legacy Brochure and let us know if you would like copies for future conversations with planned giving donors and prospects.
EDUCATE: Share our Facts for Professional Advisors one-pager with your local financial and professional advisors.
TAKE ACTION: Recommend that your FAC spend some time talking about recognizing planned giving donors during your next meeting. Here are some questions to get the conversation started:
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- Do you already have a “legacy society” in place?
- If not, should you consider creating one?
- What are you currently doing to acknowledge planned gifts?
- How might you recognize these generous individuals and families within the next year?
JUNE
Six-month check-in time—we are halfway through the year! Take this month to get caught up on anything outstanding. Reach out to Jim if you need help or have any questions!
JULY
LEARN: Familiarize yourself with NCF’s Gift Planning Guide and learn about all of the ways to give.
EDUCATE: Download July’s social media graphic and post to your Fund’s Facebook page and/or on the personal pages of your FAC members with this message:
Our affiliation with Nebraska Community Foundation means AFFILIATED FUND NAME is equipped to accept all kinds of donations and planned gifts. Visit NCF’s Gift Planning Guide to learn about all of the [tax-wise] ways to give. https://www.nebcommfound.org/gift-planning-guide/
TAKE ACTION: Use social media to highlight a planned giver to your fund—like Nebraska City did!
AUGUST
LEARN: Check out our Gifts of Agriculture brochure and share with a few producers you know.
EDUCATE: Download August’s social media graphic (below) and post to your Fund’s Facebook page and/or on the personal pages of your FAC members with this message:
When it comes to charitable giving, think beyond cash. Giving a gift of livestock or grain is simple, provides tax benefits, and supports AFFILIATED FUND NAME and the community we love!
Speak with a professional advisor about how gifts of agriculture will apply to your situation. Email info@nebcommfound.org for more information.
TAKE ACTION: Email cmalek-madani@nebcommfound.org to get a customized advertisement to run in your local newspaper encouraging donors to give gifts of grain or livestock (like Stratton did!)
SEPTEMBER
LEARN: Brush up on Charitable IRA Rollovers and Beneficiary Designations. Email cmalek-madani@nebcommfound.org if you would like print copies of these brochures to share.
EDUCATE: Encourage both donors and local professional advisors to sign up for NCF’s planned giving e-newsletters. GiftLegacy is for donors, GiftLaw is for advisors. Sign up here: https://nebcommfound.giftlegacy.com
TAKE ACTION: Get in touch with NCF’s marketing department (cmalek-madani@nebcommfound.org) to discuss the marketing materials that would help members of your FAC feel more confident when speaking with planned giving prospects about future gifts. Is it a fact sheet? A tri-fold brochure? Social media graphics? We’re here to help!
OCTOBER
National Estate Planning Awareness Week starts October 18, 2021! We’ve created a series of social media graphics and posts for you to share throughout the week.
Monday, October 18
DOWNLOAD GRAPHIC
POST: The majority of American adults do not have a will. It’s National Estate Planning Awareness Week, the perfect time to download Nebraska Community Foundation’s FREE Wills Planning Guide and get started: https://bit.ly/30Zkn6Y
Tuesday, October 19
DOWNLOAD GRAPHIC
POST: No more excuses—estate planning is easier than you think! It’s National Estate Planning Awareness Week, the ideal time to explore your options: https://nebcommfound.giftlegacy.com
Wednesday, October 20
DOWNLOAD GRAPHIC
POST: There are countless reasons to start your estate planning process during National Estate Planning Awareness Week. Learn more and download a FREE Wills Guide at: https://nebcommfound.giftlegacy.com
Thursday, October 21
DOWNLOAD GRAPHIC
POST: Because of the increased tax burden of using IRAs as an inheritance, individuals may want to:
- Designate all or part of their IRA to charities dear to their hearts and use other more tax-friendly assets to provide for their families. Any amount given to the charity avoids taxes.
- Designate a Charitable Remainder Trust as the beneficiary of their IRA and name heirs as income recipients of the trust, providing regular income for either the recipients’ lifetimes or a term of up to 20 years, and then making a future gift to a charity.
It’s National Estate Planning Awareness Week, the ideal time to explore your options: https://nebcommfound.giftlegacy.com
Friday, October 22
DOWNLOAD GRAPHIC
POST: Are you among the millions of Americans without a will in place? National Estate Planning Awareness Week is the right time to start your FREE Wills Planning Guide: https://bit.ly/30Zkn6Y
NOVEMBER
LEARN: Attend NCF’s Annual Celebration and Affiliated Fund Training in McCook!
EDUCATE: Check out this piece we created on non-cash assets. Options for sharing:
- Print out or email to share with prospective donors
- Post it on social media
- Adapt as an article that can be published in your local newspaper
TAKE ACTION: Take home the information you gathered at NCF’s Annual Celebration, share with your FAC members, and make a plant to implement what you’ve learned!
DECEMBER
LEARN: Jot down a few planned giving goals for 2022 and reach out to Jim Gustafson to make a plan for reaching them!
EDUCATE: Remind your donors of this very important end of year giving information:
- Gifts must be received by your local fund in plenty of time for the gifts to be in the mail to NCF’s Lincoln office by December 31 in order to ensure processing in 2021.
- Credit card gifts and online gifts must be successfully completed by midnight, December 31, local time.
- Non-cash gifts may require additional lead time. Financial offices may be short staffed over the holidays. Gifts of securities and charitable IRA rollovers should be initiated ASAP.
- Livestock markets and grain elevators may be closed on certain days around the holidays. If you are interested in making a gift of ag commodities, please reach out early to make sure they are transferred prior to December 31.
TAKE ACTION: The end of the year is the perfect time to reach out and thank your donors, especially planned givers. Reach out personally with a card, email or phone call and express your gratitude for their support!