Planned Giving Can Fuel Missions

A single mother needs financial support to finish her degree, an accomplishment that could transform not only her lifetime earnings, but opportunities for her children as well.

A nonprofit providing critical services to unhoused veterans suddenly faces an unexpected funding gap when a government grant lapses.

A museum needs support to repair a damaged facility and safeguard a treasured collection for future generations.

These are the kinds of challenges nonprofits navigate every day. They are also the kinds of opportunities that planned gifts can help address.

Planned gifts, defined as commitments made today that support a nonprofit in the future, have the potential to be truly transformational. The average charitable gift made through a will or estate is approximately $100,000, representing a level of support that can strengthen an organization’s long-term resilience and expand what is possible for the people and communities it serves.

When nonprofits intentionally invite these gifts and thoughtfully recognize the generosity of donors who make them, they are better positioned to advance their missions and create lasting impact for years to come.

That is why The Patterson Foundation recently invited organizations participating in the Fueling Dynamic Fundraising initiative to an eight-hour Planned Giving course led by Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy’s The Fund Raising School. Over four weeks, participants explored topics ranging from institutional readiness and ethics to launching a planned giving effort and stewarding and recognizing legacy donors. The introductory course equipped nonprofit leaders with practical knowledge and confidence to begin integrating planned giving into their fundraising strategies.

The results were immediate.
Before the final session even concluded, participants were already sharing early successes. Some updated their websites to include legacy giving opportunities. Others initiated conversations that led to their organization’s first planned gift. One participant discovered their organization had already been included in a board member’s estate plans, which they happily shared when space was created for the conversation.

These first steps may seem small, but their effects will ripple through organizations and across our community for years to come. 

Cheers to the nonprofits who engaged and shared their insights throughout the 8-hour course and are now working hard towards transformational gifts for their vital missions!