Fundraising 101: 10 Things You Need to Know About Planned Giving

That said, there are some general things to acknowledge, or know, or master that can help propel your organization toward more successful planned-giving strategies.

1. Know yourself
Some people look to planned giving as a way to hide behind their computers and spend their time reading about esoteric plans and legal opinion. Planned giving is a part of development, which is a noble, though often misunderstood, profession. When someone at a party says to you, "I could never do what you do," she's referring to the dreaded task of "asking for money." If you can't ask for money, then you can't raise planned gifts.