A successful planned-giving campaign takes it slow, nrturing relationship with older donors that will far outlive their immediate cash-generating years.

By Mark Walker

3. Bring in a consultant to help determine the long-term value of older donors and to promote the program. My mentor had developed the program at World Neighbors with Robert Sharpe Sr. — a name synonymous with planned giving. His son, Robert Sharpe Jr., was instrumental in putting together the “older donor” program with me at several organizations where some staff and the direct-marketing people never heard of such a concept and initially were reluctant about it since it didn’t meet immediate cash needs. He helped the leadership appreciate that the average value of estate gifts, which ranged from $20,000 to $30,000, could generate millions of additional dollars each year.