Endowments and Planned Gifts: What and Why?

Endowments and planned gifts are separate concepts that work hand in hand for donors and nonprofit organizations.

Planned gifts are contributions made as a result of a process to choose the most appropriate gift for the most important purpose in the most advantageous time frame for the donor, the charity and the donor’s heirs. Gift planning, as this process often is called, is the preparation and design of charitable gifts to maximize benefits for both the donor and the organization.