Planned Giving Insights and Information

How to Make the Most of Your Planned Giving Consultant

There are a number of reasons you might decide to engage a planned giving consultant. On the surface, there may be no other reason than to “increase gifts.” In other words, a program such as marketing might be a top priority. This makes sense, but you’ll also find it helpful to ensure you have the support and infrastructure to build and manage a marketing program or any other aspect of your planned giving effort. Below are some commonly identified needs and some tips to manage your planned giving consultant in these circumstances: When you are looking for support to champion an idea internally, be honest with your consultant that obtaining that support from a specific audience is the measure of success. For example, if your goal is increased resources such as budget or staff, your consultant should be focused on demonstrating return on investment (ROI), whether that be the productivity of gift officers, your marketing budget, travel costs, or the amount of potential gifts. Keep in...