Asking for a bequest
Fiona George from George Consultancy
Throughout September you will have seen all the major charities advertising on TV, radio, newspaper, magazines and social media asking for people to consider leaving them a gift in their will this Wills Month.
There is a very good reason they spend huge amounts of money on advertising as 80% of the large charities’ income comes from Bequests.
In NZ around $200 million a year goes out as Bequests and now is a great time for community groups to start looking at the opportunities this type of giving offers not just your organisation but the supporters themselves.
Before you start asking people to leave a gift in their will to your organisation you need to understand why bequests work for both parties and why it needs to always be an ethical and donor focused approach.
1. Understand your own thinking about Bequests.
If you are the one opening the conversation around bequests you need to be able to raise it in an organic and donor focused way. You also need to be the one to keep the conversation comfortable.
2. Bequests are about more than death and money
Many people steer away from talking about bequests because they focus on the part that is about money coming from a will which means the person has died. What they forget is the important part.
A bequest is a continuation of support for an organisation that has brought them either hope or joy – this is where the focus needs to be.
If you start reframing your discussions from this perspective you are more likely to remain donor focused, not money focused.
3. People want to live forever
Bequests are the opportunity to create recognition programmes that help keep people’s names alive for future generations and is an integral part of a well-run bequest programme. Bequests are the only form of donation where you can not say thank you after the fact, so you need to recognise and honour them now and into the future.
Start by talking about their connection with the organisation and how they would like to be remembered.
4. Why your community organisation is better placed to run a bequest programme
The large charities spend a lot of time and money trying to understand how to connect with their donors and get them to buy into their “Mission”.
Your members are already engaged with and believe in your mission, and they know and trust that you will continue to do the right things with their money.
You also do not usually have the huge overheads of a large corporate type charity, so they know the money will go further in addressing the need you fill.
5. Bequests are about people not money
It is a privilege to have people remember your organisation in their will and if you keep that (and what brings people hope and joy) at the heart of what you do you won’t go wrong.
If you need help setting up a Bequest programme talk to Fiona at George Consultancy about ways, she can support you.
fiona@georgeconsultancy.co.nz
027 4155 859
georgeconsultancy.co.nz