Elementum

Planned Giving Readiness and Referral.

Open the legacy conversation with your deepest supporters, and hand off cleanly to their professionals at the exact point where the framework stops and law and taxes begin.

Part A. Who is ready

Only your deepest, longest supporters. List them, and who opens the conversation with each, and roughly when:

Part B. Open the door gently

No pressure, no numbers. Practice the line: many people who care about this work as you do choose to remember it in their will, and if that is ever something you would consider, we would be honored to talk.

Part C. The hard line, not optional

The moment the conversation turns to how, a will, a trust, a gift of stock or property, a retirement account, an estate plan, you stop. The donor's own attorney and financial advisor take over, and your nonprofit accountant advises your side. You never give the donor tax or legal advice, ever.

For each donor, record the clean handoff: donor directed to their own advisors on (date):

Part D. Protect the person

If a donor, often older, shows any sign of confusion, dependence, or pressure around a large or legacy gift, stop and bring in their family and advisors. Protecting the person always comes before the gift.

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This hard line is the honest edge of all of this. Back to the guide, or start over.