100 Days of Gratitude, Day 5: "Planting Pecan Trees"

The most gratifying thing about my job is meeting the amazing people who change the world around us with their generosity and compassion. They lead by example in creating healthier communities and by extension a better world.  And sometimes... that's a world they won't live to see.

Alice and I are completing a series of interviews for a Capital Campaign Feasibility Study for Summit Healthcare serving Eastern Arizona. It's grueling work. Back to back interviews all day long, day after day, each of them filled with hope, expectation and uncertainty. Who will we meet this hour? Who will walk in a stranger and part as a friend? Who will inspire and humble us?

A few days ago, we were in the home of long-time community benefactors. I was looking from the eyes of the husband to the wife and being awed by the impact of their philanthropy, and I got a little chill, like I do when I've learned more than words have taught me. I saw in their eyes that this couple has spent their long life together "planting pecan trees."

As we parted, I thanked them for all the good they've done and the lives they've touched. I asked the gentleman if he knew the story of the old man who planted pecan trees. He shook his head and looked at me cautiously.

I explained...a young man comes upon a elder who is planting pecan trees. He asks the old man, "Why would you plant a pecan tree? They'll take so many years to mature that you'll never enjoy the pecans." The old man responds, "I plant these trees because all my life I've eaten pecans from trees I did not plant."

Our new friends smiled and in their eyes I saw that they intend to plant many more pecan trees, and I got another little chill.

Greek Proverb: "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

As we drove away from their home, Alice suggested, "Our next Day of Gratitude should be titled "Pecan Trees." I nodded, said "That's a good idea." And thought to myself... "Okay, I'll plant this one."

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Big Gifts for Small Shops

There's a myth that smaller nonprofit organizations have a harder time securing big gifts than larger organizations. In fact, any size nonprofit organization can be the beneficiary of significant philanthropic gifts, but when you have a smaller staff, you have to be extremely diligent about what you do to make these transformational gifts happen. Don't just wait for the contributions to drop in your lap! Here's what you can do:

Think BIG. Small organizations sometimes sell themselves short. We remind the organizations we work with, "you're small but mighty!" Transformational gifts only happen if you have a transformational idea. Come up with the big dream and sell it!

Determine what you can get donated in-kind. It's often easier to get physical items donated rather than cash. Be careful, however, to determine what quality you are willing to accept. Don't take something sub par just because it's available. Also, I'm not talking about a wish list in the newsletter--you actually have to ask for items just like you would ask for a cash gift.

Mine your files. Nonprofit organizations notoriously under-utilize the data they already have. Do you have a donor database? A vendor database? Even if it's just a list in the checkbook, you have a list of people who have an established relationship with your organization. If you look at the list, you might find some hidden gems. If you don't recognize the names on your list, ask around--your board, your other staff members, even the donor! Also, look for consistency of giving rather than just size of gift. People who have been giving to you consistently have established a certain level of loyalty; even if they don't have the capacity for a larger gift, they may know someone who does.

Start a planned giving program. Now. Today. It's easy--read Starting a Simple, No Hassle Planned Giving Program.

Start a monthly giving program. This is a hugely easy way to get people to up their investment in your organization. Think about it--it's a lot easier to do $100 a month than it is to give $1,200 in one lump sum. Even if you start low tech, like giving a donor 12 envelopes, it will bring in more consistent revenue throughout the year.

Ask, ask and ask again. It's a game of numbers--larger shops seem to have more success with major gifts because they are asking more! At least once a month, ask someone for "too much." Preferably, ask twice a month or more. You may discover what you thought was too big of a gift is actually quite do-able. As the old adage goes, you don't get what you don't ask for!

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Jim Anderson GoalBustersJim
Alice Ferris alice.ferris

Starting a Simple, No Hassle Planned Giving Program

For most nonprofits, planned giving programs are something that you know you should do, but in the middle of making sure that mailing campaign gets to the post office, trying to get the newsletter done, picking out the menu for your next special event, and just the general day to day responsibilities, planned giving goes by the wayside. The excuses? "It's too complicated." "That's for later when we have an established program." "We're too small for that."

In reality, planned giving programs can be easy, if you start with the basics. First, to every piece of communication that leaves your office, add a simple footer that reads:

For information about including (YOUR IMPORTANT CAUSE) in your will or trust, please contact us at (DEVELOPMENT PERSON'S PHONE NUMBER) or email (YOUR EMAIL).

This means on the bottom of fax cover sheets, on letterhead, in your email signature, on your website, on your Facebook page, etc. You may not get any direct responses right away, but this raises awareness that you are an organization that will accept a gift like this!

Then, if someone actually contacts you and wants information, you can send them the following sample bequest language. (Please modify this depending on the laws of your state.)

Sample Bequest Language

Supporting [ORGANIZATION] through your will or trust

One of the many ways that you can support [ORGANIZATION]’s mission to [INSERT MISSION HERE] is to make a legacy gift through your will or trust.

A will or trust is an important legal document, so please contact an attorney or financial advisor for assistance. To assist you with this important decision, here is some suggested bequest wording.

Bequest with a Specific Dollar Amount

I give, devise and bequeath to [ORGANIZATION], [STATE] non-profit 501(c)(3)corporation, tax identification number [EIN], the sum of $__________ [for restriction, if applicable].

Bequest with a Percentage Amount

I give, devise and bequeath to [ORGANIZATION], [STATE] non-profit 501(c)(3)corporation, tax identification number [EIN], _____ percent of my residual estate [for restriction, if applicable].

Bequest of a Residue of an Estate

I give, devise and bequeath to [ORGANIZATION], [STATE] non-profit 501(c)(3)corporation, tax identification number [EIN], all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, including real and personal property, [for restriction, if applicable].

For questions or additional information, please contact:

CONTACT INFORMATION

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That's pretty much it for most nonprofit planned giving programs, and you'd be surprised what can happen! Other simple options are to encourage your donor to name your charity as the beneficiary on a life insurance policy or retirement fund.

Of course, if someone wants to make a more complicated gift, such as a charitable remainder trust, life trust or other deferred giving vehicle, find a local resource to help you! Check with your local Partnership for Planned Giving (PPP) Council or a community foundation to see if they have a planned giving advisor who will assist your nonprofit with more elaborate gifts.

Good luck!

AFP Kaleidoscope Thought Leader Column: Fundraising through a Different Lens

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The following column was featured in the November 2009 issue of the Association of Fundraising Professionals' Kaleidoscope newsletter. To see the newsletter on their website, visit AFP Kaleidoscope (Online) and to become a member, visit Join AFP!

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People often ask me, “Where are you from?” I know what they are trying to ask, but most of the time I answer, “I’m from Wisconsin.” I was the first Chinese baby born at Beaver Dam Lutheran Hospital. At the time, our family was the only Asian family in Dodge County, Wis. As a child, like many minorities in small communities, I wanted nothing but to fit in. That experience made me adaptable, so I generally can find ways to connect with whatever culture I am in—except, ironically, the Chinese community. My family and I were so focused on fitting in that I received minimal exposure to Chinese traditions and norms.

When we interact with others one-to-one, it is usually easy to find things you have in common. Because of this natural inclination, we have focused on finding similarities among diverse communities as well: Where do we have common ground? How are we alike? While we need to build bridges and find those connections among communities, sometimes it feels as though we ignore the richness our differences offer.

For example, I have had the privilege of working with the Hopi Education Endowment Fund in Kykotsmovi, Ariz. (www.hopieducationfund.org), for several years. When we first started working together, we attempted to take western best practices in philanthropy and apply them to its situation. Some practices did translate well, such as most special-event strategies and direct mail. However, as we dove deeper into more complex strategies, highlighting cultural differences became the key.

When we attempted to start our planned-giving program, we initially looked at naming the program after a prominent Hopi leader who had just passed away. Culturally, planning for death is taboo among the Hopi. From what I had learned over the past few years, when you pass from this earth, those who survive are not to spend too much time mourning you, for that could block your passage into the next world. Naming a planned-giving club after this leader was not appropriate, and also raised concerns about the overall appropriateness of planned giving on Hopi in general. At one point, someone observed, “Planned giving won’t work on Hopi.”

Undeterred, we deconstructed the program: What were we trying to accomplish at the core of this? First, we wanted to provide a long-term source of funding for the organization. In addition, we wanted to offer people the option of transferring assets at a later date-and potentially give the organization a larger gift than they could afford from current cash. Those were the fundamentals, which apply to almost any planned giving program.

With those basics in mind, we requested the assistance of a Hopi language expert and started brainstorming about cultural aspects that might support our activities. After many months of discussion and reflection, a member of our committee brought forth the concept of “no’a.”

No’a has changed the way that I speak of planned giving, even when off reservation. No’a is how one generation passes valuable assets—knowledge, wealth or possessions—to the next. The elder carefully considers those around him or her and then selects a caretaker who will use the asset responsibly and share it with the community. By emphasizing this cultural norm, the fund has created “No’ayatiwqam: Those Who Have Given,” its planned-giving club that focuses on how the donor can select a responsible caretaker, such as the Hopi Education Endowment Fund, to continue to share assets with Hopi students for generations to come.

In a well-intentioned effort to break down barriers among diverse communities, we sometimes miss the color and depth that our differences can bring. As I have worked with other diverse communities, I have come to value my own cultural aspects more, and am starting to take steps toward bringing my family’s Chinese traditions into my philanthropy. By carefully analyzing philanthropic norms, finding the universal core concepts, and adding cultural strengths to these best practices, our profession will be able to make an even greater difference in the many unique communities that we serve.

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