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https://www.plannedgivingaccelerated.com/my-book
The episode features planned-giving consultant Tony Martignetti discussing his book, Planned Giving Accelerated. His central message is that legacy fundraising isn’t reserved for universities, hospitals, or large nonprofits—small and midsized organizations can launch a practical program in one week.
The three-step approach:
- Identify your strongest prospects. Prioritize loyal, long-term donors with whom someone at the nonprofit has a genuine relationship. Consistency matters more than wealth: someone who has donated $5 annually for 20 years may be a better prospect than an occasional major donor.
- Start exclusively with gifts in wills. Bequests are familiar, simple, and cost donors nothing during their lifetimes. More complicated vehicles can wait until the program matures.
- Cultivate and ask. Begin personal conversations with the best prospects. Martignetti recommends asking directly but naturally: “Would you consider including us in your will?”
Key insights:
- Planned giving is a conversation about life, not death. The focus should be the longevity of the organization’s work and its future impact in the community.
- Loyalty predicts potential better than gift size. Nonprofits shouldn’t restrict planned-giving outreach to wealthy or major donors.
- Start with donors around age 55–60 or older. Younger donors can participate later, but older, established supporters are more likely to retain the organization in their estate plans.
- Don’t lead with tax benefits. Most modest donors will receive little or no estate-tax advantage; they give because they care about the mission. Technical questions should be referred to the donor’s attorney or financial adviser.
- Bequests are usually unrestricted. Martignetti encourages nonprofits to place as much as practical into an endowment while balancing immediate operating needs.
- Specific restrictions and naming opportunities are exceptions. Discuss programs, buildings, or required gift amounts only when donors want a more tangible legacy.
- Monthly donors can become strong prospects, although the initial launch should remain tightly focused on the most established relationships.
- Donor-advised funds require succession planning. Donors should designate successor advisers or charitable beneficiaries so the remaining money doesn’t simply default to the sponsoring organization.
- Meetings can be informal. Martignetti likes meals because their natural pacing creates room for conversation, but fundraisers should meet wherever both parties feel comfortable.
The episode also discusses Martignetti’s deliberately humorous, anti-academic style and a seemingly unrelated chapter documenting the 2025 “GoFundMe chaos week.” In that episode, GoFundMe created roughly 1.2 million unapproved nonprofit donation pages. Nonprofit professionals organized on LinkedIn, pressured the company to respond, and helped bring wider regulatory attention to “shadow donation pages.”
Overall, the takeaway is simple: planned giving does not require a complex campaign, special website, tax expertise, or wealthy donor base. It begins when a nonprofit identifies a loyal supporter and opens an honest conversation about sustaining its mission beyond the donor’s lifetime.
