Suggestions For Encouraging Planned Gifts

Suggestions for Encouraging Planned Gifts in the Local Church

It is suggested that a permanent committee meet periodically to be sure the church is being intentional about planned giving. A report semi-annually to the Session will also be helpful. That committee can create a year long calendar to spread out and pace as many as possible of those suggestions from below which fit a particular church.

1. Make a nicely done poster that can be moved around the facilities periodically. It would either ask the question "Have you remembered the church in your will?" or some example of the merits of a planned gift with the name of person in the congregation to call for more information.

2. Print a simple, but clear brochure noting the merits of planned gifts and specific information about the congregation such as its legal name and suggested wording for a codicil. Place in the narthex or other location and mail to the membership once a year.

3. Depending on the frequency of publication, use the church newsletter to
• give personal reflections on the joys of doing a planned gift
• tell stories of life income gifts benefiting individuals and then the church
• announce recent gifts and interpret previous gifts or funds still making a difference
• provide wording for wills inclusion and codicils to wills
• tell what previous gifts are now supporting

4. Insert something about the church's endowment committee or foundation in the mid-year mailings of contribution statements.

5. Provide a minute for mission 3 or 4 times a year to keep this opportunity for stewardship before the membership.

6. Plan and provide a planned giving seminar once or twice a year for the whole membership or for particular age groups within the church.

7. Once or twice a year provide a bulletin insert regarding some educational aspect of planned giving or examples of its impact on this congregation.

8. Once a year do a direct mail piece to the membership reporting on the results of planned giving in the life of the congregation and encouraging others to join in on the effort.

9. Establish a “Birthday Fund” in the Permanent Funds Ministry and use the income from this fund to do some mission valued by the congregation. Members are encouraged to make a gift once a year in the month of their birthday in the amount of their age. Mention of the fund is made on the first Sunday of each month as a reminder and this helps raise the profile of the Permanent Funds in the minds of the members.

Kim Warner, Vice President
Texas Presbyterian Foundation 800/955-3155