Despite today’s technologically inclined society, many clients of our estate planning practice do not use e-mail or even a computer. This is why it is ideal to mail, from time to time, a compelling handwritten letter to faithful and consistent donors. These less technologically savvy individuals are possibly more receptive to the development of an endowment and the prospects of leaving a legacy. Hence, a customized message that addresses key aspects of your endowment program may generate interest from those who consistently give, but have never been personally approached by the nonprofit organization. The more you can customize the letter with information unique to the prospective endowment donor, the more effective the letter will be. An example of a customizable letter is as follows:
Dear Donor Name:
We received your last contribution of $_________, which has helped us tremendously. We gratefully appreciate your generosity and consistent support of our programs. The steadfast support we receive from donors like you has enabled us to reach important milestones such as …(list a few examples). But, so much more needs to be done to not only meet dynamic challenges which lie ahead, but also achieve sustainable organizational growth over the next ten to twenty years.
The future foundation of our organization rests upon how well we plan for tomorrow. Despite the temptation to solely focus our efforts on immediate programing needs, we know that financial stability and viability of our organization rests upon future planning. One way we address the future is though our special endowment program. If you have ever dreamed about leaving a family legacy, our endowment program may be a perfect way to fulfil this desire. We encourage you to talk with our planned giving advisor about the possibility of making an endowment gift through your will or other estate planning device.
Sincerely,
President of …
To learn about how we help nonprofit organizations with their major gift programs go to www.scottpractice.com.
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