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Planned Giving: Helping Boards Move Past “We’re Not Ready”

“Our board members are skeptical that planned giving is something we can realistically take on. They worry we’re just not ready.”

Sound familiar? It does to a lot of non-profit leaders. Board members tend to be hesitant, especially if they don’t have a lot of experience with charitable gift planning and associate it with legal risk or complicated systems.

The good news is that skepticism usually signals a need for education, not a reason to stop. With the right information and support, boards often become some of the strongest advocates for planned giving.

Why Planned Giving Feels Intimidating at First

For a lot of board members, planning giving brings up a lot of scary ideas: complex legal documents, high-dollar gifts, and conversations they’ve never had with donors before. But the reality is much simpler. It can look like a will bequest or a beneficiary designation on someone’s retirement account, or even a life insurance gift.

This simple mindset shift can help your board come around to the idea. Planned giving isn’t about complexity; it’s about aligning donors’ goals with your organization.

It Starts With Education

The best way to start tackling skepticism is with information. Community foundations can have someone join a board meeting for brief, informal overviews of planned giving as a first step. These can be short and talk through real-world examples that show how planned gifts support non-profits just like yours. From there, boards often see the stability and impact of long-term gifts and become more open to the idea.

Another common worry is that planned giving won’t deliver immediate results. While it’s true that planned gifts are long-term in nature, research consistently shows that donors who make planned giving commitments often increase their annual giving as well.

A community foundation can share data and trends that help boards understand planned giving as a complement to annual fundraising, not a replacement. Framed this way, planned giving becomes a strategic investment in both present and future sustainability.

How Community Foundations Help

Boards may also worry about what happens if your organization receives a large or complex gift. Community foundations help ease that concern with expertise, support, and the infrastructure that helps steward planned gifts responsibly.

If your board prefers to direct planned gifts toward an endowment or reserve fund, a community foundation can professionally manage those assets with long-term oversight, spending discipline, and transparent reporting. Knowing this support exists often reassures boards that they don’t need to handle everything internally.

Practical Tools Make Planned Giving Feel Manageable

Beyond education and administration, community foundations can recommend practical resources to help your organization take the first steps. These include sample bequest language, simple explanations of gift options, and donor-friendly messaging that focuses on legacy and impact rather than technical details.

When boards know there are clear tools and talking points available, planned giving feels less like an abstract idea and more like a manageable priority.

A Partner for Wherever You Are

Planned giving doesn’t require perfection or extensive expertise to begin. It requires the right partner and a willingness to learn – which is where a community foundation can come in. When the board is hesitant, we can help you guide the conversation and provide reassurance at every stage.

If you’re ready to take the next step, now is the time to partner with your community foundation and strengthen your organization’s future through thoughtful planned giving.