Planned Giving Counsel
The world of planned giving is complex, even for the most experienced nonprofit executives. With decades of combined planned giving experience, our team understands the challenges and offers a unique planned giving model that can be seamlessly executed alongside your current fundraising program. Our approach is highly personalized and prioritizes strengthening your donor relationships.
Phase 1: Audit and Enhancement
To develop a strategic planned giving program, we begin with a review of your organization’s existing and historical strategy and tactics before creating a roadmap that motivates your organization to reach its full potential in identifying, engaging, and securing planned giving opportunities from donors.
Phase 2: Private Donor Services
Ashley|Rountree consultants will meet directly with top donor prospects in a confidential and independent estate planning session. These meetings are educational and inspiring, helping the donor envision how they can maximize their charitable giving and avoid tax penalties. A strategic partnership with a planned giving firm that operates across the U.S. instills a sense of trust in donors; our complementary relationship provides families easy access to our local, in-house expertise throughout the planning process but also confidence in knowing a national firm has validated their financial plans.
Success Stories
Special Olympics of Kentucky, Louisville, KY
Challenge
Special Olympics of Kentucky (SOKY) is a statewide nonprofit organization with a fiercely loyal donor base, primarily supporting events and small projects. However, the organization tended not to receive bequests from these families, even though many donors were in a stage of their lives that they would consider estate planning strategies to provide for SOKY and their loved ones with disabilities. Because the SOKY staff were overwhelmed in managing special events, they needed an expert who could make time to meet with donor families and provide independent estate planning services.
How We Helped
Our team evaluated SOKY’s database of donors and identified friends of the organization who were ideal candidates for estate planning services. Our consultants reached out to those prospects with a goal of helping families redirect dollars to their heirs and local charities upon their death. Additionally, the team hoped to provide peace of mind to these long-term donor families by organizing their estate plan and ensuring they properly planned for their loved ones’ well-being.
Outcome
The Ashley|Rountree team met monthly with donor families to provide a confidential and comprehensive estate plan. In 18 months, we identified and secured more than $3.7 million in planned gifts to benefit SOKY and helped families save a combined $5 million in potential taxes.
Wesley Manor Retirement Community, Louisville, KY
Challenge
Wesley Manor, a retirement community providing all levels of senior care for more than 200 families in one location, has strong ties to the Methodist Church and loyal donors that support annual giving and special events. The board and executive team had recently completed a capital campaign feasibility study and immediately recognized an opportunity to provide a much-needed planned giving service to their community.
How We Helped
Our team evaluated Wesley Manor’s database of donors, as well as the responses to the feasibility study, and collaborated with staff to introduce the estate planning process to donor families. Our consultants reached out to those prospects with a goal of helping families redirect dollars to their heirs and local charities upon their death. Additionally, the team hoped to provide peace of mind to these donor families by organizing their estate plan and ensuring they properly planned for their loved ones’ well-being.
Outcome
Over the course of five months, the Ashley|Rountree team met monthly with donor families to provide confidential and comprehensive estate plans. In 18 months, we identified and secured $4 million in planned gifts to benefit Wesley Manor and helped donors save a combined $4.2 million in potential taxes.