Only way to increase long trem giving

Fundraisers in the UK have been told they will collectively have to switch their attention to targeting rich people and encouraging planned giving if they are to increase underlying giving levels over the next 25 years.

This is based on the 25th Charity Trends Survey which also stated that things will get tougher over the next 25 years.

Is this true in the U.S. as well? Is it true of the American Cancer Society? Should emphsis be placed in our fund raising for Major and Planned Gifts? Do we need more fudndraisers to intro the rich to our cause – like goft. Like Cattle Baron’s and Virtual Cattle Baron’s?

For more read The Professional Fundraiser.

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  1. Hmmmmm. What’s interesting to me about the ACS division i work in (well, one of many things!) is that we have large & growing annual-giving and workplace-giving programs…and a smaller top tier of $20K+ major givers. What we DON’T seem to have is a middle base of people who give maybe $1K to $19K annually. But a lot of people could afford to be in that middle group. We have to figure out how to engage them in the important work we’re doing. Volunteering will do so, but not everyone has the time to volunteer – a problem with modern society in general, i think.

  2. The working middle class,in the main, are the baby boomers. See those articles from Dave Collin and mine on the Baby Boomers.

    Are you missing the top tier because there is not enough emphasis on it or that they will not give?

    They are there and if the ACS does not tap them someone else will.

    Do you have The Planned Giving Business Unit in your Division? Also do you have a cadre of Major Gift Officers?

  3. So my question is, will the middle class in the near future have the assets for planned giving? After enjoying the good life for more years, after paying for long-term care and then facing horrendous end-of-life expenses (average $120,000 for the last 6 weeks of life), who’s going to have money to give to charity? They’ll be lucky to have anything to give to heirs. Seems to me the Brits are right, legacies are going to be for the rich only.

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