Legacy Narrative

Author: utahlaw1976

  • What Makes a Good Donor Story?

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    utahlaw1976
    in

    In planned giving, facts rarely move people. Stories do. A donor story is not simply a profile. It is not a summary of generosity. It is an invitation. When done well, it allows the reader to see themselves in the life of another donor and quietly think, “I could do that.” Planned giving is rooted…

  • From Law to Legacy

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    utahlaw1976
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    Many years ago, as a nervous 25-year-old law school graduate, I stood in the Supreme Court of the State of Utah with a group of newly minted attorneys. We raised our right hands, recited the oath, and were welcomed into the profession. Later that day, we repeated the ceremony in federal court. I left those…

  • Planned Giving is a Foreign Language

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    utahlaw1976
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    Planned giving is a foreign language. Not because it relies on obscure, technical terms, such as charitable remainer trusts, gift annuities, values, heritage, legacy. It most certainly does employ those terms (more on this in a later post). No, planned giving is foreign to most major gift officers because of what it speaks to: a…

  • The Loyalty Index

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    utahlaw1976
    in

    Most higher education advancement shops use some form of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. CRM systems specially designed for fundraising usually have ranking or prediction functions to help prioritize gift officers’ prospects. Often these ranking functions focus on wealth screening, looking primarily at a prospect’s perceived ability to make a current gift. Planned giving departments…