A. Preparation

• Involve the Board and professional staff; get their support
• Consult with other leaders in your congregation
• Form a planned giving committee
• Create a plan for recognizing generous donors, such as a Legacy Society
• Compose a mission statement for the planned giving committee

B. Gift Guidelines

Propose guidelines for the Board to consider and approve.
Guidelines might address these questions:

• What do we do when we receive an unrestricted bequest? Does it automatically go into the endowment?
• Under what circumstances will we credit a bequest to the operating budget? Who would make this decision?
• Are there any purposes/uses we would like to encourage?
• Who should review and approve/decline gifts with restrictions?
• Are we equipped to handle stock gifts? If not, contact the UUA for assistance.
• Are we equipped to handle gifts of real estate?
• Draft and adopt a Gift Acceptance Policy. Contact the UUA Office of Legacy Gifts for samples.

C. Endowment Funds

Consult the Endowment Fund page for detailed information about this topic.

• If you have an endowment fund, review statements of its purpose, investment policies, and any rules that exist for directing gifts. If you do not have an endowment fund, consider establishing one before any gifts arrive.
• Donors usually want to know that a gift to the endowment will be managed well, with good investment strategies, regular reports to the congregation (and to donors), about the financial status of the endowment.
• Donors also want to be assured that the congregation is fiscally sound in its management of the fund, using for its express purposes, and has a plan for making decisions should the need arise to invade principal.

D. Identify Potential Donors

• Talk with the minister and other long-time lay leaders about who might be most interested in supporting the long-term vitality of your congregation.
• Speak with leaders and long-time members to find out who might already have your congregation in their estate plans.
• Review the church directory and make a list of the 10 best prospects, the people who are most important to speak with first.
• Make a legacy gift yourself.

E. Ask for the Gift (Cultivation)

Preparing to Contact Prospective Donors

• Who will ask?
• When?
• Arrange visits with people who are prospects.

Making the Visit

• Visit and talk to prospects about what your congregation means in your life and ask them what the congregations has meant to them.
• Listen.
• Bring news about programs of particular interest to each prospect.

After the Visit

• Follow-up with personal notes, say thanks for taking time to meet, and way when you’ll next be in touch.
• Follow-up with phone call to answer questions.
• Stay in touch – but go easy.
• Contact the UUA for assistance if needed.

F. Stewardship and Accountability

• Thank your contributors.
• Keep them informed about how their gifts are being used or will be used.
• Recognize them – at special events, on a wall plaque, in announcements (except for anonymous gifts)
• Plan events of interest to them.
• Strengthen the connection to Unitarian Universalism.

G. Getting the Word Out

• Write newsletter announcements.
• Write articles featuring generous donors after receiving their consent.
• Develop literature and brochures.
• Hold dinners or special events to honor of the Legacy Society.
• Hold a seminar/workshop series on charitable estate planning.