WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY   OUR RESPONSIBILITY BEYOND OUR LIFETIME “It takes a noble person to plant a tree that will one day provide shade for those whom he may never meet” -Anon Fraser Alexander – May 2010

As patients committed to better outcomes for people with retinal disorders now and into the future, we are vital messengers in the quest to attract resources to scientific and medical research. A significant proportion of all voluntary giving to charities around the world comes from bequests but evidence exists that charities are running out of time to capitalise on this highly lucrative source of revenue.

As leaders in the world of patient support for research, we should be asking ourselves whether we are doing all we can to encourage bequests and endowments? Are we equipped with the relevant knowledge to maximise our prospects? Are those with the linkage, interest and ability to help our cause by leaving a bequest even aware of the need and the opportunity?   My intention here is to give some brief background that may be relevant to being more effective in channelling resources from the blindness fighters to fighting blindness.

I will divide my presentation into 3 areas:   1. Why a Bequest programme 2. The Bequestor Cycle- the foundation of your programme 3. What kind of programme is appropriate for us?

WHY A BEQUEST PROGRAMME?   BEQUESTOR BENEFITS * In general, the bequestor can make a larger gift than a lifetime gift and this gratifies the very human need to experience the enjoyment of giving and the receiving of customised appreciation that it brings.  * Can create a permanent memorial.  * Can make a gift while retaining one’s income.  * Can have assets managed at low or no cost.  * Increases available options of giving for your donors.

THE BEQUESTOR CYCLE-THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR PROGRAMME    A. Identification   B. Qualification C. Cultivation D. Solicitation E. Recognition

IDENTIFICATION The important factors in identifying bequestors are linkage, interest and the ability to make a bequest gift. I would make the following comments with respect to each factor and the process of identifying your best bequest prospects. Linkage People already close to your organisation- your donors, the beneficiaries of your organisations work (and their families); your volunteers, your advocates and your staff are the most important and the easiest to communicate with about bequest giving.

IDENTIFICATION Interest This refers to an interest in contributing financially to the prosperity and aspirations of your organisation. In terms of financial support the number of gifts made and the tenure of giving are good indicators of interest. For volunteers and staff the tenure of service is a good indicator of interest. While some indication of interest is desirable as you identify your best prospects, it is your work later in the bequest or cycle that is the most important part of securing an interest. Ability For some of your prospects, it will be reasonably easy to ascertain wealth and the ability to make a meaningful bequest gift but the best advice is to assume very little in terms of individual’s ability. It is only the magnitude of the estate that is likely to be distributed at the time of passing that is important, nothing else.

QUALIFICATION This is the process whereby you determine whether an individual should be included in activities intended to make a prospect consider a bequest gift. These could include segmenting your donors, volunteers, advocates and staff on the strength of their linkage, their interest and ability or by another criteria such as age or ease of access (to bequest communications). Within this process you need to consider what is possible in terms of bequest promotion - obviously no point in committing resources to qualifying prospects will be unable to work with.

CULTIVATION Cultivation means bringing the prospect to a closer relationship with an organisation and its programmes and increasing his/her interest in becoming involved as a donor of his/her resources. Cultivation of bequest prospects could include one or a number of the following activities:   * Personal visits by the CEO, board member, or significant peer. * Invitations to visit the organisation and see how and why it operates. * Invitation to serve on a committee or board. * Honoring their work or making opportunities to exhibit their skills and talents. * Sending customised updates on the work of your charity in addition to magazines, newsletters etc.

SOLICITATION Worldwide research on legacies and bequests shows that the majority of gifts come from individuals for whom the charity has no knowledge of the bequest prior to the death of the bequestor. For this reason, it is important to recognise that “solicitation” or asking for the gift often happens in the absence of a representative of the charity. Ensuring your best prospects are aware that your charity needs bequests, can apply the funds effectively and efficiently, and that the process of writing a bequest clause is easy are all vital aspects of asking for the bequest.

SOLICITATION continued Occasionally, you will find there is an opportunity to ask for the bequest in person. The most important thing to remember is that the more the prospect talks, the more likely he/she is to give money. When you encourage conversation and dialogue, you discover what holds the prospect back from making a gift, what the questions are, and where the prospect’s excitement lies. You should, however control the conversation in a subtle way using the “Open, Involve, Present and Close” sequence. Look at the prospect and ask boldly for the gift. You have a right to be there. Your organisation deserves the money. The prospect has told you he/she is open to being asked. The conclusion of the conversation will be a natural, comfortable and rewarding experience for both the bequestor and the charity. Effective solicitation is the right person soliciting the right prospect for the right gift at the right time for the right purpose. Remember people do not give to causes; they give to people with causes.

  RECOGNITION A critical success factor of your bequest programme will be your ability to show donors you value their planned gifts through continuous recognition that is perceived as eternal gratitude. Thank your bequestors throughout their lifetime with personal visits, letters, or phone calls; by maintaining personal contact; by developing a planned-gift recognition society; by offering token thank-you gifts; by conducting special events for planned-gift donors; and by naming them in publications. For donors of life-income gifts, mail checks with a personal cover letter and conduct periodic “customer satisfaction” surveys. Endowment givers should receive annual letters from the beneficiaries of their gifts and be invited to annual endowment appreciation events.

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMME IS APPROPRIATE FOR US? COMMENCING   Without dedicating significant resources, financial or otherwise, you can begin to connect with bequest prospects to enhance the levels of bequest income you receive. Some of these activities include: * Making sure you regularly include in your magazines and newsletters, on your website and other appropriate publications, the wording to be used in a will document that is required by will writers. * Where possible feature the story of a confirmed bequestor (including the reasons why they decided to) in publications read by your donors, staff and volunteers. * Ensure your organisation and its work is known as widely as possible among estate planning professionals, legal advisors and community foundations. * Ensure you have policies and processes in place to respond to bequest enquiries and to recognise confirmed bequestors.

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMME IS APPROPRIATE FOR US? DEVELOPING * Develop small-scale programmes for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting and recognising your best bequest prospects.   * Commit to an annual “Legacy Society” or “Bequest Club” event to thank your confirmed bequest prospects and encourage potential bequestors to consider a bequest in a low-pressure environment. * Identify staff or volunteers best equipped to be responsible for an agreed level of bequest promotion activity and set goals related to the bequest cycle.

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMME IS APPROPRIATE FOR US? REFINING * Monitor the status of individuals with respect to the bequestor cycle and plan activities and resource deployment accordingly.   * Write case statements and promotional copy to achieve maximum awareness and develop consistency with respect to your bequest promotion work. * Identify well-known and well-respected stakeholders in your organisation and acquire their services as “legacy gift champions” to communicate your key bequest messages.