How Data Intelligence Transforms Planned Giving Programs
Mary Q. Prospect is a long-time donor to XYZ University. After graduating from XYZ 35 years ago, she enjoyed a long and fruitful career in elementary education—teaching countless 2nd graders how to read, write, add, and subtract. Mary has also been a consistent alumnae volunteer for XYZ, and even served as president of her local alumni chapter. Every year during the holiday season, Mary sits at her dining room table to make her annual $50 gift to the university. On paper, Mary Q. Prospect doesn’t look like a major gift prospect. With her annual gift of $50 and a 35-year giving history, her total giving pans out to a whopping $1,750. This doesn’t even place her on the university’s radar for a mid-level giving program.
Mary may not be a top prospect, but she is the perfect planned giving prospect. Her age, consistent giving history and commitment to the university are all strong indicators, but Mary has so far been overlooked. How can we identify and address each “Mary” in our databases?
Planned giving has long been considered a marathon strategy for nonprofits, not a sprint. It’s important, but often secondary to annual and major gift goals. Yet, the data tells us a different story. Organizations that prioritize planned giving can see transformational results. According to Giving USA, charitable bequests accounted for 9% of all donations in 2022, totaling $45.6 billion—more than double corporate giving. And with the great wealth transfer underway, trillions of dollars will pass to younger generations over the next two decades: a tremendous opportunity for nonprofits to build sustainable pipelines of legacy donors.
The challenge? Traditional approaches aren’t enough. Manual research, fragmented data, minimal staffing, and reliance on old-school wealth screening leave too many prospects undiscovered. Focusing solely on traditional methods means we are barely scratching the surface of our planned giving potential. Enter data intelligence—a game-changer for planned giving.
Don’t get me wrong, wealth screening has its place, but it often misses the donors most likely to make a planned gift—like our friend Mary Q. Prospect. Why are we missing her? Because planned giving intent is rarely about visible wealth. It’s about loyalty, values, and life stage. When a donor has shown their consistent commitment to our organizations, why would we assume that commitment would end upon their death?
The gap between potential and actual results is striking. Many nonprofits underestimate their planned giving revenue because they focus on capacity rather than behavioral indicators. That’s where predictive modeling comes in. There are three key areas where modeling can assist: identifying prospects, streamlining your process, and automating personalization.
Identifying Prospects: Data That Can Predict Planned Giving Intent
Understanding which supporters are most likely to make a planned gift is essential for building a sustainable donor pipeline. By analyzing key behavioral signals, you can layer important context with traditional wealth screening to confidently identify prospects who are deeply committed to your mission.
- Longevity of giving: Donors who have supported your organization for 15+ years are prime candidates for planned giving.
- Consistency over gift size: Regular, modest gifts often signal strong affinity.
- Age and life stage: Donors in their 40s and beyond are writing wills earlier.
- Engagement beyond giving: Volunteers, board members, and advocates show deep commitment.
- Communication preferences: Supporters who are responsive to stewardship efforts and educational content about legacy giving may be ready to think longer-term.
Advanced tools like Prospect Insights Pro, which includes a planned giving model, combine these behavioral signals with wealth and demographic data, creating predictive scores that help fundraisers prioritize outreach with confidence.
Streamlining Your Process: Using AI to Focus Your Time
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing fundraising. Nonprofits often face the challenge of achieving ambitious fundraising goals with limited staff time and resources. AI can maximize your impact.
- Prioritize today’s call list: AI scoring surfaces the donors most likely to engage now.
- Find hidden gems: Identify loyal supporters who don’t look wealthy but have high planned giving likelihood.
- Understand the drivers: Behavioral insights help you tailor conversations to donor motivations.
Purpose-built AI expands capabilities beyond just ranking prospects—it explains the “why” behind the score. This transparency builds trust and empowers fundraisers to act strategically. Instead of spending hours on manual research, gift officers can focus on what matters most: building relationships.
Automating Personalization: Scaling Personalization Without Losing the Human Touch
To many, merging technology and fundraising may seem counterintuitive. How can I take something so impersonal and make it feel personal? Technology in fundraising should serve—not replace—the human side of fundraising. Personalized stewardship remains the cornerstone of planned giving success. AI helps scale personalization by segmenting donors and suggesting tailored messaging, but authentic relationships still drive outcomes.
The goal is to use data intelligence to free up time for deeper engagement, not to automate empathy. When fundraisers combine advanced analytics with genuine connection, they unlock the full potential of planned giving.
Unlocking Donor Potential
It’s time to move beyond outdated, manual approaches and unlock the possibilities within your donor base. Predictive modeling and AI-powered tools are empowering fundraisers to prioritize outreach, personalize stewardship, and build authentic relationships at scale, ensuring that every “Mary Q. Prospect” receives the attention they deserve.
