Frequently Asked Questions

WHY SHOULD MY NONPROFIT START A PLANNED GIVING PROGRAM?
Planned Giving helps you start or grow your nonprofit’s endowment to weather the next crisis, while putting you in a stronger financial position for decades and generations to come. Plus, you’ll deepen many donor relationships.
WHAT IS PLANNED GIVING ACCELERATOR?

Planned Giving Accelerator is a 6-month virtual learning community that gives small- and mid-size nonprofits the structure, resources, tactics and support necessary to launch a Planned Giving program. With Planned Giving Accelerator, you get everything you need to create a systematic, proactive and sustainable Planned Giving program that builds a legacy for your organization, while also taking your fundraising career to the next level.

ISN’T PLANNED GIVING TOO COMPLICATED FOR A SMALL- TO MID-SIZE NONPROFIT?
Absolutely not. In Planned Giving Accelerator, you’ll quickly learn that you don’t need a lawyer, a lot of time, or a background in Planned Giving to get meaningful results. Even if you don’t have an existing endowment or familiarity with the specifics and nuances of Planned Giving, you can be a successful member of Planned Giving Accelerator’s supportive learning community.
WHO IS A GOOD FIT FOR PLANNED GIVING ACCELERATOR?
The Accelerator helps individuals in small- to mid-size nonprofits who want to kick off a Planned Giving revenue stream that supports long-term sustainability. You don’t need any experience in Planned Giving or an established endowment to reap the benefits. Ideally, your organization is at least five years old, has individual donors, and is committed to launching this sustainable funding source.
How does Planned Giving differ from other fundraising?
Planned Giving fundraising strengthens your long-term financial future. Planned gifts, on average, are larger than annual gifts. According to Nonprofit Research Collaborative, the average charitable bequest in the U.S. is about $35,000. Over time, those gifts add up and become your foundation for financial stability well into the future.
Will Planned Giving hurt our other fundraising?
Quite the opposite! Research from Russell James at Texas Tech University shows a 75% average increase in annual giving after donors commit a planned gift. Indiana University found a 55% higher average annual gift among donors with gifts in wills, versus donors without those commitments.

In fact, Planned Giving and the Accelerator can deliver short-term benefits such as:

• deeper donor relationships.
• a strong peer-to-peer support community.
• highly relevant professional development.

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR THE ACCELERATOR?

As a member, you need only commit one hour per week. Over six months, you’ll get all the expertise, resources, and support you need to be successful.

Who's behind Planned Giving Accelerator?
You’ll work with Tony Martignetti, a Planned Giving expert who has helped nonprofits raise more than $100 million in planned gifts. Over more than two decades, Tony has become the evangelist for Planned Giving – showing thousands of small- and mid-size nonprofits how they can build a pipeline of gifts that support long-term financial stability. Tony wants to help as many nonprofits as possible find Planned Giving success in a way that is easy, accessible and affordable.
What can I expect from the Accelerator?

Planned Giving Accelerator includes group meetings, exclusive podcasts and webinars, ask-me-anything sessions, and a private Facebook community, as well as ongoing support and strategies to help you launch your Planned Giving program.

As a member of the Accelerator, you’ll
– identify and solicit your Top Prospects
– identify and solicit your Tier II Prospects
– work on your website
– introduce Planned Giving to your board
– do broad, multichannel marketing
– start getting planned gift commitments

There’s also professional development. You’ll broaden your fundraising prowess.

What’s the vibe inside the Accelerator?
Relaxed. Comfortable. Safe. Fun.

Each Zoom session is run as a meeting, not a webinar. You don’t type your Q into the chat. You just ask it. Our members talk to each other.

There’s a ton of structured, step-by-step learning. There’s also plenty of peer learning. Our members safely raise issues about their boards, leadership, donors, events, strategies, and other challenges. Accelerator members support each other. One of our members calls it her “safety net.”

Members get to know each other so the meetings are naturally fun.

CAN MORE THAN ONE PERSON FROM MY ORGANIZATION PARTICIPATE?
Yes! Up to three people from your nonprofit can be members. Having more than one person involved can be beneficial for idea sharing and to ensure that the knowledge acquired remains in your organization.
What sets you apart from other Planned Giving courses?
Tony’s main focus is making Planned Giving easy, accessible and affordable. He often says, “I’m an attorney, but I don’t talk like one.” That’s a good thing because most attorneys who advise nonprofits on Planned Giving make the process much more complicated and confusing than it needs to be. Tony has decades of experience as an attorney and Planned Giving consultant. He’s mastered how to simplify and demystify the Planned Giving process. That’s what he’ll teach you in the Accelerator.

An Accelerator member puts it this way: “He knows the complicated stuff, but you don’t need it.”

Tony sees the vast potential for just about any nonprofit to reap the long-term benefits and sustainability that Planned Giving delivers. The Accelerator is an opportunity for your nonprofit to capitalize on a missed opportunity by developing an easy, accessible, and affordable approach to strengthening your organization through Planned Giving.