Fact: Planned Giving (dollars/relevance) has been in a funk for a few years (not something the planned giving nuts like myself want to advertize).
Rather than trying to prove the obvious (from stagnant Giving USA numbers, lower numbers of bequests the higher ed sector, etc..), I actually believe we are turning the corner and will prove the opposite trend!
This first slide, which is just one of many we are preparing for an upcoming webinar, shows that planned giving dollars to higher education is on the upswing. That fact isn’t so momentous but it is interesting to note that FY14 planned giving numbers were the best ever for the University world in terms of total gross dollars received from planned gifts (bequests and deferred gifts present valued) in any year since 2005 and probably forever (VSE #s before 2005 are not available).
What has me more excited? Take a look at this second slide. FY08 was the peak year in planned giving to Universities in terms of dollars and numbers of planned gifts. Strangely, the number of reported bequests started dropping significantly from FY09 to the bottom out year of FY12 – a total drop of 13% in the number of received bequests FY08 to FY12. I believe what we were seeing was the impact of the “baby bust” generation – the small numbers of individuals born in the 1930s.
Why am I excited? For two years in a row, FY13 and FY14, the numbers of bequests to higher education has started climbing back to 2005 levels. In other words, the lull in numbers of U.S. charitable bequests that you could have easily predicted based on numbers of births in the U.S. in the 1930s is hopefully over. More pointedly, we are finally starting to see the potential impact of the baby boomers on planned giving numbers (i.e. generational transfer predictions may start coming true sooner than later).
We have a lot of new and updated data points to share in an upcoming webinar (July 31 at 11 am EASTERN). If you are interested in watching the live webinar or the recording, we are offering it at a special half-price of $35 through July 24th (from our regular $70 per webinar fee). If you are interested, CLICK HERE to pay/register via paypal (info you provide will serve as your registration information, too). In addition to receiving the recording as well as access to the live session, you will also receive a copy of the actual powerpoint that you can edit and use for your own presentations.
Webinar information:
Title: The Tide is Finally Turning! Giving USA 2015 and Other Startling Planned Giving Data Lessons
Time/Date: 11 am EST, July 31th, 2015
Presenter: Jonathan Gudema Esq.
Platform: Join.me, recording to be placed on YouTube (private setting)
Fee: $70 per site (Special half-price offered through July 24th)