This guide was created for Israeli nonprofits (NGOs) and philanthropic professionals who are interested in getting started with Legacy for their organization in Israel.

We created the Legacy Planning Guide for Nonprofit Organizations in Israel to help Israel nonprofits learn about Legacy. Written specifically for nonprofit philanthropic leaders and staff, this guide provides information, ideas, and tips to help Israel based nonprofits understand more about incorporating Legacy into their fund development strategy.

With Legacy, the donor supports a philanthropic cause either during their lifetime or at the time of death.

Legacy, also referred to as Planned Giving, refers to an allocation of funds from a donor’s estate at death. A Legacy Gift is a part of the donor’s overall estate plan that designates one or more nonprofit organizations as beneficiaries. While a Legacy Plan often has multiple beneficiaries and is structured with the help of an attorney, in its most simple form, a Legacy Gift can be just a single statement in the donor’s will that designates a specific amount of money to a nonprofit organization.
 

Although Legacy is relatively new to Israel, Legacy Giving programs have been an established part of nonprofit philanthropy for the better of the 20th century. In fact, in the United States, Legacy Giving has become a major source of funds for both large and small Jewish nonprofit organizations.

For philanthropic professionals who are new to Legacy, there is often a misconception that Legacy is very complicated and requires a lot of resources. But getting started with Legacy is a relatively straight forward process. If your organization can dedicate its time and stay committed to your new Legacy program, you and your organization has the potential to make Legacy your organization’s best investment!

Legacy is all about creating a plan for your organization’s future.

Just as fundraising is essential activity to fund your organization’s current operations, Legacy offers a path towards long-term financial sustainability. If your leadership team is like most, your focused on your organization’s current year’s budget, operations and making sure you reach your fundraising goals. But what about next year – or 5, 10 or 20 years from now?

With Legacy, you continue to do everything you’re already doing, but also set in place a long-term financial sustainability plan that supports your future operations. Take a moment to ask yourself: How do you envision your organization in 5, 10, or 20 years? What would you like to achieve? Done the right way, your Legacy program can help your organization become financially sound and achieve your vision for the future.

An Unexpected Benefit: Better Fundraising
One of the unexpected benefits of Legacy is that it can improve your fundraising results. Research in the U.S. has shown that donors who have committed to making a Legacy gift to an organization end up donating up to 200% more to that organization!
 There reason is simple. Once a donor commits to making a Legacy gift, they also become more committed to your organization’s success. As you speak with your donors about Legacy, you will also build stronger personal connections, which can also lead to them increasing their annual contribution.

As a Legacy professional, you’ll focus on working with donors and making Legacy a priority within your organization.

This One of first questions philanthropic professionals have about Legacy Giving is: “What is my role in the Legacy planning process?”

For most nonprofits in Israel, the day-to-day responsibility for Legacy will go to the development director or development team. While every organization is unique, if you can dedicate at least several hours a week to building and managing your program, you’ll be able to get the job done.

 As a philanthropic professional in charge of Legacy, your top priority will be to work directly with your donors. From educating your supporters about your Legacy program to getting to know your supporters and learning about their personal stories, you’ll have ongoing direct conversations with interested donors.

You’ll also be working with your organization’s leadership, advisors, and volunteers to make Legacy a team effort and a priority within your organization.

You don’t need to be wealthy or approaching old age to start a Legacy Plan. In fact, almost anyone can make Legacy Gift.

One of the biggest misconceptions about Legacy Giving is that you need to be wealthy to create a Legacy Plan. But research has consistently shown just the opposite to be true.

In the U.S., the estimated average charitable bequest is between $40,000 and $100,000*. While there are very large Legacy gifts made – including to Jewish philanthropic organizations – such gifts are more the exception more than the rule.

A second misconception in Legacy Giving is that most donors are approaching old age. In fact, a significant portion of individuals make Legacy Plans and gift commitments in the 40’s and 50’s. As you can see from the research, a significant portion of your current donor base could be a potential Legacy donor.

The idea behind Legacy Is For Everyone is that practically anyone can make a Legacy Gift. Each of your supporters, wealthy or not, can be viewed as a potential Legacy donor.

Organizations that are run successful Legacy program all have one thing in common – the are good at working with their donors.

For donors, Legacy is a profoundly personal experience and an opportunity to make an impact on your organization in the future.
Remember, no two donors are alike – and that The It’s important that the way you communicate with your donors focus your communication and strategy make a profound impact on the figure n a lot of ways, marketing and communications for Legacy is an add on to your current marketing activities and should be integrated into your overall marketing program. For example, if your organization is active on social media and email, you should include Legacy as part of your social and email strategy.

Some of the most common strategies include:
Your Website – Your website offers an important part of your marketing strategy. Creating a page dedicated to Legacy will help your constituents learn about Legacy and the specifics of your program.
Events – In person events – or even virtual events – offer an opportunity to have personal conversations with donors about Legacy.
Storytelling – Everyone loves a great story, and Legacy is no exception. Stories from your Legacy donors and organization can make a big impact and really help explain what Legacy is all about.

A well planned and executed marketing and communications plan will help you build awareness for your Legacy program and support your efforts.

In a lot of ways, marketing and communications for Legacy is an add on to your current marketing activities and should be integrated into your overall marketing program. For example, if your organization is active on social media and email, you should include Legacy as part of your social and email strategy.

Some of the most common strategies include:

Your Website – Your website offers an important part of your marketing strategy. Creating a page dedicated to Legacy will help your constituents learn about Legacy and the specifics of your program.

Events – In person events – or even virtual events – offer an opportunity to have personal conversations with donors about Legacy.

Storytelling – Everyone loves a great story, and Legacy is no exception. Stories from your Legacy donors and organization can make a big impact and really help explain what Legacy is all about.

It’s important for philanthropic professionals to be familiar with the most common terms and financial concepts.

Bequests – Most Legacy gifts come in the form of a bequest. A bequest is a gifts that is made as part of a will or trust. A bequest can be to a person, or it can be a charitable bequest to a nonprofit organization. A Bequest can be made by putting a simple instruction in one’s will —“I give $5,000 to my organization ABC.”
Estate Planning – Estate Planning is the process by which an individual creating a plan to handle one’s assets in the future, typically after one’s death. An estate plan usually includes a Will – but can also include other documents such as insurance policies.
Endowment – An endowment is a structure used mostly by large nonprofit organizations – such foundations and universities – to raise donation capital in order to fund its operations on an ongoing basis. Most of the money in the endowment is invested and never spent. Then the investment proceeds are used to fund the organization’s operations.
Funds Use Policy – Before launching your Legacy program, your organization needs to decide what type of gifts it will accept – and how you will use the funds. It’s important for your organization – and also for your donors – that you have a well thought out funds use plan.
Lifetime or Life Income Gift – With a lifetime gift, the donors makes a gift during their lifetime but continues to receive proceeds from the gift, such as in the form of an annuity. The income payments continue for the beneficiaries’ lives or, in some cases, for a term of up to 20 years.