Stewarding Kids and Relatives of Donors Who Give Estates

Now, as I have thought about this topic of stewarding the kids and relatives of the donor who gives a sizable gift to a non-profit, I wonder why this doesn’t happen more often. And I can come up with three reasons it doesn’t:

1. The major gift person or director of development does not have a long-term vision to make something like this happen.
2. The management system surrounding a major gifts officer or director of development who would want to do something like this would not support them.
3. The legal and/or financial bureaucrats will get in the way, putting all their worries and anxieties, which are often out of control and not managed, onto the attempt of the major gifts officer or director of development to do this good work, and smother it out of existence. This is really sad. And management should not allow it.

So, here is the takeaway from this very interesting and exciting situation. If you have a situation like this, start thinking long term and take the steps the director of development took in her situation. You won’t regret it. And if those finance or legal people want to get in the way with all their rules and restrictions, go to the manager above them with your manager and “plead the case” by telling them the story I have just shared with you.

Then get on the journey my director of development friend took. It will be one of the best rides you have ever taken.