Planned Giving Insights from Brandy Bertram
Most planned gifts are a single sentence in a will, and most of the people who make them are loyal, everyday donors. That message ran through both of Brandy Bertram’s October sessions for the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado. Brandy founded Great Big Good, a Denver consultancy that helps nonprofits build planned giving programs.
Below are a few takeaways for nonprofits wanting to prepare for planned gifts, for organizations not yet set up to receive to receive them on their own, and for donors. Nothing here is tax or legal advice.
For nonprofits: start smaller than you think
Planned giving has a reputation for being complicated and reserved for large development shops. Brandy made the case that neither is true. Most planned gifts are simple bequests, and many come from donors of modest means who have given to the same organization for years.
A few ideas worth bringing back to your team:
- Loyalty matters more than wealth. Your best prospects are often your longest-running, most consistent donors, not your largest.
- It is your place to bring it up. Many donors first learn about planned giving from a nonprofit they support.
- It doesn’t compete with annual giving. Donors who make a planned gift tend to give more each year afterward, not less.
- Readiness comes first. A clear case for support, a gift acceptance policy, and a way to track relationships over many years matter more than glossy brochures.
- Set a goal tied to a donor action. “Grow planned giving” is hard to act on. A countable goal, such as a number of donors who tell you they’ve named you in their will, gives your team a target.
Brandy walks organizations through goal-setting, donor profiles, and cultivation plans in her workshops and consulting. If you want that level of help, reach out to her directly.
For nonprofits not set up yet: lean on the Community Foundation
Many nonprofits in our region run with two or three staff. Accepting a stock transfer or an IRA distribution can feel like one more system you don’t have. The Community Foundation can help you say yes.
The Community Foundation receives donor-advised fund grants, IRA qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), ACH and wire transfers, and gifts of stock, with no processing fees on stock gifts. That means a simpler experience for donors and less paperwork for your staff.
A good first step: add a line to your website and year-end letter telling donors they can give stock or IRA distributions, and that CFSSCO can help. For complex assets like real estate or gift annuities, specialist partners exist, and we can point you to them.
For donors: give from what you have, not only what you earn
Most household wealth isn’t in a checking account. It’s in retirement accounts, investments, real estate, and life insurance. Giving from those assets can cost you less than writing a check, and in some cases leave more for your family.
The most common options:
- Gifts from your IRA. If you’re 70½ or older, a qualified charitable distribution sends up to $111,000 in 2026 straight from your IRA to a qualifying charity. It isn’t counted as income, it can satisfy your required minimum distribution, and it works whether or not you itemize.
- Naming a charity as beneficiary. Retirement accounts, life insurance, and investment accounts can name a charity to receive what remains. You update a form; your will stays as it is.
- Gifts of appreciated stock. Transfer shares held more than a year directly to the charity instead of selling them first. You generally avoid capital gains tax on the growth.
- Gifts in your will. A bequest lets you keep full control of your assets during your lifetime, and you can change it anytime.
- Gifts that pay you income. Charitable gift annuities and charitable trusts can provide income for life while supporting a cause you care about.
Taxes rarely drive the decision to give, but they shape how and when. Federal rules changed for 2026, including a new deduction for people who don’t itemize, so ask your tax advisor which approach fits you.
Where to start
- Nonprofits: List everyone who has given five or more years in a row. That’s your starting point.
- Organizations needing a hand: Contact the Community Foundation about receiving stock, IRA, and DAF gifts.
- Donors: Review the beneficiary forms on your retirement accounts and life insurance. If you’re 70½ or older, ask about a QCD before December 31.
Thanks to Brandy Bertram for two generous sessions. Reach her at Brandy@GreatBigGood.com.
