Planned Giving & Legacy Program Playbook (Land, Securities & Bequests)
A legacy-giving playbook tuned to conservation donors, whose deepest commitment often shows up as a bequest, a gift of appreciated stock, or a gift of land — positioning planned giving as the ultimate retention horizon.
Draft: pending review
This starter document is signed off by Planned-giving counsel (CGAs, CRTs, real property + CERCLA screening) + CAP/CFRE before it ships. The guardrails below define that review.
What’s inside
- Vehicle primer: bequests, beneficiary designations, appreciated securities, CGAs, CRTs, gifts of real property
- Legacy society structure, recognition, and stewardship cadence
- Gift-of-land and gift-of-stock acceptance pre-screens (environmental liability, marketability)
- Marketing templates with required disclaimers
Legal & ethical guardrails
The sector-specific compliance points this document must honor.
- Advise donors to consult their own advisors and avoid individualized advice; charitable gift annuities are state-regulated (registration, reserves)
- Gifts of real property carry environmental due-diligence duties (CERCLA liability); accept only after documented review; never promise a specific deduction
- Bequest/beneficiary intentions are revocable — do not book as pledges or pressure elderly donors; follow undue-influence safeguards
- Restricted or place-specific legacy gifts must be honored per donor intent (or with variance/gift-over language)
Held for professional review.
The native DOCX and full working text ship only after sign-off by Planned-giving counsel (CGAs, CRTs, real property + CERCLA screening) + CAP/CFRE on this exact version. The summary and review requirements remain visible in the meantime.
Not legal advice. Not legal, tax, or accounting advice. The Fundraising Co. provides educational fundraising materials and is not a law firm; nothing here creates an attorney–client relationship or substitutes for advice from professionals licensed in your jurisdiction. Laws and IRS rules vary by state and change over time. Review every document with qualified counsel before use.