The Latest Research

Because of our dedication to the planned giving profession, Legacy Leaders has committed $50,000 to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Foundation to fund research in the area of planned giving. 

“There is strong interest in planned giving research among fundraising professionals,”said AFP’s Vice President for Education and Research Cathlene Williams, Ph.D., CAE.“Among other things, AFP members want to know what motivates donors to consider planned gifts and how we can better understand the planned giving behavior of different segments of the population.”

The AFP Research Council administers the gift to ensure the funding of high-quality research of practical value to development professionals seeking to maximize their planned giving efforts.  To date, the following research projects have been funded:

            What Factors Determine Why an Individual will Add or Remove a Charitable Bequest from Their Estate Plans?

 

A Legacy Leaders Planned Giving Research Grant was awarded to Russell James, Ph.D,.with the Department of Housing and Consumer Economics at the University of Georgia. James’research, “Causes and Correlates of Charitable Giving in Estate Planning,” reviews five waves (1996-2006) of the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Survey, involving more than 100,000 people.  The study presents the first comprehensive longitudinal analysis of charitable bequest behavior among older adults.  The research uncovers the factors associated with individuals adding or removing a charitable bequest to their estate plans. For a copy of the research findings, click here.

How Do Individuals Identify with the Organizations They Want to Support? 

Another Legacy Leaders Planned Giving Research Grant was awarded to Adrian Sargeant, the Robert F Hartsook Professor of Fundraising at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, and Jen Shang of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. The project, “Identification, Death and Bequest Giving,” explores how individuals who are considering making or have made planned gifts identify with the organizations they want to support.  Identification, or how a donor relates to an organization, has become an increasingly important aspect of donor relations, and the study should offer practical recommendations to fundraisers on how to develop appeals and tailor communications messages. For a copy of the research findings, click here.

What are the Gender Differences on the Motives that Drive Bequest Behavior?

This study adds to the scholarly and practitioner understanding of the role gender plays in making planned gifts.  It can help nonprofit development officers more effectively identify who else to engage as potential new bequest donors. Fundraisers will be able to segment bequest strategies to cater to the differing motivations of the different gender groups.  For a copy of the research findings, click here.