American Bible Society works nationally and globally to provide God’s written word to places that wouldn’t normally have access. Through translation, distribution and ministry partnerships, American Bible Society aims to see 100 million people engaged with the Bible in the next ten years.
RKD built a planned giving campaign that brought:
55
bequests in 1 month
5.5 M
in potential value
28%
increase in bequests from 2017
55
bequests in 1 month
5.5 M
in potential value
28%
increase in bequests from 2017
The Challenge
Increasing Planned Gifts
The American Bible Society, a 200-year-old organization with a donor file rich in potential planned gifts, had reached a planned giving plateau. While the value of the wills was growing, the number of wills was stagnant and not representative of the huge potential. ABS needed a breakthrough.
The Solution
Notification Mailing
RKD chose a different approach by using the current ABS planned giving model and targeting the best potential candidates with a unique direct mail strategy. Donors were mailed informational packets and surveys designed to spur interest and initiate contact back to ABS. These donors were then contacted by ABS to talk the donor through the process.
At some level, all giving is emotional, even a planned gift. For this reason, RKD crafted a one-page note written to both honor the donor and ask a simple, direct and important question: Have you decided to continue putting God’s word into the hands and hearts of those who need it most by leaving the American Bible Society in your will?
Breakthrough
Cultivating Donor Commitment
The results were shocking. This single appeal has generated three times the yearly average of intentions in just one month. Given ABS’s average value of wills, these intentions represent $6 million.
