Category strategy
The Value of Planned Giving Specialists
Too many nonprofits view planned gifts marketing through an annual fund lens. They hand the responsibility to an internal marketing team or fundraising partner, write “Don’t Forget to Include Us in Your Will,” send it to the usual suspects, and…
Trends in Testamentary Giving in the U.S.
Testamentary giving in the United States is undergoing a structural shift driven by demographic change, the rise of retirement‑based philanthropy, and the growing ease of making non‑probate gifts through beneficiary designations. The result is a landscape where charitable bequests remain…
How Donor Psychology, Emotion, and Life-Planning Realities Shape Legacy Giving
Planned giving is not a transaction — it’s a deeply personal decision shaped by identity, relationships, fears, hopes, values, and the story a donor wants to leave behind. Yet most nonprofits approach planned giving through technical tools, legal mechanics, or…
From Trickle to Torrent: The Great Wealth Transfer has Begun
It was 1999 when Paul G. Schervish and John J. Havens, researchers at the Boston College Center of Wealth and Philanthropy, first introduced their prediction of the coming tidal wave of intergenerational wealth transfer which would occur as Baby Boomers…
Lead Generation for Planned Giving: Lessons from 33 Years in the Field
For more than three decades, I’ve had the privilege of helping nonprofit organizations across the country generate qualified leads for planned gifts. Over that time, Caswell Zachry Grizzard has mailed millions of mail packages, conducted every type of test and…
About Our Founder: The Legacy of Gordon Caswell
Gordon M. Caswell stands as one of the foundational figures of modern planned giving in the United States. His career blended technical mastery, donor‑centered philosophy, and a visionary understanding of how philanthropy could be expanded through intentional, relationship‑driven legacy planning.…