Read Part 1, “Mining Donor Data for Dollars,” here.

Many organizations rely on wealth screening as a primary data strategy. While useful, wealth screening has limitations.

Wealth screening typically assigns donors a “score” based on factors like income, net worth and giving history. This can be helpful for identifying prospects during capital campaigns, but it often lacks transparency and depth. You may know a donor has a high score but not why.

A more effective approach is generational fundraising, which uses detailed data to understand donors within the context of their lifecycle stages. Rather than focusing solely on wealth, generational fundraising considers predictable life events. Becoming grandparents, retiring, updating an estate plan, the loss of a spouse.

Donors’ lives evolve constantly. They retire, inherit assets, lose jobs, gain wealth and experience major life events. If your data doesn’t reflect these changes, your outreach won’t either.

These events happen across generations at relatively consistent ages. By aligning outreach with these moments, planned giving fundraisers can create more relevant and meaningful donor connections.

The power of personalization

When donor data is complete, current and correct, it enables a level of personalization that generic outreach simply can’t match.

For instance:

• Older donors may benefit from information about required minimum distributions (RMDs) and making IRA QCD gifts.
• Donors with significant home equity may be ideal candidates to bequeath their home.
• Individuals familiar with annuities may be more receptive to charitable gift annuities.

Even communication style matters. Older generations prefer printed materials with larger fonts; younger donors may favor digital engagement. However, donors across all age groups still appreciate having something tangible they can read and revisit.

The key is not choosing one channel over another but using your complete, correct and current data to determine the right media and channel mix.

Building relationships through consistent engagement

Planned giving is about relationships. And relationships require consistent, thoughtful communication about planned giving techniques and scenarios.

Sharpe Group strongly recommends sending planned giving communications to donors at least five times per year. An ideal range is nine touches annually. These don’t all need to be formal solicitations. In fact, they shouldn’t be.

Effective touches include:

• Birthday and/or anniversary cards.
• Educational content.
• Newsletters about the organization’s mission accomplishments through donors’ gifts.
• Brochures featuring donor stories.

These interactions build familiarity and trust over time, making donors more likely to include your organization in their long-term plans.

The cost of inaction

Despite the clear benefits, many nonprofits still fail to fully utilize their donor data. Some maintain only basic records, lacking critical details like age, income or net worth.

This gap represents a missed opportunity.

Without detailed data, organizations can’t effectively segment their audience, tailor their messaging or identify high-potential donors. In some cases, this means missing entire generations of planned giving opportunities.

For example, if an organization failed to engage donors from older generations in the past, those opportunities may now be gone. But for current generations—such as Baby Boomers and Gen X—there is still significant potential, provided organizations act strategically.

Data-driven decisions in the age of AI

As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent, the importance of data quality is only increasing. AI can enhance analysis, but it cannot compensate for poor data.

In fact, relying too heavily on AI without complete, current and correct data can introduce errors in the output. The real value lies in combining robust data with thoughtful strategy. As the saying goes, “If it’s not data-driven, it’s just someone’s opinion.”

Turning data into opportunity

Donor data is more than a collection of names and numbers. It’s a living resource. When properly maintained and thoughtfully applied, it becomes the planned giving program culture for stronger relationships, smarter strategies and increased giving.

Organizations that invest in their data infrastructure position themselves to:

• Identify high-potential donors.
• Personalize communications.
• Reduce unnecessary costs.
• Build long-term trust.

And most importantly, they create a sustainable foundation for planned giving success.

In our competitive nonprofit fundraising landscape, that investment provides the long-term sustainability needed.