Gift Planning FAQs for Nonprofits, Boards, and Development Teams
What does Heaton Smith do?
Heaton Smith partners with nonprofits, institutions, and professional associations to strengthen charitable gift planning through values-based legacy planning, program development, training, and strategic counsel. As part of those engagements, we meet directly with donors and families referred by our clients to help them design gifts that align with both their values and the organization’s mission.
Who does Heaton Smith work with?
We work primarily with nonprofit organizations, community foundations, healthcare systems, universities, religious institutions, and professional associations. Within those engagements, we frequently meet with donors and families as partners of the organization — always in collaboration with the nonprofit or institution that has the donor relationship.
How is Heaton Smith different from traditional planned giving consultants?
We go beyond transactional planned giving focused on individual bequests. Our work combines values-based legacy planning with organizational capacity building, holistic program development, and collaborative donor strategy. Rather than operating independently of your team or your donors, we help your organization build a culture where charitable gift planning becomes a natural part of long-term donor engagement and fundraising.
What services does Heaton Smith offer?
We offer comprehensive gift planning counsel, community foundation development services, legacy planning services delivered through nonprofit partners, program audits, speaking engagements and training, and on-demand expertise via our Gift Planning Guide Desk®. Every engagement is tailored to the needs, capacity, and goals of the organization we serve.
How do we know which service is right for our organization?
Most clients start with a conversation about their goals, challenges, donor base, and internal capacity. Some begin with a Gift Planning Program Audit to establish a baseline; others focus on legacy planning services for high-capacity donors or ongoing support through the Gift Planning Guide Desk®. We recommend services based on your organization’s specific needs rather than a one-size-fits-all model.
How long does it take to see results?
Many organizations see documented blended or estate gifts within the first few months of implementation, especially when donor conversations begin early in the engagement. Full culture change and program maturity typically develop over one to two years, particularly when you are building gift planning into the broader development strategy.
What types of organizations benefit most from your services?
Organizations with loyal donors, sustained fundraising goals, or complex development structures tend to see the strongest return. This includes healthcare systems, universities, community foundations, faith-based organizations, human service organizations, and nonprofits seeking to diversify revenue and deepen donor relationships through charitable gift planning.
What does “values-based legacy planning” mean in practice?
Values-based legacy planning focuses first on donors’ motivations, family priorities, and philanthropic vision before exploring specific gift vehicles. In partnership with your organization, we help donors clarify what they want their giving to accomplish for both heirs and charity — and then design gift strategies that honor those intentions while supporting your mission.
Do you replace an organization’s gift planning or development staff?
No. We work as an extension of your existing team, not a replacement. Your staff maintains the primary relationship with donors. We provide specialized expertise, strategy, training, and donor-facing support that strengthens those relationships and builds internal confidence in charitable gift planning.
Can you work directly with our donors and families?
Yes — and this is often where we add the most value. Donors and families are introduced to us by the nonprofit or institution, and we meet with them as part of your organization’s gift planning efforts. We provide confidential, values-based counsel while reinforcing the donor’s relationship with your organization. Every documented gift is credited to you.
Do you provide training for our staff, board, or professional advisors?
Absolutely. We offer customized training, workshops, and speaking engagements for development teams, executive leadership, boards, and professional advisors. These sessions focus on practical gift planning strategies, donor psychology, and data-backed insights that help your organization better serve donors and grow philanthropic impact.
Do you provide training for our staff, board, or professional advisors?
Absolutely. We offer customized training, workshops, and speaking engagements for development teams, executive leadership, boards, and professional advisors. These sessions focus on practical gift planning strategies, donor psychology, and data-backed insights that help your organization better serve donors and grow philanthropic impact.
What types of gifts can you help our organization facilitate?
We advise on a full range of charitable gift structures, including blended gifts, bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, gifts of appreciated securities, retirement assets, real estate, business interests, donor-advised funds, and other complex giving strategies — always in the context of your organization’s goals and the donor’s values.
How do you measure success in your work with organizations?
Success is measured not only in documented gifts, but in program maturity and cultural adoption. We look at growth in blended and estate gifts, strength of donor relationships, staff confidence, advisor engagement, and long-term sustainability of the gift planning program — all in service to your mission and community impact.
What does it cost to work with Heaton Smith?
Fees vary based on the scope of services, duration of engagement, and level of support your organization needs. Some clients begin with a defined audit or training project; others engage in multi-year partnerships. After an initial conversation, we recommend right-sized options based on your goals and capacity.
How do we get started?
Start with a conversation. We’ll learn about your organization, your donors, and your goals — then recommend next steps, whether that’s an audit, legacy planning engagement, training, or ongoing counsel.