Growing Up in Planned Giving and Helping It Evolve

Nathan Stelter, President, Stelter Company

Not many people can say they grew up inside the planned giving industry and then helped reshape it. But Nathan Stelter can!

The company that bears his last name began in 1962, when his grandfather, Paul Stelter, set up a metal desk and filing cabinet in the basement of his home in Des Moines (go Drake Bulldogs!).

His early work focused on helping bank trust departments communicate the value of estate planning to their clients, translating complex financial concepts into language people could understand.

That instinct, simplifying the complex, became foundational.

It also positioned the company for a shift that would come a decade later.

An Early Bet on the Nonprofit Sector

In the late 1970s, Stelter expanded into the nonprofit world (with Nathan’s father, Larry, leading the way), helping organizations communicate with donors about estate and planned gifts. At the time, this was far from standard practice. Planned giving existed, but it was often buried in technical language and rarely marketed with intention.

Stelter approached it differently.

They introduced full-color newsletters when most organizations were still cautious about presentation. They experimented with segmentation—tailoring messages to specific audiences long before it became common practice. Stelter developed educational tools that generated interest and response.

The approach reflected a broader belief: donors were not just about the numbers, but individuals making deeply personal decisions about legacy and impact.

A Business That Grew Alongside the Field

As the planned giving field matured, so did Stelter.

The company expanded its services, integrating creative, research, and strategy. It launched early digital platforms, recognizing that donor behavior would increasingly move online. It invested in research, including a national study on bequest giving that challenged assumptions about who gives and why.

By the time Nathan Stelter stepped into a leadership role, the firm had already undergone several evolutions: from print to digital, from content provider to strategic partner.

One challenge persisted across the sector.

The Disconnect Between Belief and Practice

Most nonprofit leaders understand the importance of planned giving. They recognize its role in long-term sustainability and donor engagement.

Yet in practice, efforts are often fragmented.

A newsletter may be sent. A website page might exist. Occasionally, a campaign is launched. But these efforts are rarely coordinated or sustained in a way that reflects how donors actually make decisions.

Planned giving is not transactional. It unfolds over time, often years, as individuals consider their values, assets, and the legacy they hope to leave behind.

Without a cohesive approach, even well-designed efforts can fail to gain traction.

From Tactics to Systems

What Stelter has helped advance is a more integrated model.

Rather than treating planned giving as a series of isolated tactics, the work is structured as a system:

• Messaging that is clear and accessible across channels

• Campaigns that build on one another rather than compete for attention

• Data that informs both strategy and follow-up

• Defined pathways that guide donors from awareness to action

This shift reflects a deeper understanding of donor behavior. People do not respond to a single message. They engage gradually, often returning to an idea multiple times before taking the next step. I’ve seen this firsthand numerous times in my career. I’ve mailed out thousands of letters about gift annuities and when a donor finally pulled the trigger, they had a stack of letters in their hand.

The Role of Research and Data

One of the defining elements of Stelter’s work has been its emphasis on research.

The company’s studies on donor behavior, particularly around bequest giving, have helped clarify long-standing misconceptions. For example, the assumption that planned gifts are driven primarily by wealth has given way to a more nuanced understanding of motivation, timing, and personal connection.

More recently, the firm has expanded its use of analytics through tools like the Stelter Intelligence Center, which aggregates donor engagement data and provides insight into behavior over time. Partner that information with consistent outreach and relationship building, and you have a winning strategy.

A Changing Landscape

The ongoing transfer of wealth across generations is substantial. Donor-advised fund growth has skyrocketed. At the same time, donors are increasingly interested in aligning their financial decisions with personal values and long-term impact.

Despite great philanthropic opportunities, many organizations continue to struggle with effectively communicating with donors. And that’s where Stelter comes in handy.

Clarity as Strategy

If there is a throughline in Stelter’s evolution, it is the consistent focus on making complex ideas accessible.

That principle applies as much today as it did in 1962.

Effective planned giving communication does not start with technical details. It begins by helping donors understand how a gift fits into their life, their values, and their broader goals.

From there, the role of the organization is to provide the basics, offer resources, and nurture the relationship.

What Does the Future Hold

It’s an exciting time to be in the planned giving field. As Nathan shares, a lot of the success charities have seen to date have been on the backs of the Silent Generation, however the next 10-20 years will bring us a shift of wealth that we’ll never see again. As the Boomer generation ages and those gifts come to fruition, charities will prosper and reap the rewards.

However, it’s not necessarily all rainbows and sunshine as consumer (and ultimately donor) confidence and trust in institutions is at an all-time low and we need to ensure that we’re building trust and transparency with our dedicated supporters. Add to that the rapid evolution of AI and how that can impact donor perception, and we have some interesting hurdles to address.

Final Thought

What began in a basement has become a company that has helped influence how an entire sector communicates about legacy giving.

And as the next generation of donors begin to make decisions about impact and inheritance, that work feels more relevant than ever.

For more information on Stelter: https://www.stelter.com/

________________________________________________________________________

I help nonprofits raise more money through education, coaching, and strategic planning. I also lead high-impact professional development, coaching programs, and retreats for companies of all sizes. If you’re ready to strengthen your fundraising strategy, turn board members into advocates, or build a comprehensive legacy giving program, let’s talk.