In the next 25 years, an expected $10 trillion of wealth is predicted to pass from one generation to the next. A recent survey indicated that of all wills probated, only 2% included provisions to charities. Marketing bequests and other planned gifts costs 2 cents for every dollar received.

Although the vast majority of Americans make outright gifts to charity throughout their lifetimes, few include charitable gifts in their wills, living trusts, or other estate plans because most charities don't ask them to do so. With this unprecedented amount of wealth about to be transferred, Audubon chapters must get their members thinking about charitable bequests now if they expect to receive support in later years. Any organization with a compelling case for support and a dedicated constituency can run a bequest program, regardless of the sophistication of its fund-raising program.

Information on bequests, charitable gift annuities, Pooled Income Fund gifts, and charitable trusts, and free copies of two informative NAS publications ("An Audubon Chapter Leader's Guide to Starting and Running a Bequest Program," and "... Guide to Life Income Gifts") are available to chapters through the NAS Planned Giving Dept.

For More Info, Contact: Jan Jennings, NAS-DC. To order the two guides, send Jan your self-addressed return envelope with a 55-cent stamp on it.