According to Giving USA, the average age which donors make their first planned gift is 52.8 years old, yet the average American can expect to live to 78.4 years of age. That leaves more than two decades of opportunity—and obligation—for meaningful engagement.
When tasked with building a strategic framework for engaging these critically important donors, many nonprofits rely on a single go-to strategy: enrolling donors in a legacy or planned giving society. While well-intentioned, these programs often fall short. The phrase “planned giving society” frequently conjures images of a plated luncheon and a pin—but today’s legacy donors want and deserve more. They want access. They want information. They want experiences that reflect their values and validate their impact.

In this session, DRG will invite CGPI’s nonprofit partners to reimagine what donor engagement can look like across the 20+ year journey between documented intention and realized impact. Grounded in the Four Pillars of Donor Relations and the Four Pillars of the Donor Experience, this session offers a modern roadmap for consistent, strategic, and deeply human legacy stewardship.

Colton Withers believes great donor relations isn’t just about saying “thank you”—it’s about creating meaningful connections that inspire generosity.
At The Donor Relations Group, he helps nonprofit organizations design and deliver donor relations strategies that drive fundraising success. Known for making complex ideas easy to understand, Colton ensures attendees leave his presentations with practical knowledge and clear steps for implementation.

Colton is an experienced presenter, speaking at many industry and professional conferences, including the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP), and AHEPP: Family Engagement in Higher Education.
Before joining The Donor Relations Group, Colton served as the Associate Director of Purdue Musical Organizations (PMO), leading its external relations team in donor relations, communications and marketing, and operations. He first discovered his passion for donor relations as PMO’s Director of Development, where nearly every major gift visit started with a donor relations question!
A lifelong supporter of the performing arts, Colton believes that music—like philanthropy—has the power to bring people together in extraordinary ways. While at Purdue University, he performed with the world-famous Purdue Varsity Glee Club and, in 2023, became the 71st member inducted into its Hall of Fame.

Colton received his master’s degree from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and proudly maintains a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential.

Contact

Sara Nash