Case Study: Knox Area Rescue Ministries raises $3M in bequests and grows non-cash giving with FreeWill

How Knox Area Ministries (KARM) raised $3M in bequest commitments and more than $35k in non-cash gifts

Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM), an organization helping people experiencing homelessness and addiction, wanted to expand its fundraising program by promoting planned and non-cash giving. Their small team needed to diversify revenue streams to better serve their community's needs, both now and in the future. They partnered with FreeWill and utilized its suite of tools for bequests, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), and stock gifts to address this challenge.

By implementing FreeWill's tools and leveraging the provided strategic support, KARM made it simple for supporters to make non-cash gifts. This multi-channel approach educated donors and kept these options top of mind. The results for KARM were significant, as FreeWill helped them secure over $548,000 in primary bequests, $3 million in contingent bequest commitments, $21,000 in QCDs, and more than $15,000 in stock gifts within two years.

Knox Area Rescue Ministries

Les Fout

Senior Stewardship Advisor