There have been some interesting suggestions here about how to get people to donate organs for transplants. I Googled a bit and put together some existing information that might be relevant.
From the HHS.gov website: President Bush signed the Organ Donation and Recovery Improvement Act into law on April 5, 2004 (P.L. 108-216). The law represents a major step forward in the nation’s efforts to help people in need of life-saving organ transplants. The law authorizes $25 million in new resources for efforts to increase donation, including providing ... peer reviewed grants for studies and demonstration projects to increase organ donation and recovery rates ... grants to states for organ donor awareness, public education and outreach activities, and programs designed to increase the number of organ donors within the state...
A quick search of .edu websites with search terms "organ donation" grant interview telephone returned 158 reports that probably cite grants for research on the subject.
There are several sites that will prepare living wills for nothing. (A living will specifies the conditions under which you want to terminate medical care inf case you are in some unrecoverable condition.) The living will can include directives about organ donation. There is also a free living will registry available on line. It stores your living will and presumably makes it available in the event that it is needed. It would be logical for oganizations that promote organ donation to cooperate with arrangements to handle living wills, but I found only one ogranization that seemed to be doing that. Perhaps other services could be offered, such as on-line availability of medical records and online preparation of simple wills.
Perhaps a few minor benefits, conveniently available, would provide the necessary incentive.
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I agree that it is a good idea for people to put their wish to be a donor in their will, but unfortunately that will do very little to help the current problem. When people die, there is a very small window of time in which their organs can be procured. Since people do not generally consult lawyers or living wills in the minutes immediately leading up to or following death, the intention to donate would not be seen in time.
The way the system works today, it is essential that people communicate their wishes with their families, in addition to any other efforts, such as carrying a donor card, marking a driver's license or adding their intentions to a living will.