Legacy insights from Legacy Roundtable 9

This episode explores how to unlock and normalise legacy conversations across organisations, stakeholders and supporters, tailoring discussions to different audience groups.

This article is a companion piece to Legacy Roundtable 9, which featured Ali O’Neill (RNLI), Tom Newton (Shelter), and Rob Cope (Remember a Charity).

The full episode can be listened to below.

Eight Key Takeaways

1. Segmenting Internal Audiences for Legacy Conversations

“We need everybody to be trained in the legacy message, but everybody needs a slightly different version.” – Ali O’Neill

RNLI has created a segmented internal training framework to ensure that different staff and volunteers receive the right level of legacy knowledge. They categorise people into three levels: Expert, Understand, and Aware, tailoring messages and training delivery accordingly.

Fundraisers and direct supporter teams need expert knowledge, while community engagement teams need a solid understanding. Everyone else should at least be aware of the role of legacies in funding.

2. Legacy Fundraising is a Long-Term Stewardship Process

“Some pledgers want high-intensity engagement, while others prefer little to no contact. Respecting those preferences is key.” – Ali O’Neill

At RNLI, pledgers are classified into groups based on their engagement preferences. Around 60% prefer structured but minimal contact, 20% opt for high-touch engagement, and 20% prefer not to be contacted at all. The key is to balance stewardship with supporter comfort.

3. Normalising the Legacy Conversation Internally and Externally

“Our job is to help colleagues and supporters feel comfortable talking about legacies – not to turn them into experts.” – Ali O’Neill

RNLI trains staff and volunteers to introduce legacies naturally into conversations without pressuring people. Volunteers and frontline staff are encouraged to normalise legacy giving by discussing wills in everyday settings, making it a part of larger conversations about future planning.

4. Engaging Stakeholders Across the Legacy Administration Process

“Legacy administration isn’t just about legal processes—it’s about relationships and collaboration.” – Tom Newton

Shelter ensures that every executor, whether professional or lay, receives the appropriate level of support and guidance. Solicitors and probate professionals require clear and efficient collaboration, while lay executors often need a more compassionate and guiding approach.

5. The Power of Solicitors in Nudging Legacy Giving

“A simple nudge from a solicitor can treble the number of people leaving a gift in their will.” – Rob Cope

Research from Remember a Charity shows that when solicitors ask clients whether they want to leave a charitable gift, legacy giving increases significantly. Embedding this question into will-writing conversations is a crucial strategy for growing legacies across the sector.

6. Building Better Relationships with Professional Executors

“Solicitors don’t want to be patronised. Acknowledging their role and making collaboration seamless is key.” – Tom Newton

Charities should focus on providing value to professional executors, offering clear guidance while respecting their expertise. Thoughtful engagement, such as thank-you letters and relationship-building, can improve perceptions of charities as partners rather than administrative burdens.

7. Commemorating Legacy Supporters Beyond Traditional Approaches

“Books of remembrance are a start, but we need to be more creative in celebrating legacy supporters.” – Tom Newton

Some charities, like the National Trust, integrate legacy donor stories into their properties, while others create Books of Life instead of remembrance books. These approaches shift the focus from loss to the lasting impact of supporters' generosity.

8. Legacies Must Remain a Marketing Priority Post-Pandemic

“Now more than ever, people are thinking about end-of-life planning. This is an opportunity we must maximise.” – Rob Cope

The pandemic heightened awareness of wills and future planning, making legacy fundraising more relevant than ever. Charities that maintained legacy marketing throughout the crisis, such as Marie Curie, saw positive engagement. The key is to ensure messaging remains sensitive and relevant.