Legacy insights from Legacy Roundtable 7
Worth Your Weight in Gold – Proving the Intangible
This article is a companion piece to the Legacy Roundtable 7 webinar, which explored how legacy fundraisers can prove the value of their work despite the long timelines and intangible nature of legacy giving.
The full episode can be listened to below.
Guests:
Helen Smith (Cancer Research UK)
Katie May & Melanie Day (The Brain Tumour Charity)
Ben Eden-Davies (St Mungo’s)
Jon Collins (Cancer Research UK)
Ben Garner (Charity People)
Eight Key Takeaways
1. Legacy Fundraising Requires a Unique Skillset
“Legacy giving is a gift of trust.” – Helen Smith
Legacy fundraisers must quickly build relationships and establish trust. Unlike other fundraising areas, legacies operate over long timeframes, requiring patience, resilience, and the ability to engage supporters in meaningful conversations about their future impact.
2. Legacy Messaging Should Be Part of All Communications
“Every supporter is a potential legator.” – Melanie Day
Rather than treating legacy fundraising as a silo, charities should integrate legacy messaging across their supporter touchpoints. This ensures awareness is built over time, making the topic familiar and accessible when supporters are ready to engage.
3. KPIs for Legacy Fundraising Should Focus on Engagement
“It’s difficult to measure success when the results may take decades.” – Katie May
Given the long lead times for legacy gifts, traditional fundraising KPIs may not apply. Instead, engagement metrics—such as inquiries, website visits, and conversations—offer insight into the effectiveness of legacy messaging.
4. Solicitors Are Key Partners in Legacy Giving
“Solicitors need to understand your charity so they can provide informed advice.” – Jon Collins
Building relationships with solicitors ensures they are aware of your charity’s work and can confidently discuss legacy giving with clients. Providing solicitors with updates on how much funding their referrals have facilitated can strengthen these partnerships.
5. Internal Buy-In is Essential for Legacy Success
“Someone at the top has to champion legacy giving.” – Ben Eden-Davies
For legacy fundraising to thrive, leadership must recognise its importance. Fundraisers should advocate for legacies internally, ensuring colleagues across departments understand their role in supporting legacy conversations.
6. Blending Digital and In-Person Events Increases Accessibility
“Virtual events have opened up a new audience for us.” – Helen Smith
The shift to digital during the pandemic highlighted new ways to engage supporters. Going forward, charities should consider running both physical and digital events to maximise reach and accommodate different supporter preferences.
7. Legacy Recruitment Requires a Mix of Skills
“We look for strong relationship builders, not just fundraisers.” – Ben Garner
Successful legacy professionals come from diverse backgrounds, including marketing, account management, and even sectors like publishing and customer service. The ability to engage supporters in sensitive conversations is often more valuable than direct fundraising experience.
8. Testing and Refining Legacy Messaging is Crucial
“We frequently test messaging to ensure it resonates with supporters.” – Katie May
Charities should regularly assess how their legacy messaging is received by different audiences. Testing across warm and cold supporter segments helps refine language and improve engagement, ensuring the messaging is effective without being intrusive.
Legacy fundraising may not deliver immediate financial results, but its long-term impact is vital to the sector. By focusing on engagement, building internal and external partnerships, and ensuring legacy messaging is part of broader communications, fundraisers can successfully prove the value of their work and grow future income for their charities.