How to safeguard your legacy fundraising growth plan

As legacy fundraisers, we're working hard to deliver long term growth plans that will secure transformational income for your charities.

But with more financial challenges many charities are facing today, there’s a risk that our plans could be greatly disrupted. Budgets, time, and attention can quickly be redeployed to more immediate income streams.

That’s why, I believe, it’s important to do as much possible today to safeguard legacy fundraising growth plan. How?

1. Create a sense of urgency

You know the opportunity to grow legacy income is huge but is that urgency felt in the minds of the leadership team? Keep reinforcing the case that long term financial sustainability requires legacy fundraising now.

2. Build a guiding coalition

You can’t carry the case alone. I learnt that the hard way. Build alliances across your charity from finance to data, service delivery to supporter care. Find champions who understand the need to keep skin in the legacy game.

3. Make sure you've formed a strategic vision

Keep showing where your charity will be in 10+ years from the current performance of your legacy fundraising growth plan. 

4. Anticipate and remove barriers fast

Don't react but anticipate potential barriers. Keep your ears to the ground. Listen to assess possible disruptions to your plans, and work fast with your team to offer alternative paths (if needed) within identified constraints. 

5. Continually share wins

Always celebrate wins such as more internal referrals, uplift in conversion rates, better supporter engagement metrics. Short-term wins help to justify sustained investment.

6. Keeping momentum

Ensure your reporting structure delivers meaningful results to the leadership team. And regularly report on progress and learnings.

7. Building a legacy giving culture

Finally, embed legacy thinking into the charity's culture. Position legacy fundraising as a strategic priority not a side project. Make the case that it’s as central to the charity’s future as any other income stream