Legacy Fundraising – State of the Nation 2014

Fundraisers lack confidence in charities' legacy giving strategies and just eight percent rate their legacy promotional materials as very effective, according to a report.

The consultancy Legacy Partnership carried out an online survey in October with more than 100 legacy fundraisers at charities with annual legacy income from under £100,000 to more than £50million, for the report Legacy Fundraising – State of the Nation 2014.

Half of the respondents said their charity saw legacy marketing as a fundraising priority.

However the survey shows that 20 percent of the fundraisers had little or no confidence in their legacy giving strategy, 54 percent had some confidence, and 27 percent had complete confidence.

Only eight percent of fundraising thought their legacy promotional materials were very effective and 28 percent said they were not at all effective or they did not know.

The survey asked respondents what channels they use to promote legacy giving with web pages, newsletters and direct mail the top three most popular methods.

Those rated most effective were those that allowed fundraisers to have conversations with prospective donors, including telemarketing, face-to-face fundraising and events.

Only 30 percent of respondents said their charities have planned supporter journeys for their legacy prospects and 51 percent said their charities had not integrated legacy fundraising across the charity.