# Best use of legacy fundraising

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/06/30/best-use-legacy-fundraising-815/
- Published: 2011-06-30T12:09:02+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

For the campaign that demonstrates innovation linked to success in the use of legacy
fundraising

 

The shortlisted entries, listed alphabetically, are:

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Cystic Fibrosis Trust

 

Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture

 

RNIB

 

**Cystic Fibrosis Trust**

 

The objectives were to generate new pledgers using a bolder and more direct approach.
It also aimed to discover supporters’ views towards legacy giving in general. Focus
groups in three areas tested ideas and messages and key feedback helped form the
approach used in Rosie’s Lasting Legacy. The campaign was announced in supporter
newsletters and the annual review to raise awareness. DM was chosen as the medium
for the two-part campaign as the focus groups said this was their preferred way 
of being approached. Website pages reflected the new campaign with information available
to download. Success was measured by number of pledges received and the number requesting
further information. The target was 60 new pledges, but 115 were received and 21
requests for further information.

 

**Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture**

 

The Medical Foundation’s warmest supporters received a short phone call explaining
that a letter was coming to them. The letter argued the case for a legacy, and a
further phone call followed (to those who hadn’t opted out) to ask if the supporter
had considered a legacy. If appropriate they were offered options for personalised
follow-up assistance from a legacy specialist. The integrated – call and mail – 
element involved 390 supporters within a wider mail only (7,610) campaign. The integrated
cell yielded an 8.13% pledge rate with an extra 20 pledges declared. Six people 
have asked for more contact and 17 have expressed their intention to leave a bequest.
The Medical Foundation doesn’t have a big budget for testing new fundraising approaches
and this was hugely innovative and groundbreaking for the charity.

 

**RNIB**

 

The RNIB has a programme of 30 UK-wide events to increase awareness and pledges 
of legacies. At each reception the RNIB demonstrates how it invests voluntary income
and puts to good use legacy gifts. By implication this also shows what the adverse
consequences would be without this support. Through the receptions new prospects
are generated for face-to-face follow up by regional advisors and new pledgers are
identified, thanked and put into the Pledger Programme. Targets and projections 
are measured by number invited, number attended, number confirmed as new pledges
and hot prospects.

 

 * **[Best use of the telephone](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/06/30/best-use-telephone-874/)**(
   30 June 2011)
 * **[Most innovative fundraising campaign](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/06/30/most-innovative-fundraising-campaign-795/)**(
   30 June 2011)
 * **[Three quarters of professional fundraisers think fundraising is a career for life](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/07/04/three-quarters-professional-fundraisers-think-fundraising-career-life/)**(
   4 July 2011)