# Commission on the Donor Experience: legacies

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/09/29/commission-donor-experience-legacies/
- Published: 2016-09-29T19:35:05+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Legacies have the potential to transform charities, our country and the world 
in the next few years or so. So getting the experience right must be as important
as knowing and understanding what to do.**

 

In the UK, legacies raises over £2 billion, but only 7% of the population leave 
a gift. But more and more supporters are now beginning to do it – from 12% of those
with a will to over 17% in 2014. At the heart of legacies or gifts in wills is the
ability to see it as a normal way to give and to be able to speak about it openly
and inspirationally. However, the key reason legacies still struggle, despite the
progress is the lack of understanding and lack of action.

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On top of this, fundraising staff finds it hard to talk legacies. They remain removed
from them and sit from afar looking at legacies with fear. Death, legalities, appropriateness
and lack of knowledge and confidence loom in the way.

 

Our messaging has made huge leaps in recent years. Emotional, relevant and focused
on a positive future have all helped create a sense of brand about legacies. But
even then there are still many who talk in language that is removed or legal or 
use clichés – where there’s a will there’s a way…!. . And then there is some of 
the public’s perception of charities being in competition with families or being
in dispute. Sometimes their experience as an executor undermines their experience
as a donor.

 

The Commission on the Donor Experience is trying to see things from the donor’s 
viewpoint.

 

And experience is the key, as that is what can make the difference in giving and
long term relationships. Legacies are like most fundraising of course, but there
is something more fundamental and complex going on for legacies that act as a barrier
between what the donor wants and needs and how we behave, initiate and respond.

 

As a champion for legacies, both in the UK and globally, I have seen how important
it is that behavior is influenced by experience. So to make a contribution to the
Commission for legacies I would like to hear from fundraisers at every level about
what they see that works and what gets in the way from a great experience

 

The survey explores 4 dimensions, with 3 key and open questions.

 

a) The donors and families needs & experience

 

b) The organisations culture, capacity and experience

 

c) The legacy marketing and influence method and experience

 

d) The probate experience and approach

 

Explored through

 

a) What works that inspires and gives a positive experience

 

b) What gets in the way of delivering an inspiring and positive experience?

 

c) How would you make this remarkable now and in the future?

 

If we transform the donor experience we transform the giving and we transform what
we can do for our causes. To take part, go to:

 

[https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BTQPRDP](https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BTQPRDP)

 

 

 

[**_Stephen George_**](http://twitter.com/stevgeorg)

 

_September 2016_

 

 

 

This is the fourth in our series profiling some of the [25 working groups](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/06/30/25-projects-announced-help-change-fundraising-good/)
of volunteers who are contributing to the Commission on the Donor Experience with
the aim of changing fundraising for good. Previous contributions include:

 

 * [Commission on the Donor Experience: trusts and foundations](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/09/13/commission-donor-experience-trusts-and-foundations/)
   by Deanna Wolf
 * [Commission on the Donor Experience: thanking and welcoming](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/09/12/commission-donor-experience-thanking-welcoming/)
   by John Grain
 * [Commission on the Donor Experience: evidence of impact and effectiveness](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/09/09/commission-donor-experience/)
   by Ben Russell

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