Building a Legacy Programme for Arts and Cultural Organisations

Talking about death and money are two things that British people struggle with culturally.

Talking about death and money are two things that British people struggle with culturally.

When you hear the word ‘death’ or ‘legacy’ your subconscious goes to your own death and your first reaction is avoidance - a head in the sand mentality. Dr Russell James III talks about the forms of avoidance as

• Distract - ‘I’m too busy for that right now
• Differentiate - ‘it doesn’t apply to me’
• Deny - ‘these worries are overstated’
• Delay - ‘I definitely plan to think about this’
• Depart - ‘I’m going to stay away from that reminder’

So, thinking about legacies as fundraisers - these reactions are triggered in our own minds. They are also there in the minds of our donors and supporters.

But as one donor said to me ‘its not a myth - we do actually die’ and after we overcome the avoidance stage, we move on to how we want to be remembered. The things we leave behind in our will are like a eulogy - how we want to be remembered and thought of and sum up our life story. As a parent, grandparent, friend, fighter for justice, lover of arts and culture. Wills allow this ultimate self-expression and described as ‘visualized autobiographies’.

Most people are not writing their will or thinking about legacies. Most people make three wills in their lives - at key life moments buying a house, having children and retirement. So, when they do they need to think about your charity and cause as a recipient of a gift and as something that has meant something to them.

The best way is to drip feed the legacy message through communications that you have with supporters, including:

• Promoting legacy giving in programmes
• Articles in membership magazines about the impact that legacy gifts have made to your organisation.
• Testimonies from current legacy pledgers about why they have made a gift and what your organisation means to them in newsletters or in person at events
• Having the information on your website that allows someone to find out more with details of a named person to speak to about it
• Adding it to surveys with supporters asking if people have done it, might consider it or want to know more
• Hosting events so people can see more about the impact of a legacy and know more
• Direct mail campaigns to long standing supporters asking them to consider making a gift

When they shift from talking about your organization as ‘the venue/theatre/gallery’ and say ‘we did this show’. That shift to ‘we’ shows their connection with you and what you mean in their life.

Long-standing members and supporters offer great potential to become legacy supporters as they have benefitted from a lifetime of inspiration and connection. But don’t forget those of whatever duration who are your most passionate fans. The average age of a first will is 38 - so don’t exclude people based on age.

How might you ask the question?

Find your own form of words that works for your organisation but something like this:

Many people who are as passionate about [INSERT NAME] as you have decided to make a gift in their will to support our future. If after remembering family and friends [DELETE AS APPROPRIATE], might you consider joining them and leaving us a gift in your will?

It acknowledges their passion and connection, it honours the fact that there are other causes and considerations when making a will, it establishes it as a common thing that other supporters do.