How the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Increased Donor Engagement Without Increasing Staff Workload

Inside the Impact

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society wanted to:

• Build data-informed forecasts;

• Solve for donor barriers, like not having a lawyer or knowing where to start; and,

• Support multiple donors in a more simple and streamlined way.

Since working with Epilogue they have:

• Increased donor engagement without increasing staff workload;

• Increased the number of known legacy donors,

• Secured 23 confirmed gifts, with an approximate total value of $4.09 million, and;

• Tracked an additional $2 million in pipeline gifts within their Epilogue Dashboard from Wills that include charitable gifts but have not yet been finalized.

The Opportunity

Q: Before partnering with Epilogue, what challenges were you facing with your legacy giving program?

Legacy giving has long been a cornerstone of our fundraising strategy. In fact, legacy gifts account for just over half of our annual fundraising revenue and we manage approximately 185 open estates at any given time.

Despite having a mature and successful legacy program, we face challenges that will be familiar to many charities, like:

• Limited Visibility & Forecasting: While legacy revenue is significant, it is difficult to accurately forecast.

• Capacity Constraints: With a small team, it is not possible to steward or personally engage every donor interested in legacy giving. There are simply more donors than the team could reasonably support one-to-one.

• Donor Barriers: Past donor surveys revealed consistent barriers preventing supporters from including a gift in their Will, like not having a lawyer, not knowing where to start and perceptions that Will-making is expensive, complex, or intimidating

The Solution

Q: What led you to choose Epilogue as your legacy giving partner?

When I started working at Ontario SPCA, I looked at some of our past survey results and saw that many people face barriers when it comes to making Wills. I started exploring solutions that could help remove friction for donors while maintaining the legal integrity and trust required for estate planning.

We evaluated three online Will platforms, but Epilogue stood out, mainly for its:

• Founder credibility: Both founders are experienced estate lawyers;

• Strong sector alignment: Including connections to the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) and the broader legacy giving community;

• Institutional trust: Partnerships with leading financial institutions, including RBC;

• Broad donor appeal: A platform suitable for donors of all ages, including younger supporters, and;

• Legitimacy: A solution that felt appropriate for serious estate decisions.

The Results

Q: How quickly did you start seeing impact? What did that look like?

Getting up and running with Epilogue was smooth and painless. The onboarding process was straightforward, and the team was responsive and available whenever we had questions. Most importantly, we started seeing impact quickly, which helped build internal confidence and momentum right from the start. We saw progress in two major areas:

• Early Donor Visibility: Traditionally, some charities only learn about legacy gifts after a donor has passed away. Through Epilogue, we have increased the number of known legacy donors, allowing them to proactively disclose their intentions and, when they choose, share their contact information. This has opened the door to earlier, more meaningful stewardship conversations.

• Donor Engagement: Many donors were unaware that online Wills were an option, but when we walked them through it, they expressed interest in the simple and user-friendly nature of Epilogue’s platform.

Epilogue has helped make legacy giving more accessible, sparked new donor conversations, and delivered measurable results without adding operational burden. Some initial key findings include:

• 23 confirmed gifts, with an approximate total value of $4.09 million;

• Increased donor engagement without increasing staff workload;

• A scalable way to address common donor barriers, and;

One of our long-time donors, Max, recently discovered Epilogue and her and her husband decided to create their Wills online. She shared how simple and reassuring the process felt, especially with the clear guidance and thoughtful language provided every step of the way. It helped them create a Will that truly reflected their values. Most meaningful of all was the peace of mind they felt in including the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society as a beneficiary, ensuring their compassion for animals will continue to make a difference for years to come.

Q: How has this partnership changed your approach to legacy giving going forward?

Donors are genuinely intrigued by the option of making their Wills online. Providing an option that is accessible, simple and legitimate to our donors of all ages is important to us. We see Epilogue as a long- term complement to our existing legacy program, helping us meet donors where they are while preserving trust, legal rigour, and donor choice.