Your Next Legacy Donor Might Be a $50 Annual Donor Today

Picture a supporter who has given $50 to your organization every year for more than a decade. She reads every newsletter, attends events and cares deeply about your mission.

But no one has ever asked her about leaving a gift in her Will.

And even if they did, she might assume legacy giving is something reserved for wealthy philanthropists making large gifts.

That assumption represents a significant opportunity for charities.

For many supporters, financial capacity isn't the biggest barrier to legacy giving. They may simply assume their gift is too small to matter, they may never have been asked, or they may have put off creating a Will altogether.

The opportunity isn't just to tell more donors about planned giving. It's to shorten the distance between charitable intent and action.

That means making legacy giving feel relevant, accessible and achievable for the everyday supporters who already believe in your mission.

Here are four ways to do it.

1. Address the worries that hold everyday donors back

Often, the biggest barrier isn't a donor saying no. It's that they never considered themselves a potential legacy donor in the first place.

A few simple questions may be holding them back:

"Is my gift too small to matter?"

Gifts of every size can make an impact. A gift in a Will can also allow someone to make a more significant contribution than they could comfortably make during their lifetime.

"Will a legacy gift take money away from my family?"

Family can always come first. Supporters can choose to leave a small percentage of their estate or a portion of what remains after their loved ones have been provided for.

"What if my circumstances change?"

A gift in a Will isn't set in stone. Donors can generally update their Will and change or remove a charitable gift if their circumstances or wishes change.

"Isn't this complicated?"

It doesn't have to be. For many supporters, including a charitable gift can be a straightforward part of creating or updating their Will.

Many of these concerns trace back to common myths about Wills that keep people from estate planning in the first place.

Consider turning these questions into a short FAQ on your legacy giving page and addressing them regularly in newsletters, donor communications and conversations.

And don't forget your front-line staff and volunteers. They may hear these questions first, sometimes during a thank-you call or in a casual conversation at an event. Give them simple, consistent answers so they're comfortable continuing the conversation.

2. Help donors get a Will in place

A supporter may love your organization and intend to leave a future gift. But if they never actually create a Will, that charitable intention may never become a documented gift.

This is where charities have an opportunity to provide something genuinely valuable to their communities.

Making Will creation easier isn't only about generating future gifts. It can help supporters protect their families, document their wishes and complete an important piece of life planning.

And whether or not they ultimately include your organization, you've helped them accomplish something meaningful.

There are several ways charities can reduce this barrier:

• Offer access to an online Will platform so supporters have a simple way to turn their intentions into a completed estate plan.

• Run a Will-planning campaign or event and promote it through channels you already use, including email, direct mail, social media and donor events.

• Give supporters the information they need to include your organization, such as your full legal name, charitable registration number and sample bequest language.

• Create a clear path from education to action so someone learning about legacy giving can easily take the next step when they're ready.

We've seen the impact of this approach firsthand.

Greater Vancouver Food Bank has generated 41 confirmed gifts with an estimated future value of more than $6.6 million through its legacy giving efforts, using multiple channels to reach supporters and making it easier for donors to act on their intentions.

Similarly, Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation has generated 36 confirmed bequests with an estimated future value of approximately $19 million, demonstrating what can happen when legacy giving is made accessible to a broader group of supporters.

The lesson isn't that every donor needs to create a Will online. Supporters with more complex estates may choose to work with a lawyer or other professional.

The bigger lesson is that charities can remove one of the biggest sources of friction between "I'd like to leave a gift someday" and "I've included your organization in my Will."

And the invitation shouldn't be limited to older supporters. Younger donors may assume estate planning can wait, but major life milestones such as buying a home, getting married or having children often make it particularly relevant.

3. Offer simple legacy gift options that fit different circumstances

Legacy giving doesn't need to start with a complicated menu of estate planning strategies.

For most supporters, simplicity is better.

Start with a few approachable ways someone can leave a future gift.

A gift in a Will.

A supporter can leave a specific dollar amount, a percentage of their estate or a portion of what remains after other gifts and obligations have been addressed.

A beneficiary designation.

Depending on the account and applicable rules, supporters may be able to name a charity as a beneficiary of registered accounts such as an RRSP, RRIF or TFSA, or of a life insurance policy.

A contingent beneficiary designation.

In some circumstances, a supporter may choose to name a charity as a secondary or contingent beneficiary, meaning the charity would receive the gift only if the primary beneficiary cannot.

Your website doesn't need to explain every possible planned giving strategy. Its job is to help a supporter understand that there are accessible options and give them an easy next step.

For supporters who want more information, your team can provide additional resources or encourage them to speak with their own legal, financial or tax advisors.

The goal is to avoid overwhelming someone before the conversation has even begun.

4. Make the ask with stories donors can see themselves in

Donors picture themselves in the stories you tell.

If every legacy giving story features a multimillion-dollar estate gift, everyday supporters may understandably conclude that planned giving isn't meant for them.

Instead, tell stories about the people who already make up your community.

That might be a retired teacher who has supported your organization for 20 years. A monthly donor who gives $25 at a time. A volunteer who shows up every Saturday. Or a family that has supported your mission across multiple generations.

Focus less on the size of the gift and more on why they chose to leave it.

An animal shelter, for example, might profile a longtime volunteer who has walked dogs every Saturday for a decade and decided to include the shelter in her Will.

Pair these stories with an easy, low-pressure next step.

A supporter who has already included your organization might be invited to let you know through a short form. Someone who isn't ready could simply ask to receive more information.

And put those stories where everyday donors will actually see them.

Include them in newsletters. Add a short donor quote to an email. Feature a legacy story in your annual report. Include them in direct mail. Share them on social media.

Don't reserve legacy giving communications for a small list of people you've identified as wealthy.

When deciding who might be receptive to a more personal conversation, look beyond gift size. Consider loyalty and engagement: years of giving, recurring donations, volunteer involvement, event participation and other signs that someone has a deep connection to your mission.

Those supporters may be some of your strongest potential legacy donors.

Shorten the distance between intention and action

The traditional legacy giving journey can have a lot of friction.

A supporter cares about your mission. They think they might like to leave a gift someday. They put off making a Will. Nobody asks them about legacy giving.

And their intention remains just that: an intention.

An accessible legacy giving program creates a much clearer path:

Story → Invitation → Education → Will creation → Legacy ask → Completed Will → Stewardship

Each step removes a little friction.

And once a supporter tells you they've included your organization, the relationship shouldn't end there.

Welcome them into a legacy community that's open to supporters at every gift level. Record their commitment in your CRM. Thank them. Keep them connected to the impact they're helping create. And steward that relationship for years to come.

Your next legacy donor may not be one of your wealthiest supporters.

They may be the person who gives $50 every year, volunteers twice a year, reads every newsletter and has quietly supported your mission for a decade.

The opportunity is to make sure they know legacy giving is for them, too, and to make it easy for them to act when they're ready.