Legacy Society Launch Plan
The prompt
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Why this works
Naming the legacy society after a founding moment or mission value creates an identity that is meaningful to the organisation's history rather than a generic planned giving label. The stewardship programme for existing planned giving donors is often the most neglected element of legacy society launch — donors who have already made a bequest intent don't need to be cultivated, they need to be celebrated and kept engaged. Including board member cultivation as a launch priority creates both financial impact and board ownership.
Risks & review
Legacy society programmes must be careful about the legal and tax implications of different planned giving vehicles (bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities) — these require legal and tax expertise that staff and volunteers often don't have. Build relationships with estate planning attorneys before launching, and ensure all planned giving conversations are directed to qualified advisors for technical guidance. Never provide specific tax or legal advice to donors.