Legacy Life Lessons

Sinem Bilen-Onabanjo, Head of Legacy Engagement at Oxfam, shares with us her legacy life lessons, as she takes stock of hers and Oxfam’s legacy journey.

I was recently asked to present my top tips and insights about legacy fundraising over the years - in order to inspire other charity sector colleagues. And it got me thinking about some of my own legacy life lessons learned – how they have helped along Oxfam’s legacy fundraising journey, and what I’d advise you as my fellow legacy fundraisers to do more of as we head into a new year.

1) Dazzle colleagues

Heading into 2025, we’re on the cusp of what promises to be one of the major periods of legacy fundraising growth and it’s our job to use this to our advantage when speaking to senior stakeholders - who ultimately hold the purse strings and call the shots around investment.

Two years ago, I was able to show colleagues at Oxfam the value of investing in legacy fundraising, and what this could mean for our charity. Through using a Smee & Ford statistic, I demonstrated that the average legacy income gift was equal to someone giving £5 as a regular monthly gift for 400 years – I could practically see the lightbulbs going off in the room!

Numbers like this help connect the dots. They highlight how investing in legacy fundraising isn’t just worthwhile—it’s transformative. Arm yourself with stats, stories, and case studies that resonate. Whether it’s a senior leader or a frontline fundraiser, showing what legacies can achieve for your organisation is key to getting buy-in.

2) Identify legacy champions

Success in legacy fundraising doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s a team sport, and you need allies at every level. Find allies in your organisation who you can count on. Not just those at the top, but all colleagues who have interactions with donors and supporters in whatever shape or form.

We are in a lucky place to have great buy-in from senior leadership at Oxfam - but it took us a while to build this momentum, make a business case, and identify our legacy champions. In particular, We focused on empowering those who interact with supporters—like our supporter relations team and high-value giving colleagues—helping them feel confident discussing legacies.

Throughout this process, we didn’t just rely on our knowledge but also brought in external expertise and ultimately were able to support and inspire colleagues to go on and champion legacies in all their conversations through demystifying the topic, showing the potential of gifts in Wills, and utilising fun yet functional roleplay workshops. Legacy fundraising can feel abstract, even intimidating, to many colleagues. Breaking it down into relatable, actionable steps turns hesitant team members into confident advocates. As legacy fundraisers, we need to upskill all our colleagues to be able to have those legacy conversations along the way, at each interaction they have with supporters.

3) Understand your supporters and put their needs first

“For every legacy, there is a person that lived a life which should be celebrated.”

Duane Saunders’ words in his Legacy Futures blog post ‘The role of the legacy administrator in executor stewardship’* really resonated with me. Indeed, every legacy gift represents a supporter’s lifetime connection to your organisation. Recognising and nurturing that connection is at the heart of good stewardship.

At Oxfam, a supporter has 17 different types of action that they can take – signing petitions, shopping in our stores, volunteering, donating, or campaigning. With every interaction, we aim to ensure our legacy messaging is clear, consistent, and accessible.

Knowing your supporters’ journeys allows you to meet them where they are, build trust, and offer meaningful ways to leave a legacy that aligns with their values.

4) Mainstream legacy messages

Talking about gifts in Wills shouldn’t feel like a big reveal—it should be a natural part of your organisation’s storytelling. Mainstreaming your communications by sharing legacy stories and case studies, both internally and externally, goes a long way to helping normalise gifts in Wills.

At Oxfam, we integrate legacy stories into our communications whenever possible. Sharing case studies and successes not only helps external audiences understand the impact of legacy giving but also reminds internal teams of their role in making these gifts happen.

Celebrate wins – big and small! When speaking to fundraising colleagues, be sure to celebrate successes and pass on your thanks by highlighting that this is the combination of all your amazing work – helping them own that legacy relationship too. Share with your Board what legacies bring to the organisation. And use every opportunity to recognise cross-collaboration, tell stories, and appreciate colleagues to empower them to go on continue to have those conversations. Highlight the collective effort behind every legacy gift—it strengthens collaboration and builds momentum for future conversations.

5) Thank wisely

A thoughtful thank-you can create lasting relationships and inspire future support.

Recently, we engaged with a 17-year-old who was tasked with choosing the charity that her part of a family friend’s legacy gift should go towards. She had signed a petition about Gaza and wanted the donation to be used towards relocating families. But through our conversations we were able to identify what was most important to her and help her understand how to maximise the impact of this gift.  As a thank you, we were able to secure her and her mum a ticket to Oxfam Fashion Week Show, as we knew she was about to start her fashion degree in London.

When you take the time to truly know your supporters, you can thank them in ways that feel personal and meaningful. Whether you’re speaking with pledgers, executors, or family members, these moments matter. They’re an investment in your future relationships and your future legacies.

Looking ahead

I love working in legacies and continue to be inspired by others around me. I see legacy gifts as a celebration of someone’s life and values – a chance to reflect on what matters most to each of us. That belief shapes everything we do at Oxfam, and it continues to inspire me as I look to the future.

As we step into what promises to be a transformative period for our sector, the opportunity to reflect on and celebrate your own legacy journey can also be a chance to look forward and see just how bright the future of the sector more widely can be. Let’s use the lessons we’ve learned to go further. Let’s dazzle, champion, understand, normalise, and thank—because every small step we take today could lead to a lasting legacy tomorrow.

 

Sinem Bilen-Onabanjo is Head of Legacy Engagement at Oxfam, and recently presented at our Legacy Inspiration Hour during Remember A Charity Week. Members can view the full session on demand here.