European platform launches to share inspiration and research on legacy giving

With legacy fundraising becoming increasingly important for nonprofits globally, a new online platform has launched this month, sharing news, research, blogs and interviews on legacy giving.

Founded by legacy experts Elly Lont and Lena Vizy, legacygiving.eu aims to stimulate exchange and inspiration among all those with an interest in legacy fundraising.

Lena Vizy, senior fundraiser and team coordinator at Amnesty International The Netherlands, says:

“Legacy Fundraising is one of the fastest growing and most impactful ways of fundraising. For example, the legacy income is already a quarter of total private fundraising in the Netherlands, and this will even grow in the coming years. There is a huge potential for European organisations, big and small. Not only in the charity sector but also in other sectors like culture, health or universities.”

Elly Lont, senior fundraiser legacies Greenpeace NL, adds:

“Yet legacy fundraising does not always have the standing like other forms of fundraising. There are still wrong assumptions or clichés about this form of support. Fundraisers responsible for legacy programs sometimes miss the opportunity to spar (internally) or gain inspiration. That’s why we developed a European inspiration platform. A place where we share developments, ideas and thoughts on best practices how to deal with specific challenges within our profession.”

The platform was set up to help encourage organisations in the Netherlands and across Europe to embrace legacy fundraising and find their own voice to communicate this unique form of giving with supporters, visitors, members and others.

Recent inspirational posts to the site include an interview with Meg Abdy of Legacy Foresight on the differences and similarities of legacy fundraising across Europe.