Legacy Fundraising Strategy: Why Growing Pipelines Aren’t Converting Into Income
Legacy fundraising is entering a new phase.
Across both the UK and Australia, many charities are seeing strong growth in their Gifts in Wills pipelines. More enquiries, more prospects and more people engaging with the idea of leaving a gift.
But pipeline growth is not translating into income at the same rate.
Legacy pipelines are growing, but conversion is getting more complex.
What is legacy pipeline conversion?
Legacy pipeline conversion refers to the process of turning enquiries, prospects and intenders into confirmed gifts in wills, and ultimately into realised income.
For many charities, this has become the critical challenge. Not generating interest, but converting that interest into long-term value.
The illusion of growth
At headline level, legacy fundraising still looks stable and predictable.
In the UK alone, legacy income reached a record £4.5bn in 2024, with bequests and charitable estates also hitting new highs.
In Australia, many organisations are now managing large pools of bequest prospects alongside a much smaller number of confirmed pledgers.
These are positive signals.
But much of this growth is being driven by structural factors such as demographics and estate trends, rather than purely by improvements in fundraising strategy.
At the same time, charities have become more effective at generating interest. Campaigns reach wider audiences, digital channels reduce barriers, and more people are engaging with Gifts in Wills.
The result is larger pipelines.
The challenge is that growth at the top of the funnel does not automatically translate into growth at the bottom. In many organisations, the gap between the two is becoming more visible.
More charities, less certainty
One of the clearest shifts in the UK is the increasing number of charities named within a single will.
Supporters are connected to more causes than ever, and legacy gifts are often shared across several organisations rather than concentrated in one.
Australia is earlier in its development, but the same pattern is emerging as more charities invest in Gifts in Wills and awareness increases.
This changes the nature of competition.
It is no longer just about being included in a will. It is about relevance, connection and ultimately share of the estate.
Bigger pipelines, more pressure
Across both markets, pipeline growth has outpaced the development of conversion strategy.
In Australia in particular, the expansion of prospect and intender pools has been significant, driven by marketing activity and new acquisition channels.
What often follows is a pipeline that looks strong on paper but is harder to manage in practice. Supporters sit at different stages of intent, journeys are not always clearly defined, and internal systems are not always set up to prioritise effectively.
This is not a failure of fundraising. It reflects a sector that has become very effective at generating demand, but is still adapting to what comes next.
A changing financial reality
Alongside these shifts, there are broader pressures affecting how and when wealth is passed on.
In both the UK and Australia, people are living longer and drawing on their assets for longer. Costs associated with later life, including care, housing and general living expenses, are increasing. Financial decision-making is also becoming more complex, often involving family members, advisers and competing priorities.
All of this affects what ultimately remains in an estate.
But just as importantly, it changes when and how decisions about giving are made.
For charities, this places greater emphasis on the relationship with supporters during their lifetime. A gift in a will is rarely a single moment of decision. It is shaped over time through experience, trust and a clear understanding of impact.
Legacy decisions are not made at the point of death. They are shaped years, often decades, earlier.
In this context, stewardship is central to conversion.
Digital wills are changing the shape of legacy fundraising
Digital will-writing is growing in both the UK and Australia, but it has developed differently.
In the UK, online providers sit alongside long-established solicitor-led schemes. Digital has improved access, but it largely builds on existing behaviour.
In Australia, platforms such as Safewill, Gathered Here and Willed have scaled quickly and are now central to many acquisition strategies.
This has accelerated pipeline growth and brought in new audiences, often earlier in life.
That shift changes the nature of legacy pipelines. Supporters may be further from realisation, more likely to update their wills, and less fixed in their decisions.
Inclusion in a will is no longer the end point. It is the beginning of a longer relationship.
Why are legacy pipelines not converting?
The underlying issue is not a lack of interest.
It is that legacy fundraising has moved from an acquisition challenge to a conversion challenge.
Charities have invested heavily in awareness and lead generation. Many now have strong pipelines as a result.
But fewer have adapted their strategies to:
understand which supporters are most likely to convert
build structured journeys over time
and integrate legacy giving with wider fundraising relationships
This is where the gap is emerging.
Key takeaway
Legacy fundraising is no longer defined by how many people enter the pipeline.
It is defined by how effectively charities convert, steward and retain those supporters over time.
Organisations that focus on conversion and relationship-building will be better placed to realise long-term income than those focused purely on volume.
If your pipeline is growing but conversion or value is not keeping pace, it may be time to review how your legacy fundraising strategy is structured and where conversion is really happening.
About the author
Sam Devlin is a fundraising consultant working with charities across the UK and Australia, helping organisations grow and convert their Gifts in Wills programmes.
