Most legacy consultancy starts with the programme. What channels are you using, what does the communications plan look like, how are you stewarding pledgers. These are reasonable questions, but they are the wrong place to start.
The right place to start is with the supporters. Who they are, what is shaping their decisions, and where the journey breaks down for the people who were already interested. Everything else follows from those answers.
That is how I work. The approach draws on 25 years of experience across the UK and Australia, a behavioural framework built around how supporters actually make decisions, and the practical understanding of the will-writing ecosystem that comes from having built operational infrastructure in it.
What I work on
Consultancy engagements vary considerably depending on what an organisation actually needs. Some clients need a clear strategic direction for a legacy programme that has been running on inherited assumptions for years. Others need help making the case for investment internally, understanding why a well-resourced programme is not performing as it should, or building a supporter journey from the ground up.
Work typically covers legacy programme strategy and review, supporter journey development, gifts in wills proposition and messaging, audience insight and segmentation, building the case for investment in legacy giving, and fundraising portfolio reviews where legacy sits within a broader income strategy.
Engagements are scoped individually because the right approach depends on the organisation, the programme, and the problem. A large charity with an established legacy team needs something different from a mid-sized organisation building its first structured programme. Pricing is quoted accordingly.
Who I work with
Charities in the UK and Australia, typically with an established or emerging legacy programme and a genuine appetite to understand their supporters better. Organisations range from national health charities to animal welfare, conservation, and community causes. Size matters less than whether the leadership is serious about prioritising legacy fundraising.
“Sam has consistently proven to be a force for change and an invaluable contributor to Cancer Research UK’s growth. She has a keen strategic mind and a clear understanding of the essential role legacies play in driving long-term financial sustainability.”
If you are not sure whether consultancy is what you need, get in touch anyway. The first conversation is always about understanding the problem, not selling a solution.