What We’re Learning From the First Gifts in Wills Health Checks

When we launched the free Future Impact Collective Gifts in Wills Health Check, the goal was simple: to help organisations understand where their program stands today, recognise what is already working and identify the most practical opportunities for growth.

We are still in the early stages, but the results are already revealing some clear and consistent themes.

The organisations assessed so far represent a mix of small, medium and large organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Their programs range from relatively new and emerging through to highly established and advanced.

These results are not intended to be a sector benchmark, at least not yet. They provide an early snapshot of the organisations that have participated so far and the opportunities emerging within their programs. As more organisations complete the Health Check, we hope to build a broader picture of Gifts in Wills program maturity, strengths and challenges across the Australian and New Zealand sectors.

It is also important to acknowledge that organisations choosing to complete a Gifts in Wills Health Check are likely to have already recognised the importance of this area and have some level of interest or internal engagement.

Many small and medium organisations may not yet be in this position. Gifts in Wills may still be competing for leadership attention, have no clear internal owner or feel difficult to prioritise alongside more immediate fundraising needs. Limited time, staff capacity and specialist knowledge can also make it challenging to know where to begin.

The findings should therefore be viewed as insights from organisations actively considering how to strengthen their Gifts in Wills activity, rather than a reflection of the entire sector.

A wide range of program maturity

Overall Health Check scores ranged from approximately 45% to 93%, with an average score of around 67%.

This spread reflects the very different stages organisations are at in their Gifts in Wills journey.

Some already have sophisticated systems, dedicated resources and established supporter pathways. Others have growing organisational support and a clear desire to progress, but are still putting the fundamental program infrastructure in place.

Despite these differences, many of the recommended priorities were remarkably similar.

Where participating organisations are performing well

The strongest area across the results was Internal Capability & Engagement, with an average score of approximately 80/100.

Strategic Commitment & Leadership was also relatively strong, averaging approximately 75/100.

This is encouraging, while also reflecting the likely profile of organisations choosing to participate at this early stage.

Many of the organisations assessed already understand the importance and long-term potential of Gifts in Wills. Leadership support is often present, and staff generally recognise that Gifts in Wills should form part of the organisation’s fundraising strategy.

For these organisations, the challenge is not necessarily building belief in the importance of Gifts in Wills.

It is translating that belief into a structured, consistent and sustainable program.

For organisations without this level of internal support, the first priority may be different. Before developing supporter materials or CRM processes, they may need to build the internal case for Gifts in Wills, clarify its relevance to the organisation’s long-term strategy and establish clear ownership.

The emerging themes

1. Commitment is often ahead of implementation

A number of participating organisations demonstrated strong leadership support and internal confidence while still having significant gaps in supporter processes, CRM tracking or communications activity.

In other words, the organisational intent is there, but it has not always been translated into practical systems and regular activity.

This is understandable. Gifts in Wills programs often compete with more immediate fundraising priorities, particularly when teams are working with limited time and capacity.

The result can be a program that is recognised as important but is difficult to progress consistently within existing workloads.

The opportunity is to bridge that gap with clear ownership, manageable priorities and an implementation plan that reflects the organisation’s available capacity.

2. Stewardship is the most consistent opportunity

Supporter Journey & Stewardship was the lowest-scoring pillar overall, averaging approximately 55/100.

Stewardship also appeared among the recommended priorities for 100% of participating organisations.

This included opportunities to:

• Improve the response to initial Gifts in Wills enquiries

• Introduce more consistent follow-up

• Develop clearer journeys for people considering or intending to leave a gift

• Strengthen relationships with confirmed Gifts in Wills supporters

• Provide more personalised recognition and ongoing engagement

This is one of the most important findings so far.

A Gifts in Wills webpage or campaign may create initial interest, but the long-term value of a program is built through relationships. Supporters need to feel informed, respected and connected to the organisation’s future impact.

Stewardship does not have to be complicated or expensive. A thoughtful acknowledgement, a personal update, an invitation or a well-timed phone call can all help strengthen the relationship.

What matters most is that the experience is intentional and consistent.

3. CRM gaps are often process gaps

CRM, data management, supporter identification or pipeline tracking appeared among the top priorities for approximately 83% of participating organisations.

However, the issue was not always the CRM platform itself.

In many cases, the larger opportunity was to define:

• What information should be recorded

• Which supporter stages should be tracked

• Who is responsible for updating records

• How enquiries and intentions should be followed up

• How stewardship interactions should be documented

• What information should be reported to leadership

Without these agreed processes, valuable supporter information can remain in individual inboxes, spreadsheets, notes or staff members’ memories.

A simple and consistently used framework is generally more valuable than a sophisticated system with no shared process behind it.

The aim is not to capture every possible piece of information. It is to make sure the organisation can understand where each supporter is in their journey and respond appropriately.

4. Gifts in Wills visibility is often intermittent

Communications, promotion or increased program visibility appeared as a recommended priority for approximately 83% of participating organisations.

Some organisations already had strong Gifts in Wills resources but were not regularly placing them in front of supporters. Others relied heavily on a single webpage, brochure or occasional campaign.

This can make Gifts in Wills feel like a one-off fundraising ask rather than a natural and ongoing way for supporters to make a difference.

Regular visibility does not mean talking about Gifts in Wills every week.

It might mean including a small number of carefully planned touchpoints throughout the year in newsletters, such as:

• A supporter story

• A future impact message
• Information about making or updating a Will
• A reminder that Gifts in Wills of every size can make a difference
• A gentle invitation to request more information

The purpose is to build familiarity over time.

Supporters may need to encounter the message several times before it feels relevant to them. Consistent, light-touch communication gives them the opportunity to engage when the time is right.

5. Staff confidence needs to be supported by clear pathways

Internal Capability & Engagement was the highest-scoring area, but staff education and internal engagement still appeared in several recommendations.

This is not necessarily a contradiction.

Staff may understand the importance of Gifts in Wills while still feeling uncertain about what to say when a supporter raises the subject.

They need practical guidance on how to recognise an opportunity, respond appropriately, refer the supporter to the right person and record the interaction.

Staff do not need to become Gifts in Wills experts. They simply need the confidence to have a respectful initial conversation and know what should happen next.

For organisations where internal confidence is still developing, this may need to begin with broader awareness. Staff and leaders first need to understand why Gifts in Wills matter, how they align with the organisation’s mission and the role different teams can play.

What do these early findings tell us?

For organisations that already have some Gifts in Wills activity in place, the strongest overall message is that they likely don't need to completely reinvent their program.

They need to connect the pieces.

They may already have leadership support, committed staff, a webpage, a brochure or a group of loyal supporters. The next step is often to bring these elements together through clearer systems, regular communication and intentional stewardship.

For organisations without a Gifts in Wills program, the starting point is understandably different.

They may first need to build internal understanding, identify someone to take ownership and put a small number of practical foundations in place. This might include a simple webpage, a clear supporter contact pathway, basic CRM fields and guidance to help staff respond confidently when the subject arises.

A new program does not need to launch with a complex campaign or sophisticated stewardship structure. It can begin with a few clear, manageable actions and develop over time as organisational confidence and supporter engagement grow.

For an emerging program, useful foundations may include:

• A dedicated Gifts in Wills webpage

• A supporter information resource

• A clear contact and enquiry pathway

• Basic CRM fields and supporter stages

• Staff guidance

• A manageable communications plan

For a more established program, the priority may be to improve supporter identification, strengthen stewardship, refine reporting or embed Gifts in Wills more deeply across the organisation.

The right next step will be different for every organisation.

That is exactly why understanding your current position is so important.

Start with clarity

Future impact depends on the actions we take today, but those actions do not need to be overwhelming.

A sustainable Gifts in Wills program can be built gradually through practical, achievable steps.

The free Future Impact Collective Gifts in Wills Health Check takes approximately 10 minutes and provides a tailored assessment of your current program, including its strengths, gaps and priority opportunities.

Explore the Gifts in Wills Health Check

If your organisation is starting from scratch, we can help. The Gifts in Wills Starter Kit provides the practical tools, templates and step-by-step guidance you need to get your program up and running with confidence, consistency and clarity.

Explore the Gifts in Wills Starter Kit