Legacy Giving goes by many names: planned giving, estate giving, or legacy giving. It refers to the forethought and action of a donor to make a gift to charity that will either be realized at a future date or through the donor’s estate.
While donors make gifts to charity all the time, the significance of a Legacy Gift is the planning involved in making it happen. Generally a donor making
a Legacy Gift will need to involve professionals, such as lawyers, accountants or financial planners to structure the gift. As well, the donor may, or may not, be involved with the charity ahead of time to make the gift.
While leaving a Legacy Gift can result in a larger gift than a donor can make in their lifetime, a Legacy Gift can be of any size or amount. A Legacy Gift can be designated to a specific program or service offered by a charity.
