My old friends at Public Communications Institute have released their latest snapshot of legacy income (1999-2004) which you can download here.
No great surprises. The St Vincent de Paul contiune to dominate the legacy landscape, with the big three overseas agencies (Concern, Trócaire and Goal) next in line. The SVP have received almost half of all the legacy income (to the participating charities) over the six years of the study.
The only notable absence from the study is the Irish Cancer Society. I would be very surprised if they didn’t benefit to some extent from charitable bequests, so I can only assume they either declined to participate or didn’t provide complete information. Pity. Let’s hope they get on board for the next one.
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According the Irish Times, the Society of St Vincent de Paul has just received €8 million after Ms. O’Connell named them as the main beneficiary in her will. Her pub, O’Connell’s in Eyre Square, Galway, has just been sold for €14 million, and the SVP will get €8 million of that.
Now that’s one big legacy gift. But it shows the potential of legacy giving to transform fundraising and philanthropy. We’re way behind here when it comes to legacies, but hopefully groups like Legacy Promotion Ireland will help to change the culture and make charitable bequests more the norm rather than the exception.
In the meantime, I think we should all toast the remarkable generosity of Maureen O’Connell, and the difference her donation will make to lives of excluded,...