Advisory Committee Q&A
Roewen Wishart (Chair)
Director, Xponential
Why are you part of the committee?
My very first role in fundraising was major gifts and gifts in wills (with Oxfam in the 1990’s). I have found the emotional engagement of gift in wills donors very moving. My years at Bush Heritage Australia saw great growth in gifts in wills, and we’re now seeing the long-term benefits of that. It’s a way I can follow on the contribution of the far-sighted people (most still active in our sector) and the four founding charities which put funds into Include a Charity at the start. It is also a lively and innovative area of fundraising practice.
Why do you support IAC?
IAC is an example of the best about the for-cause sector: collaboration towards a greater purpose which will benefit so many needs. Gifts in wills are the opportunity for many people to make the largest gift they ever can to causes important to them. IAC has three strategies: normalising gifts in wills consideration among our target audience, encouraging legal advisors to ask clients an open-ended “prompt question” when preparing wills, and giving our IAC members access to top quality training (from 101 to advanced)
Why should people be part of IAC?
The potential growth of gifts in wills revenue is large. Even influencing just a few percentage points’ worth of our target audience among Australians to consider a charitable gift in their will could add hundreds of millions annually in the future. With typically half of gifts in wills received from donors who didn’t self-identify while living, or people who aren’t even recorded as connected to the charity, this is the most cost-effective way to influence a wide group to consider a gift. IAC membership is a great value for money way to expose gifts in wills staff and management to best practice fundraising.
What you do in your paid role and how does it work alongside the IAC campaign?
As High Value and Strategy Director at Xponential, gifts in wills are a natural focus. I work on both gifts in wills program set-up, and effectiveness reviews for clients. This complements our consultancy’s main high-value focus: capital campaigns and major gifts.
A fun fact about you
In National Volunteer Week, I am dressing up in a life-sized bandicoot costume to participate in an event encouraging parents of pre-schoolers to read to their children (in every language the child speaks and is learning).
Suzanne Brown
Manager, Bequests, The Salvation Army
Why are you part of the committee?
To use my experience and skills to help the whole sector grow
Why do you support IAC?
They are an independent voice helping all charities to raise public awareness. They are helping those who help others.
Why should people be part of IAC?
To gain industry best practise, learn latest marketing techniques, excellent training courses on offer
What you do in your paid role and how does it work alongside the IAC campaign?
I run the national bequest program at The Salvation Army, and we have used the public exposure of the IAC campaign to raise awareness of gifts in will internally in The Salvation Army
A fun fact about you
I like skiing and ocean swimming
Ian Lawton
Director, Bequests, The National Heart Foundation
Why are you part of the committee?
I love being involved in a strategic conversation about Bequests because its such a dynamic, impactful philanthropic area.
Why do you support IAC?
I support IAC because it advocates at every level to raise awareness of charitable bequests and the incredible social impact of bequest gifts.
Why should people be part of IAC?
Bees thrive in a hive. Bequest programs are the most collaborative of all charity functions. Most bequestors include more than one charity in their Will, so anyone encouraging bequest gifts is helping ALL of us.
What you do in your paid role and how does it work alongside the IAC campaign?
I am director of a Bequest program that brings in 60% of the charity’s income. So tracking IAC’s best practice guides and research informs and maximises the impact of our program.
A fun fact about you
I lived next door to The Thompson Twins for 4 years.
