From the Nominator

This is a new digital newsletter targeting a carefully segmented audience of alumni and staff, sharing the stories of those who’ve left gifts in their wills to the University of York, and the impact that legacy gifts are having on students and research.  As a university approaching our 60th anniversary, York has a relatively young alumni profile, and the newsletter forms part of a programme designed to raise the profile of legacy giving to a wider audience, whilst stewarding the existing legacy pledgers through sharing their stories, photos and memories of their time on campus and their reasons for supporting the university.  We are grateful to share these amazing stories of people who hold such passion and care for the future generations of students, with the objective that they inspire more people to discuss their intentions. The digital format, using shorthand, allows readers to experience a blend of nostalgia and contemporary life on campus, offering the opportunity to reflect on their own time at York. They are invited to consider leaving a gift in their will, and let us know, so we can show the university’s appreciation in their lifetime. 

The response from recipients has been overwhelmingly positive, resulting in great feedback on content, new legacy pledges from both alumni and staff, confirmation of existing pledges and other pledgers coming forward to share their stories for future editions. We have learnt so much from this initiative and it has encouraged us to be more confident in our overall legacy marketing strategy.

From the Judges

We liked this entry because it meets your audience where they are. The presentation will resonate with anyone who reads digital journalism. It's brave to re-boot a planned giving newsletter during a pandemic, and the personal stories—combined with the unique platform—were successful. Short-term results were strong.