The Hidden Power of Legacy Income

Imagine a supporter who believes in your mission so deeply that they decide to make it part of their legacy. Long after they’re gone, their gift continues to fuel your work, carrying forward their values and trust in your cause. That’s the hidden power of legacy income - it’s not just funding, it’s a lasting bond between donor and organisation, built on loyalty and commitment.

Beyond Paperwork


Legacy gifts are one of the most impactful and emotionally significant forms of giving. They represent trust, loyalty, and a donor’s lasting commitment to your cause. But with that trust comes responsibility, and complexity.


Managing legacy income isn’t simply about tracking paperwork. It’s about honouring a donor’s final wishes while ensuring their gift makes the greatest possible impact. Yet, many charities still rely on outdated tools or manual processes to manage gifts in wills.


The consequences?


  • Delays in processing
  • Missed opportunities to maximise value
  • Unnecessary risks that can erode donor confidence


Why a Dedicated Legacy Income System Matters


A modern, dedicated system transforms the way organisations handle bequests:


  • Structure → Clear processes using best practices that reduce confusion and errors
  • Visibility → Transparency across teams, ensuring everyone knows the status of each gift
  • Confidence → Reliable data that builds trust with donors, families, and stakeholders


This isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about safeguarding relationships and ensuring every legacy gift fulfils its intended purpose.


Who Benefits?


Whether you’re a charity, non‑profit, or higher education institution, getting smarter about how you manage legacy income is vital. With the right system in place, you can:


  • Reduce administrative burden
  • Protect against risk
  • Unlock the full potential of legacy giving


The Results of Smarter Legacy Income Management


When charities and non‑profits adopt a dedicated legacy income system from FirstClass, the impact is clear:


  • Faster processing & rapid access to records → Gifts are managed efficiently, reducing delays and ensuring funds reach the cause sooner.
  • Income dashboards & financial reports → Real‑time visibility into pipeline, trends, and performance supports confident decision‑making.
  • Customisable templates → Flexible tools that adapt to your processes, reducing admin and saving time.
  • Contact records → Centralised donor and executor information strengthens relationships and ensures transparency.
  • Reduced risk → Accurate records and structured processes protect against errors and safeguard donor trust.
  • Seamless CRM integration → Works smoothly with key CRM partners, ensuring data flows without duplication.
  • Smee and Ford integration → Direct connection to industry‑leading probate data for complete oversight.
  • Stronger relationships → Families and executors feel reassured that gifts are handled with care and transparency.


Legacy gifts are too important to be left to outdated processes. By adopting smarter tools, you can honor donor trust, reduce risk, and unlock the full potential of legacy income.


Ready to transform how you manage legacy income? Get in touch with us today to see how our solutions can help you build confidence, efficiency, and growth for the future.

FirstClass goes Global

By Fiona Paton • November 4, 2025
The background International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) was founded in 1969, with the aim of stopping the commercial hunt for whitecoat seals on the east coast of Canada. IFAW has grown into a charity that works across seas, oceans, and in more than 40 countries around the world. IFAW is dedicated to building a world where animals and people can thrive together on a healthy planet. Through its work in the fields of biodiversity conservation and wildlife rescue, IFAW has had a major impact on ecosystems and communities around the world. With a third of the charity’s income stemming from legacies, IFAW has been using FirstClass to streamline, manage, and monitor this crucial revenue stream from its UK office for over 10 years. However, its international counterparts were using disparate systems that were incurring significantly more administration time than would have been required when using one standardised legacy management platform. In 2025, the decision to implement FirstClass across six new international territories was taken. 

Stay Informed: Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Retirement approaching

By Fiona Paton • October 30, 2025
With the upcoming retirement of Microsoft SQL Server 2016 on 14th July 2026 , we want to ensure you're aware of how this may impact your use of FirstClass. If you're using FirstClass 4 Web, Essentials, or Cloud , there's no action needed - your database is fully managed by us. If you're using FirstClass 4 In-house , then this update is important. Please review your setup or speak with us and/or your IT team to ensure you're prepared. To check your database type, open FirstClass , go to the System page from the main window, and look for whether you're using Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL Database . How to check your SQL Setup in FirstClass Open FirstClass and go to the System page (see below) from the main window, and look for whether you're using Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL Database . Locate the SQL Server Edition field: If it shows SQL Azure, you're using the cloud-based Azure SQL Database version. No action is needed - Microsoft handles updates automatically. If it shows something else like Standard or Enterprise Edition , you're using the traditional on-premise version. This requires manual updates and will eventually go out of support. Next, check the SQL Server Version field: This will show a numeric value (e.g., 13, 14, 15, 16). If your version is 13 or lower , you should begin planning with your IT department and our support team to upgrade your database server before support ends. Why it matters Security : Unsupported versions no longer receive security updates, leaving your systems vulnerable. Compliance : Many regulatory frameworks require supported software. Performance : Newer versions offer better performance, scalability, and features. If you're unsure about any of the above? Log a support ticket and we’ll be happy to assist. A sample of the System page is shown below, showing the SQL Server Edition and SQL Server Version information. For reference, the various SQL Server versions and their support dates are also listed in the table. The key date is the End of Extended Support column on the right, as this is the date Microsoft stops issuing security updates for that version of SQL Server.

New Outlook for Windows - Here's What You Need to Know

By Fiona Paton • October 27, 2025
Microsoft’s New Outlook for Windows Whilst it became generally available in August 2024, the New Outlook is currently not supported by FirstClass due to integration limitations. The New Outlook cannot facilitate outbound sending or importing of emails from other applications, and it does not yet provide the full functionality available in Classic Outlook. What this means for you: Computers running FirstClass must continue using Classic Outlook to maintain full functionality. Microsoft encourages users to try the New Outlook, so be aware of this prompt if you rely on FirstClass for email integration. Guidance for users: Look for the New Outlook icon in the top-right corner of Outlook, see below Revert to Classic Outlook by clicking the slider to “off”, see below, and restart Outlook to switch back to Classic Outlook. For any issues with email integration, please contact our support team FirstClass remains fully compatible with Classic Outlook. Users are advised to retain Classic Outlook until full support for the New Outlook is confirmed, which is supported by Microsoft until at least 2029. Further details on extended support for classic Outlook can be found here.