FirstClass sends iconic college’s legacy programme to the top of the class

The background


Imperial College London (Imperial) is a world-leading university for science, technology, engineering, medicine and business.


It was founded in 1907 with a mission to use science to try to understand more of the universe, and improve the lives of more people in it.


Viewing science as more than simply a subject but a mindset, a bias for inquiry and action, and the pursuit of knowledge and new ideas with grit, humility, creativity and courage, Imperial now has a number of campuses throughout London and the South East of England.


With total charitable income amounting to £60m a year, £5m of which originates from bequest giving, the legacy team decided that it was time to accelerate its legacy programme in order to boost legacy-related revenue. 


Yet, with a legacy management infrastructure historically built around manual methods using a combination of spreadsheets and CRM, the legacy team established that this was not enough to effectively maximise the value of its estates.


In order to do this whilst futureproofing its legacy management capabilities, increasing revenue and improving the efficiency of the legacy management team, Imperial chose FirstClass – making it the first educational institution ever to incorporate the platform.

“Prior to integrating FirstClass, we were doing what we could with what we had, but it was quite basic. In terms of recording data, we were limited to the essentials. In order to establish the fundamentals, such as average gift size or whether a gift was pecuniary or not, we had to work really hard and piece the data together manually in order to get what we needed. Since adopting FirstClass, this level of data – and so much more – is available at our fingertips.”


Katharine Palmer, Legacy Officer at Imperial College London

The project:


Having used FirstClass in a previous role at a prominent UK charity, Katharine’s manager, Anna Wall, joined Imperial with a clear vision that FirstClass needed to be part of the legacy team’s evolution. However, legacy marketing and the establishment of a legacy programme needed to take priority before FirstClass could be implemented.


Although one thing that every member of the organisation was clear on was that bequests represented a huge opportunity for the organisation. The figures reflected this, too.


When the legacy programme was established in 2015, legacy income stood at £1m a year. Having grown year-on-year over nine years to £5m, it was becoming clear that spreadsheets and CRM alone were not enough to manage this level of income – let alone grow it.

“Whilst legacy income was growing as the programme grew, it was clear that it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage using manual methods. After demonstrating to the wider team what was possible when using FirstClass, the decision was taken to invest in the system – and nobody has looked back. The Advancement Division, under which legacy management falls, highly values data. Now we can provide them with as much as they want including how we compare against our peers.”


Katharine Palmer, Legacy Officer at Imperial College London

With a desire for data to drive the team’s growth, which was difficult using the previous approach, the decision was taken to implement FirstClass in 2023. In February 2024, Imperial switched to FirstClass as the system went live. 


Looking ahead, Imperial is now focussed on using FirstClass to:


  • Become more efficient in communicating with the organisation’s legacy consultants, and, through the platform’s ability to streamline and standardise processes, ensure that every member of the legacy team is consistent in their approach to legacy management.


  • Make external auditing a more straightforward and less time-intensive exercise. Prior to implementing FirstClass, data was often questioned by the auditors as it wasn’t being presented in the correct format. Now, the data will be standardised and quickly accessible.


  • Consolidate and store all data, much of which originates from different sources – such as Smee & Ford – in one easy-to-use platform.

“Even within the first week of launch, our lives became much easier. From having to manually input everything on Raiser’s Edge, all correspondence now goes straight into FirstClass. But it’s not just day-to-day legacy management that’s become so much easier, the onboarding process was seamless, too. The FirstClass team helped us choose the right solution, assisted us with migrating our data and the training programmes were great. We’re really happy with the system and absolutely delighted to have become the first educational institution to adopt FirstClass.” 


Katharine Palmer, Legacy Officer at Imperial College London

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The Future of Legacy Fundraising Is...

By Fiona Paton • May 25, 2026
Beyond AI - two priorities the legacy sector can't afford to ignore. Read any thought leadership article right now - across any sector, not just legacy fundraising - and somewhere between a quarter and half of it will be about AI. We know, because we used AI to check. In the context of legacy fundraising, AI is consistently touted as the tool that will unlock the sector's next chapter: better engagement, wider outreach, sharper strategy, stronger revenue. And to be clear, we think there's real substance to that. AI has a meaningful role to play. But we also think two other areas are being quietly overlooked among the noise. Areas that deserve equal attention right now - and that legacy teams would do well to get ahead of. Those two areas are Rich Communication Services (RCS) and clean data. AI is important. But it isn't the whole story RCS and Legacy Fundraising RCS - the more advanced successor to SMS - is already making its presence felt in the charity sector, and its potential for legacy fundraising teams is considerable. Where SMS is limited to text, RCS enables charities to send messages that incorporate video, imagery, and interactive buttons - all within the native messaging experience on a supporter's phone. The result is communication that's richer, more personal, and demonstrably more engaging. Combine that multimedia capability with RCS's ability to tailor content for individual supporters, and you have a channel that is meaningful, personal, and scalable all at once. For legacy teams working to build long-term relationships with potential legators, that combination matters. Perhaps its most significant asset, though, is trust. RCS messages carry a Verified Sender badge, giving recipients clear reassurance that what they're reading is genuine. In a sector where legacy giving is built on trust above almost everything else, that matters enormously. It's a low-cost, high-impact way for charities to demonstrate credibility at the point of contact. This focus on trust is one that the wider sector is increasingly vocal about. A recent article from Smee & Ford - specialists in legacy data and intelligence - noted that while AI holds real promise for the sector, legacy fundraising remains deeply human in nature, and that AI-generated messaging risks feeling inauthentic if the human touch is lost. It's a perspective that reinforces why channels like RCS, which carry built-in credibility signals, matter as much as they do. You can read the full article at smeeandford.com . Through our sister brand Cymba , which specialises in developing and delivering RCS campaigns, we are already helping legacy fundraising teams harness this technology and build mobile messaging campaigns that make an impact. Its agility, tailorability, and scalability make it an opportunity the sector shouldn't wait for. Clean Data and Legacy Fundraising Data rarely gets the attention it deserves. When there is new technology to explore and AI-driven approaches promising transformative outcomes, the discipline of maintaining clean, accurate data can feel like an unglamorous afterthought. It shouldn't. Good data is the bedrock of good communication - and poor data is a reliable route to missed opportunities, wasted resources, and, at worst, damaged relationships with supporters. In legacy fundraising specifically, the stakes are high. Duplicate mailings, deceased supporters still being contacted, incorrect names, missing preferences - each of these is more than an administrative error. They erode the trust that legacy relationships depend on. And they signal to supporters, however unintentionally, that they are not truly known or valued. There is also a practical argument that goes beyond relationships. AI's effectiveness is entirely dependent on the quality of the data it works with. A model built on inaccurate or incomplete source material will produce inaccurate and incomplete outputs. Investing in AI while neglecting data hygiene is, in effect, building on sand. Maintaining clean data isn't always straightforward, but the rewards are consistent and compounding. Better-timed communications. More relevant personalisation. Greater confidence in what is being sent and to whom. Drawing on the expertise of our data cleansing team, FirstClass is already helping charities get more from their data - and from the systems and strategies built on top of it. In 2026, attaining and maintaining clean data should be on every legacy team's radar. Good data is the bedrock of good communication. Poor data is a route to missed opportunities - and lost supporters. A More Complete Picture AI is undoubtedly part of the future of legacy fundraising. Any attempt to argue otherwise would miss the point. But RCS and clean data deserve to sit alongside it as strategic priorities - not as supporting acts, but as foundations without which the promise of AI cannot be fully realised. Underpinning all three is the same thing: trust. Trust that communications are genuine. Trust that supporters are known and respected. Trust that the technology serving a legacy team is making relationships stronger, not weaker. The charities that hold that at the centre of their strategy - whatever tools they use - will be the ones best placed for what comes next. The legacy sector is evolving quickly. Charities that invest in all three - the innovation of AI, the reach of RCS, and the discipline of clean data - will be better placed than those treating them as an either/or. If you would like to explore how we can support your legacy team with data cleansing or RCS messaging , we would be glad to talk. Get in touch with our team on 01257 272730.
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Legacy Budgets: Clarity for Future Spend

By Fiona Paton • April 21, 2026
When you’re managing legacies, it’s not just the income that matters - it’s the commitments, too. Future solicitor fees, surveyor costs, maintenance charges, promised funds to branches… they all add up, and they all need to be tracked somewhere sensible. That’s exactly where Legacy Budgets steps in. What Legacy Budgets Actually Do Legacy Budgets lets you record a budgeted amount for any planned or upcoming expenditure linked to a legacy. It could be professional fees, ongoing maintenance, or even funds earmarked for a specific centre or project. Many charities track this in their finance system, but having it visible within the legacy record itself gives you context you don’t get anywhere else. Why It’s Worth Using Think of it as a financial snapshot that sits right alongside the case details. It’s simple, but it’s powerful, and helps you: See what’s been committed before invoices arrive Keep teams aligned on expected spend Avoid surprises later in the process Maintain a clearer picture of each legacy’s net value The Legacy Budget Browser: Your Overview at a Glance If you want to see all budgets in one place, the Legacy Budget Browser is your new best friend. It shows: Current budgeted amounts Amounts already spent Remaining balance Related legator, legacy, and payee details It’s ideal when you’re not sure which legacy a budget belongs to, when you want to see everything linked to a particular payee, or when you need quick reporting using selections. To access it: From the Home window, click Browse or press Ctrl + B Double‑click Legacy Budget Browser Apply your filters using Selections and hit Apply Selections How to Switch It On Legacy Budgets isn’t enabled by default. To activate it, set the ShowLegacyBudgets system parameter to Yes in the Maintain System Parameters window, then restart the system. If you’d like budget information to appear in additional grids, we are only too happy to help configure that. Where You’ll Find It Once enabled, you’ll see a Budgets tab on both the Legator and Legacy windows - making it easy to view, add, and manage budgets right where you need them.

ILM 2026: What we’re most excited about this year

By Fiona Paton • March 25, 2026
We’re officially counting down to the ILM Annual Conference on 8 May at 133 Houndsditch, London. It’s always one of the best days in the legacy calendar - a chance to reconnect in person with friends and colleagues across the sector, soak up engaging speaker sessions, spark new ideas, and celebrate the incredible work happening in legacies at the ILM Awards. What's New The FirstClass team will be on hand to share the latest on how FirstClass is evolving, with the launch of the first iteration of FirstClass 5 Essentials coming very soon. We’ll also be unveiling a couple of new services we’re delighted to introduce, including Data Cleansing and RCS Business Messaging - the natural successor to SMS. Data Cleansing For charities and non‑profits, supporter data is the backbone of effective legacy giving. Yet while nearly half of organisations want to use insights to improve services, more than half are held back by CRM challenges. Poor‑quality data can have serious consequences - from losing touch with potential legacy supporters to missing opportunities for deeper engagement, and even risking compliance issues. That’s where our Data Cleansing service comes in. We help charities restore confidence in their supporter information by improving the quality of addresses, emails, and phone numbers. The result is cleaner, compliant, and more reliable data that strengthens legacy communications and ensures every supporter feels valued and connected. RCS Business Messaging Charities are experiencing a major shift. Supporters now expect digital‑first, mobile‑first communication - they want interactions that feel personal, transparent, and effortless. Social media is great for sharing impact stories, but when it comes to deeper, more meaningful conversations, like inspiring someone to leave a gift in their Will, charities need something more powerful and more trusted. RCS delivers on‑brand, secure, and interactive messages straight to the place that matters most - your supporters’ phones. Unlike SMS, RCS allows content‑rich, multimedia, and interactive messaging, helping charities build stronger, more personal connections with legacy supporters. And the results speak for themselves: up to three times higher engagement than SMS, read rates of 60–80%, and adoption by hundreds of leading brands. RCS is redefining how charities nurture relationships and inspire legacy giving. ILM Awards As always, a big highlight of the conference is celebrating excellence across the legacy sector, and we’re looking forward to cheering on all the ILM members who’ve been nominated. Good luck to all the nominees - we’re excited to celebrate your achievements and hear about the great work happening across the sector. Make sure to drop by on the day to hear how FirstClass is now delivering even more for its clients, and in the meantime, you can view the complete list of speakers and topics for the day at the ILM Annual Conference website .