Imagine visiting your uncle in the hospital when a nurse approaches you and says, “I’m here because your grandfather gave me the money to go to nursing school. When I went to pay him back, he refused to take the money. He just said, ‘Go and be a good nurse.’”
How would you feel hearing about your grandfather’s incredible generosity?
I pulled this story from the legacy film we made for the Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation. It’s the kind of story that has a big impact on the next generation. (In fact, seven new trustees joined the Knott Foundation’s board as a result of seeing the film).
You may be having legacy planning conversations with your clients, creating donor intent letters, or drafting wills or trusts. But I want to share with you how legacy films can take these conversations to another level for your clients.
As the Knott Foundation approached its 40th anniversary, they realized that those who had known the founders were aging. They wanted to connect the younger generation to G1, ensure important lessons were well-documented, and inspire them to get involved.
Working in partnership with Knott Foundation staff, we were intentional about who we interviewed, which stories were most meaningful to share, and what visuals would tie it all together.
The result was a 30-minute family foundation film and a screening that nearly 100 family members attended. Generations who never knew their great-grandparents finally felt a real connection to the Foundation. They understood their history and family values – their grandmother’s patience and their grandfather’s persistence and generosity – through stories like the one about the nurse that they otherwise would never have heard.
If your clients are struggling with how to engage the next generation, creating a legacy film may be the answer.