TS-SFD-04
Trust & Stewardship
Strategic Fundraising & Development
CORE
Excellence
v2.9.7
Legacy & Major Gift Program
Assesses the formal program for legacy and major gifts, which operationalizes *Sadaqa Jāriyah*. This secures long-term sustainability, deepens donor trust through stewardship, and ensures enduring community benefit, fulfilling the organization's *Amānah* (trust) to its stakeholders. The program includes robust restricted-fund governance, conflict-of-interest controls, and risk-based due diligence to protect the charity’s reputation and ensure donor stipulations are honoured lawfully and Islamically.
Assessment Questions
- Does the organization have a formal, board-approved policy for accepting, managing, and disbursing legacy and major gifts, including refusal/return criteria?
- How does the organization document and track donor intent (e.g., Donor Intent Register) to ensure Amānah is fulfilled?
- Describe the refusal/return/escalation decisions made in the last 12 months. Is there evidence of trustee approval?
- How do you handle restricted fund difficulties (underspend/overspend/obsolete purpose)? What is your legal route and documentation?
- What is your lawful basis for prospect research and what DPIA/LIA is used to ensure GDPR compliance?
- How do you identify and manage vulnerability/sensitivity in legacy conversations and executor engagement per the Fundraising Code?
- Describe the investment strategy for endowed funds. Does it include explicit Shariah screening and purification policies?
- Is there independent annual assurance of compliance with donor stipulations and Shariah principles?
Evidence Requirements
- Board-approved Gift Acceptance Policy (including refusal/return criteria).
- Donor Intent & Restrictions Register.
- Gift refusal/return decision log.
- Major donor/legacy stewardship plan + sample comms/reports.
- Prospect research DPIA/LIA and privacy notice.
- Investment Policy Statement (IPS) with Shariah screening & purification methodology.
- Sample Waqf deeds or donor agreements.
- Annual reports showing restricted fund movements (SORP compliant).
- Executor liaison checklist and sample correspondence.
Scoring Guidelines
| Level | Rating | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5/5 | A model of excellence with waqf/trust instruments, independent nāẓir oversight, audited donor-stipulation compliance, and sector-leading marketing |
| 4 | 4/5 | Proactive cultivation integrated into long-term strategy, with Shariah-compliant IPS, transparent reporting, and a functioning pipeline |
| 3 | 3/5 | Board-approved policy exists with basic stewardship, restricted funds tracking, and a documented donor intent register |
| 2 | 2/5 | A basic gift acceptance policy exists but is not consistently applied; no clear stewardship process |
| 1 | 1/5 | No legacy or major gift program, or gifts accepted ad-hoc without policy |
Related Criteria
Version
2.9.7
2025-11-05
Discussion (1)
Administrator
2026-03-07 11:07:53.481003
📋 **Version updated: 1.0.0 → 2.9.7** **Changes:** Updated islamic_references from mizan-297.json
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