Breaking the Generational Divide: Major Gifts and Legacy Giving for the Next Generation
Speaker: Ligia Peña, CFRE
Tuesday, February 24
8:00am-arrival- networking, light breakfast served
9:00am-10:30am- Program
Dickie McCamey Conference Center (444 Liberty Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15222)
Approved for 1.5 CFRE credits
Everyone’s chasing Baby Boomers … but what happens when the Boomers are gone? If your strategy doesn’t include Generation X, you’re already falling behind.
Gen Xers (born 1965–1980) are entering their peak wealth years, inheriting unprecedented assets, and making critical estate and financial planning decisions right now. This is a generation shaped by economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, and a skeptical view of institutions – yet they value authenticity, transparency, and tangible impact.
For fundraisers, that means building trust early, using personalized and digital-friendly engagement, and showing exactly how a legacy gift will make a difference. For professional advisors, it means understanding their desire for control, flexibility, and socially responsible investment options – and how charitable planning can align with those values.
This session unpacks what makes Gen Xers tick, how to communicate in ways that resonate with them, and how charities and advisors can work in tandem to inspire meaningful, lasting gifts. Because if you wait until they’re 70, the moment will have passed.
By the end of this session, participants will:
- Identify key life experiences, values, and motivations that influence Gen X giving and financial decision-making.
- Understand the risks of overlooking Gen X in both fundraising and professional advisory work.
- Learn tailored strategies to engage and steward Gen X donors, including messaging and channels that resonate.
- Explore how charities and professional advisors (CPAs, attorneys, financial planners) can collaborate to integrate charitable giving into Gen X estate plans.
About the speaker
Ligia Peña, CFRE, is an international legacy fundraising consultant and strategist, helping charities worldwide develop effective legacy strategies. Her data-driven approach empowers nonprofits to build impactful gifts in wills programs. Ligia is also a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Kent, researching the role of impact reporting has on donor trust as a way to have deeper legacy conversations. A seasoned international presenter and AFP Master Trainer, she has trained countless fundraisers and is a recognized contributor to the fundraising field.