Regarding an ongoing charity that a person observes during his lifetime and after his death, the matter of its reward differs when the giver is alive and when dead. For when he is alive, the reward will reach him and it is permissible for him to give (the charity) to either his relatives or other than his relatives. However, if he gives it to his relatives, the reward will be in (double folds) – that of charity and the reward of joining family ties. After his death, when he can no longer do any of the aforementioned, his reward will reach him according to the noble hadith revealed from Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said: “when the son of Adam dies, the reward for his deeds are cut off except in three acts: ongoing charity, or a beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child praying for him.” Narrated by Muslim.
Unless he had established something as charity when he was alive, and after his death it continued, he would be rewarded based on what he intended during his lifetime. Nonetheless, in any of the cases, he would receive his reward for his charity after he had died as when he was alive.