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Estate and Planned Giving

What will your legacy be?

Support the birds that you have cared about throughout your lifetime, beyond your lifetime. Help protect birds for future generations by including a legacy gift to Audubon Great Lakes or one of its programs, such as the Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Ohio.

Leaving a gift to Audubon Great Lakes in your will or trust, by beneficiary designation, or another form of planned gift can make a lasting difference to our work. Many gifts cost you nothing now, there is no minimum contribution, and you are not locked into a decision you make today.

There are many ways to make a legacy gift, including:

Naming Audubon Great Lakes or one of its programs in your will or living trust.
Designating Audubon Great Lakes as a beneficiary or partial beneficiary of an IRA. This strategy may have important tax benefits for your heirs and your estate. Please see our information sheet for guidance on beneficiary designation.  
Naming Audubon Great Lakes a beneficiary or partial beneficiary of other brokerage or bank accounts, donor-advised fund, or life insurance policy.
Setting up a charitable trust or gift annuity to provide lifetime income for yourself or members of your family now, and a future gift to Audubon Great Lakes. Please contact us to discuss these options.

If you are interested in updating your will or adding a codicil to include Audubon Great Lakes as a beneficiary, please consult with your attorney. The following sample paragraph may be helpful to your attorney:

I bequeath __________ (dollar amount or % of estate) to the National Audubon Society, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, with its principal offices located at 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10014. Tax ID # 13-1624102. This gift should be directed to and used for programs in the Great Lakes region.

Ready to take the next step?

Contact us for additional information or for assistance in determining which type of gift may be right for you.
Tell us about your gift! Members of our Grinnell Legacy Society enjoy a variety of benefits, including uninterrupted service to Audubon magazine and reduced paper mail. Information you provide is not legally binding, and we honor all requests for anonymity.