Legacy Giving

Consider becoming a member of the Trees Forever Legacy Society by leaving a charitable gift in your will, through the use of estate planning tools or as a gift to the Trees Forever endowment.  You can take comfort in knowing that your gift will grow and continue to support Trees Forever’s work for years to come. 

Trees Forever maintains a separate foundation, with its own Board of Trustees, to invest and manage our endowment funds. All charitable gifts to Trees Forever are fully tax deductible, as allowed by law.

Give to our Friends Fund a the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. If you live in Iowa, you may qualify for Endow Iowa tax credits, which can provide significant tax benefits.

Gifts to the Trees Forever Foundation Endowment Fund, including bequests, could include any of the following:

• Named Funds – in your name or in honor of a loved one.  Can support specific projects or overall Trees Forever efforts. 
• Targeted Funds – choose to support a specific program or project, such as an internship program, disaster recovery efforts, water quality initiatives, community tree planting and care, etc.
• Geographically Restricted Funds – support Trees Forever’s efforts in a targeted community, county, region, or other specific area.
• General Support – help cover program and operating costs.  This helps leverage other state and federal funding, ultimately getting more projects in-the-ground. Give online to make a lasting impact.

There are a variety of other options for giving to Trees Forever, each with its own tax advantages:

• Gifts of Securities, CDs, etc – Publicly traded securities are the most common form of noncash charitable gift asset. 
• Gifts of Real Estate – Gifts of real estate may include a personal or vacation residence, a farm, a commercial building, or land. 
• Special Trusts – There are many types of trusts available for use, with various advantageous.  These may require experienced, qualified attorneys or accountants to help determine and establish the best one for you and your family.
• Bequests through Your Will – The most common form of estate giving is the bequest—you can list Trees Forever as a beneficiary in your will.
• Designated Insurance Beneficiary – You can designate the proceeds of an existing or new insurance policy to go to Trees Forever.

We hope you are inspired to help Trees Forever create a better, healthier world for future generations. For more information on the various planned gift and estate giving options available to you and your family, please contact Anna Long or reach out to your personal estate planning or tax professional.