Charitable Giving Options
Do you want to create a lasting legacy, support conservation without affecting your current financial status, provide tax benefits to you and your heirs, or inspire others to protect the natural world around us?
York Land Trust offers a number of simple charitable giving options that help support our current and future work and can fulfill those desires. To learn more about these options or to make a gift, email info@yorklandtrust.org or call 207-363-7400. We are happy to discuss these options and answer any questions you may have. These conversations are confidential and require no obligation.
Download our Charitable Giving Guide here
Cash Gifts & Honorariums
You can make a cash gift at any time, including as an honorarium or memorial gift for a loved one.
Bequests
Bequests in one’s will or estate plan can be used to endow an annual contribution, to place conservation easements on land, or to make a special gift that will enhance York Land Trust’s capacity for protecting more land in the future.
Click here for sample bequest language that you and your estate planning professional can include in your will. Click here for a Bequest Notification Form.
Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds
Donating a gift of stocks, bonds and/or mutual funds can help support our mission and may offer tax benefits. Click here for a detailed list of instructions for giving to YLT in this way.
Land and Real Estate
Gifts of land and/or real estate can include primary residences or vacation homes, and do not have to have conservation value. They can be donated outright or in your will. Or, you can donate your property and then continue to live there or use it. At the end of a specified period, ownership and control of the property transfer to York Land Trust. You may be entitled to a tax deduction.
Life Insurance
Naming York Land Trust as a beneficiary (or owner) of a life insurance policy is an accessible way to make a significant gift.
Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA)
CGAs support our work by way of a simple contract between you and the Maine Community Foundation (MCF). Your gift is invested by MCF, and provides you with income for the rest of your life, along with tax benefits. After your lifetime, the remainder of the gift establishes a designated fund at MCF to benefit York Land Trust. MCF will facilitate and administer the entire process.
Retirement Plan
You can name YLT as a beneficiary of your retirement plan by simply updating your beneficiary designation. Or, if you are age 70.5 or older, you can make a cash gift now from your traditional IRA plan. A cash gift can be used to satisfy required minimum distributions to avoid having the distribution included in your taxable income.
Donor-Advised Funds
You can recommend future gifts to YLT through your donor-advised fund, or designate the remainder for conservation.
Charitable Trusts
Tools such as charitable remainder or charitable lead trusts can provide income to you or your heirs while advancing conservation.
How to Give
When choosing to give, first decide what matters most and choose a gift type that aligns with your goals. Then, talk with your attorney or professional advisor to determine the best approach for your personal circumstances. Finally, notify YLT and provide any necessary documentation.