Support CalWild today.
Donating your vehicle is a terrific way to give a sizable gift to CalWild that you otherwise might not be able to give. This service is provided by Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS) free of charge.
Making a legacy gift (bequest) to CalWild provides critically needed resources for our future wilderness protection efforts. And it's easy!
The simplest way to make a legacy gift is to name CalWild in your will – gifts large and small help our programs remain strong. You can make your own will for free over at FreeWill and name CalWild as a beneficiary. California residents can also create a free Revocable Living Trust there, which is highly advised for privacy reasons and because of the state’s lengthy probate process (learn more here). If you are already in the midst of creating your will, some sample wording can be as simple as:
“I bequeath ____% (or $___) of the rest and residue of my estate or trust, or description of property) to CalWild (Tax identification #51-0183228).”
Please note percentages are better for this language to account for inflation. A financial planner or estate planning attorney can explain more about your options, which may include naming CalWild as a beneficiary of your IRA or pension plan, your life insurance policy, or a charitable trust. If you have questions about legacy giving, please contact us.
If you are age 70 ½ or older, you may now transfer money from your IRA to CalWild. Gifts made from your IRA are not reportable as taxable income. At age 72 or greater, your gift distribution qualifies toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the calendar year, which may lower your income tax burden (Note: The RMD requirement has been waived for 2020).
Important to remember:
- Your total non-taxable yearly distribution to one or more qualified 501(c)3 charities, including CalWild, is limited to $100,000 each calendar year.
- You will need to contact your IRA Plan Administrator and request they distribute the rollover amount directly to CalWild. Please use the attached form to request a transfer.
- The check issued from your IRA must be made payable to CalWild.
Please contact Mark Green, Development Director, if you would like to be acknowledged for the gift. Many plan administrators will not include information on who is making the gift unless specifically requested.
The transfer of your IRA distribution must be made directly by your plan administrator to CalWild by December 31 to qualify for that tax year.
Here are printable IRA Rollover Instructions for your Plan Administrator.
Do you use DAFs for charitable purposes? Good news! You can now make a DAF donation to CalWild online by visiting DAF Direct’s website or the wigit below:
Other details you may need to contribute from your DAF include:
- Simplicity – The DAF sponsor handles all record-keeping, disbursements, and tax receipts.
- Flexibility – Timing of your tax deduction can be separate from your charitable decision making.
- Tax-efficiency – Contributions are tax-deductible and any investment growth in the DAF is tax-free. It is also easy to donate long term appreciated securities, eliminating capital gains taxes and allowing you to support multiple charities from one block of stock.
- Family legacy – A DAF is a powerful way to build or continue a tradition of family philanthropy. No start-up costs – There is no cost to establish a donor-advised fund. However, there are often minimum initial charitable contributions to establish the DAF (typically $5,000 or more).**
- No transaction fees – Once approved, 100% of your recommended grant goes to your qualified public charity of choice.**
- Privacy if desired – Donors may choose to remain anonymous to the grant recipient.
** Sponsoring organizations generally assess an administrative fee on the assets in a DAF. These fees vary by sponsoring organization.
- An individual or entity makes an irrevocable contribution to a sponsoring charitable organization to establish a donor-advised fund. This person becomes a donor-advisor.
- The sponsoring organization allocates the charitable contribution to the particular donor-advisor’s DAF. The donor-advisor has the opportunity to name the DAF (e.g. The John Doe Fund).
- The donor-advisor retains advisory privileges over the investment allocation for the DAF. Since the assets in the DAF belong to the sponsoring organization, any investment growth is tax free. The investment options available vary by sponsoring organization.
- The donor-advisor has advisory privileges over the disbursements made from the DAF. The disbursements are recommended by the donor-advisor, but must meet the grant making criteria of the sponsoring organization. Typically, disbursements may only be recommended to IRS-qualified public charities exclusively for charitable purposes. Additionally, the donor may not receive any more than incidental benefits as a result of the disbursement.
- Once the sponsoring organization approves the recommended disbursement, the grant is made to the qualified charitable organization.
Partnering with us showcases your team’s values in a tangible way, utilizing our advocacy expertise to point to real-world victories in public lands policy and protection. With the help of our corporate partners’ yearly financial support and the exposure they provide to their audiences, we can continue to attain significant milestones and victories for California’s wild lands and rivers.
Making a donation to CalWild in the form of appreciated stock or securities is more economical than giving cash and may make it possible for you to give more than you could otherwise afford. For example, you may own highly appreciated stock purchased years earlier that is paying a modest dividend relative to its market value. If you sell the stock and give the proceeds to CalWild, you will have to pay capital gains tax, perhaps reducing the amount of the gift and certainly increasing your tax liability. If however, you give the stock directly to CalWild, you can deduct the full fair market value of the stock given and avoid any capital gains tax.
Join us in enjoying, protecting, and nurturing wild California.
Every acre we protect, every river mile kept free-flowing, and every species safeguarded begins with you. We leverage your activism and financial support to build diverse local coalitions that provide the foundation for protecting public lands and waters, regardless of the political climate.