Legacy Giving

About the Mary Davey Legacy Society

A boisterous and heartfelt, “Wonderful people!” was not only Mary Davey’s trademark opening line at gatherings, it embodied her approach to life. Mary, a Green Foothills board member from 1968 until her passing in 2010, was a passionate advocate for social justice and the environment all her life. Inspired by her boundless energy and tireless work for others, we created the Mary Davey Legacy Society to celebrate those wonderful people who have included Green Foothills in their legacy planning.

If you have a specific purpose in mind, please contact us so we can assist you in planning a gift that meets your interests. If you have included Green Foothills in your plans, we hope you will let us know. We will ensure your gift remains anonymous if you prefer or we will provide you with a “Wonderful Person” lapel pin when you attend Green Foothills events and list you on our website and in the digital version of our annual report.

There are several ways to support Green Foothills well into the future. Please let us know if you have included Green Foothills in your estate plans so we add your name as a member of the Mary Davey Legacy Society.

 

Through a Will

Create Your Gift Today

If you are ready to include a gift to Green Foothills in your will or trust today, use our free, online resource. We’ve partnered with FreeWill to give all of our supporters the ability to create their plans online in only 20 minutes. FreeWill lets you consider your loved ones while ensuring Green Foothills continues to protect the wildlife of San Mateo and Santa Clara for generations — and it costs nothing to give today! This tool is completely free to use, so get started on your plans today!

 

 

Have you already included a gift in your will or trust? Please fill out this online form to let us know. By doing so, you can become a member of Mary Davey Legacy Society. We would love to thank you for your generosity.

Through a Living Trust

Living trusts are popular as they can eliminate the need for a lengthy and expensive probate process. Whether you use a codicil (an addition to an existing will), or are having a will prepared for the first time, you can use words like these to make a gift to Green Foothills:

“I give, devise and bequeath (choose one: ______ percent of my estate, _______ dollars, ______ percent of the residue of my estate, the residue of my estate) to the Green Foothills Foundation dba Green Foothills (Tax ID #94-6121854), a California nonprofit corporation, to be used to fulfill the organization’s mission as the Board of Directors of the Green Foothills shall, in its discretion, determine.”

Non-Probate Assets

Do you have an IRA, 401(k), life-insurance policy, or any other assets not included in your will? If so, these are called non-probate assets and you must plan your beneficiaries for them separately. Use this online tool to make your plans and designate us as a beneficiary of one or more of these assets.

Using Your IRA or Qualified Retirement Plan

IRA’s and qualified retirement plans are particularly attractive planned gift vehicles because if these funds were left to an individual, they would be subject to estate tax and income tax after distribution, greatly reducing the value of the retirement asset to an individual recipient. Both taxes are usually avoided when these assets are left to a charitable organization. One common and cost-effective strategy is to do so with a IRA Charitable rollover, also referred to as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). If a QDC is not feasible, then Green Foothills can simply be named as the beneficiary (primary, secondary, portion or percentage) of an IRA or other qualified retirement account.

IRA Charitable Rollover or Qualified Charitable Distribution

If you are 70½ years old or older, you can take advantage of a simple way to benefit Green Foothills and receive tax benefits in return. You can give any amount up to $100,000 per year from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as ours without having to pay income taxes on the money.

Charitable Gift Annuities and Charitable Remainder Trusts

Green Foothills and Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) have partnered to offer you a new way to receive a fixed, dependable income for life while supporting Green Foothills. By setting up a charitable gift annuity, you or your loved one can receive a lifetime income and make a gift to benefit your favorite environmental advocacy organization, Green Foothills.

A charitable gift annuity is a simple contract between you and SVCF. In exchange for your contribution of $25,000 or more, SVCF agrees to make fixed payments for life to one or two beneficiaries. The amount paid is based on the age of the beneficiary or beneficiaries and the amount of the contribution. The beneficiary or beneficiaries must be a minimum of 60 years of age. After the beneficiary or beneficiaries pass away, the remaining value of the annuity passes to Green Foothills for the benefit of future generations. Highly appreciated securities or real estate are ideal sources to fund Charitable Gift Annuities ($25,000 minimum) or Charitable Remainder Trusts ($100,000 minimum).

For a flow chart illustration on how Charitable Gift Annuities work go to this link. Confidential gift illustrations can also be calculated for prospective donors interested in evaluating future income streams and tax planning. These illustrations are calculated on the cost basis of assets utilized and can help determine any potential tax savings for the donor.

To learn more about any of these options, please contact Justyne Schnupp, Associate Development Director, at 650.968.7243 x340 or by email to [email protected].

Thank You to Our Legacy Donors

For a complete list of Mary Davey Legacy Society members, see Our Donor Community.

Margaret headshot

Why I’m a Mary Davey Legacy Society Member

“I cherish the natural world and nature needs a good advocate. Green Foothills is our #1 local advocate, defending the natural world in the fight for a safer, healthier and just future for all, and I am grateful.”

Margaret MacNiven
Mary Davey Legacy Society Member

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