Giving options are numerous.

Some are straight forward, such as cash, some require legal and financial advise.

Options include:

Cash,

checks,

credit cards,

direct from IRAs,

Employer Matches

Securities

Planned Estate Gifts

etc…

Gifts can be give “in Honor of…” “In Memory of…” or for the “person who has everything.”

That person will receive a letter from The Rochester Area Foundation (RAF) announcing Your contribution being in the Honor or Memory of… and will be listed in the RAF annual report.

Automatic bank or credit card periodic donations.

Direct donations from an IRA, one time or periodic. (This method can, for example,  facilitate Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) requirements without treating the donation as income subject to income tax). In any case, these type of donations are not subject to income tax and are not listed on your tax returns. Be sure to have your financial planner advise and handle this for you.

Planned estate gifts through:

a will, gift of a qualified retirement plan,

leave a percentage of an estate,

leave assets, life insurance policies, etc

AND

Matching gifts from employers.

Does your company match your gifts to non profit organizations? Just ask at your own company (HR Department) and request a matching gift form.

All donations go to the Rochester Area Foundation and should clearly be identified as “to the benefit of the Sustainable Agriculture & Forestry Endowment Scholarship Fund.”

Please note that their legal name is “Rochester Area Foundation.”

The Rochester Area Foundation is a non-profit corporation, organized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its federal identification number is 01-0911420.

Call Ellen Tolleson Hegge, Philanthropy Officer at the Rochester Area Foundation, to discuss your planned giving:

Direct: 507-424-2407

Office: 507-282-0203

E-mail: ellen@rochesterarea.org

Mail: 12 Elton Hills Drive NW, Rochester, MN 55901

Download this Donation Form for cash/check/credit card gifts. This form indicates how to mail the contribution.

We currently do not have an on-line donation method—sorry.

We would appreciate your letting us know if you decide to include the Rochester Area Foundation for the benefit of The Sustainable Agriculture & Forestry Scholarship Endowment Fund in your estate plans. In this way, we can keep you current on events that may affect your gift.

With time we may establish a Sustainable Agriculture & Forestry Legacy Society.

Your permission to list you as a member is greatly appreciated. Please advise Dag Knudsen (dag@dagknudsen.com) and Ellen Tolleson Hegge (ellen@rochesterarea.org).

Important notice

The contents of this document are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional legal or estate-planning advice. We urge you to consult a professional advisor trained in handling trusts and estates when considering any of these planned giving options.