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Foundation Ways to Give

Gifts of Cash: Gifts of cash are the simplest way to give to the Agronomic Science Foundation.  A cash gift is not subject to estate tax.  Contributions postmarked by December 31st are deductible for the tax year, even if they are not received until January.  A gift of cash entitles you to a charitable deduction of up to 50% of adjusted gross income.  If all deductible gifts exceed the 50% limitation, you may carry over the excess amount for up to five years. 

Gift of Cash Example: John Smith has an adjusted gross income of $50,000 this year.  If he contributes $35,000 to the Agronomic Science Foundation, he may deduct $25,000 this year and $10,000 next year.
Donate by Mail: To make a donation by mail, please make your check out to the Agronomic Science Foundation, specify the fund you would like to donate to (or specify PRIORITY Fund and your donation will be used for the greatest need) and mail it to:
Agronomic Science Foundation
5585 Guilford Road
Madison, WI 53711 
If you would like to print out a donation form to send with your check, please use the link below.
Donate Online
Donate By Telephone:  608-273-8095

Pledges:  Pledges enable a donor to plan a personal giving program that is both convenient and tax-wise.  A pledge may enable a donor to consider a more significant gift than might otherwise have been possible.  Terms for payment on pledges are flexible and at the option of the donor.  Please contact a Development Officer to learn more at 608-268-4947.

Gifts of Stock (Appreciated Securities)  A gift of stock (appreciated securities) provides great tax benefits without affecting current cash flow, and also provides the donor with a dual tax incentive.  When securities that have been owned for more than a year and that have appreciated in value since purchase are donated, the giver is usually entitled to an income tax deduction for the full current value of the asset, not just the cost basis.  The donor also bypasses any capital gains tax that would have been due had the stocks been sold outright. 
Gift of Stock Example:  Bob has spent his career as a soil scientist at a major corporation and is very excited about the possibilities offered for soil science education.  He would like to make a significant gift through stock (appreciated securities).  Bob purchased this growth stock 20 years ago for $5,000.  It is now worth $20,000.  He contacts the Development Office at the Agronomic Science Foundation, receives the necessary paperwork over his email, and transfers shares worth approximately $10,000.  For his gift, Bob will receive an income tax benefit and avoid capital gains tax on the appreciated securities.

Memorial Gifts:  Gifts of any size may be made in memory of a friend or loved one at any time.  This may take the form of memorial gifts given after someone’s passing, or may be a gift in your own name or to commemorate a significant event, etc.  Gifts may go to a specific program designated by the donors, or donors may choose the Priority Fund, which supports the greatest need.

Matching Gifts:  Many employers will match the charitable contributions of their employees.  Ask your company’s human resources representative if such a program exists where you work.  If so, ask for a matching gift form, fill out your portion, and enclose it with your gift to the Agronomic Science Foundation.  We’ll take care of the rest, and you can double the impact of your giving!

Planning Your Legacy
After providing for family and friends, many people choose to make a lasting impression by leaving a gift to organizations and causes they believe in.  This generosity builds a bridge between the past and the future, helping ensure the values you hold today will continue to make a difference tomorrow.  Even a small portion of the typical estate can be a very meaningful gift when received.  The donor’s estate will receive a charitable estate tax deduction upon the donor’s death.
Many planned giving options are deferred gifts made through your Will and estate.  Each has legal and financial implications that should be discussed with a professional.    It is also advisable to discuss your planned giving intentions with family members or others close to you.  This can help assure your heirs that you have considered their well-being when planning your estate, and help them to clearly understand your wishes and appreciate your reasons for leaving a legacy to charity. 
Finally, it is important to consult the Agronomic Science Foundation to ensure they are properly named in your Will or other planned giving instrument.

The Legacy Circle When you include a legacy gift for the Agronomic Science Foundation in your estate plan, you will be invited to join our Legacy Circle.  You will also receive an exclusive lapel pin designed and reserved for those who are helping us build a bridge to the future.  By wearing the pin, you demonstrate your pride in your commitment to the future of the Agronomic Science Foundation, and you encourage others to follow your example.
The Legacy Circle belongs to dedicated supporters of The Societies who want to help us develop the next generations of agronomic, crop and soil scientists.  These supporters have made a commitment to soil biology, biochemistry and conservation, as well as a commitment to developing future scientists and leaders through their Will, or through another planned giving vehicle. 
Individual members and organizations who have an existing, established endowment fund through the Agronomic Science Foundation are also members of The Legacy Circle. 
Your name will also be placed in our national “Legacy Circle Honor Roll” to commemorate your generous support.  The “Legacy Circle Honor Roll” will be reported at the annual meeting.
If you prefer, your commitment can remain confidential.  However, we still would like to know about your intention to leave a bequest.  This allows us to maintain accurate records, and to show our appreciation privately.
There are many ways to leave a lasting legacy to the Agronomic Science Foundation.  Discussions with your legal or financial advisor, your family and a Development Officer from The Societies can help you determine which option is best for you.

Planned Giving
The term “planned giving” refers to charitable gifts to the Agronomic Science Foundation that require some planning before they are made.  Planned gifts are popular because they can provide valuable tax benefits for you or your family.
Newspapers and electronic media regularly profile major donors to organizations when the gifts are millions of dollars.  Some are given during the individual’s lifetime and other gifts are completed from an estate.  Most of us can only dream of making that kind of impact with the organizations that are important to us; but almost all of us can make a difference.
Potential benefits of Planned Gifts are:
  • Make significant donations to a charity that is important to the donor
  • Reduce the donor’s income tax
  • Pass assets to family/heirs at a reduced tax cost
Planned gifts are within almost everyone’s ability.  Major gifts during your lifetime or at death will secure the future of the scientific professions that have been a major part of your life.  Building and securing the future creates possibilities we can only dream of today – possibilities to solve world hunger, possibilities to develop biofuels, possibilities to sustain and enhance human life that our imaginations cannot now comprehend.
Many gift options are available, and the purpose of the Agronomic Science Foundation’s Planned Giving Program is to assist donors in carrying out their wishes by providing appropriate information. 
At no time does our Development staff offer legal or tax advice or interfere with a donor’s own financial advisors.
If you would like to consider making a major impact to strengthen The Societies, and the sciences they represent, here are some options:

Gifts By Bequest
Gifts that are made through provisions of your last will and testament (bequest) are very easy to accomplish and can be made for a specific amount, such as $10,000, or as a percentage of the residual estate (I give the Agronomic Science Foundation 10% of my residual estate).  There are four types of bequests:  General, Specific, Residuary or Contingency. 
General Bequests are gifts left to certain people or causes that come from the general value of the estate, and are made by designating a specific dollar amount, a particular asset or a fixed percentage of your estate.  General bequest language:
“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Agronomic Science Foundation, the sum of $_____ (or a description of the specific asset), for the Agronomic Science Foundation and its general purposes.”
Specific Bequests are made when a particular item or property is bequeathed for a designated purpose (ie, a specific fund or program within the Agronomic Science Foundation, such as the Golden Opportunity Scholars Institute).  Specific bequest language:
“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Agronomic Science Foundation, the sum of $___ (or a description of a specific asset) for the benefit of the Agronomic Science Foundation to be used for the following purpose:  (state the purpose).  If at any time in the judgment of the trustees of the Agronomic Science Foundation it is impossible or impracticable to carry out exactly the designated purpose, they shall determine an alternative purpose closest to the designated purpose.”
Residuary Bequests are made when you intend to leave the residue portion of your assets after other terms of the will have been satisfied.  Residuary bequest language: 
“All the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, I give to the Agronomic Science Foundation, for its general purposes.”
Contingency Bequests allow you to leave a portion of your estate to the Agronomic Science Foundation if your named beneficiary does not survive you.  Contingency bequest language:
“I devise and bequeath the residue of the property, real and personal and wherever situated, owned by me at my death, to (name the beneficiary), if (he/she) survives me.  If (name of beneficiary) does not survive me, I devise and bequeath my residuary estate to the Agronomic Science Foundation for its general purposes.
Gifts of Life Insurance:  A life insurance gift can produce substantial benefits for a relatively small investment.  There are many ways that you can give through life insurance.  You can give a policy that you already own, assign the dividends as a gift, or name the Agronomic Science Foundation as a beneficiary.  In addition to estate tax benefits, you may also gain an income tax deduction. 
Gift of Life Insurance Example:  Dick Jones purchased a life insurance policy as a young man, to financially protect his family in the event that he died unexpectedly.  The policy was intended to pay off the mortgage on his home and provide income so his wife could continue to raise the children without financial hardship.  The children are now grown, and the mortgage was paid off long ago.  The home, as well as other assets, will provide nicely for the family after he is gone.  Because Dick and his wife would like to make a difference in the world their children and grandchildren live in, their priority at this stage of life is to leave a legacy of developing the next generations of agronomic scientists.  They have decided to simply change the beneficiary on this paid-for policy to the Agronomic Science Foundation.  This was accomplished by contacting their insurance agent, and filing a “change of beneficiary” with the company.

Giving Through Retirement Plans
One of the wisest choices for charitable giving is your qualified pension or retirement plan.  Millions of Americans have taken advantage of generous tax incentives provided by Congress to encourage saving for their retirement, without realizing that if left to heirs, it is subject to income and estate taxes which can reduce your gift by almost 65 percent.  By leaving this asset to the Agronomic Science Foundation, we receive the full value of your plan assets without any reductions due to estate or income taxes. 
Giving Through Retirement Plans Example:  George Black has $500,000 in an IRA account that he needs to provide income to himself and his wife.  They plan to leave their home, life insurance, mutual funds, and personal property in their estate to provide for their children.  George requests a beneficiary change form from his IRA administrator and designates his wife as the primary beneficiary and the Agronomic Science Foundation as the secondary beneficiary.  If George felt that he wanted to also leave the children part of the IRA assets, he could name the Agronomic Science Foundation as a secondary beneficiary for a percentage (10, 25, 50%),or a set amount ($10,000, $25,000 etc.) with the balance divided equally among the children.

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT)
  • Trusts enable you to support causes which you believe in, while still providing for your heirs
  • A trust provides for expert financial management and steady income
  • The trust property is removed from your taxable estate, reducing probate fees and ensuring your charitable gift cannot be challenged, as it could in your Will
  • The Agronomic Science Foundation will not be taxed on any capital gain
  • You can receive tax benefits for the gift during your lifetime
A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is established for the life of the donor and/or for the life of any beneficiary (ies) and is irrevocable.  Once it is established, it cannot be changed.  Income is paid to one or more parties and, at the end of the trust’s life, the principal and any undistributed interest is paid to a different party (charity or other designated beneficiary).  CRTs are generally administered through a financial institution.  CRTs provide flexibility when planning your estate, because the CRT can be funded with cash, securities or real estate.
This type of trust makes payments, either a fixed amount (annuity trust or CRAT) or a percentage of trust principle (unitrust or CRUT).
Charitable Remainder Trust Example:  Keith and Mona Brown purchased growth stock for $20,000 ten years ago.  It is now valued at $100,000, but the annual dividends are only $1,500.  At their current age of 65, they would like to increase their retirement income.  To do this, they transfer the stock to a charitable remainder unitrust with a payout rate of 6%.  In the first year, they receive $6,000 in income.  If the value of the trust increases over time, the income amount will be increased proportionally.  They also avoid capital gain on the transfer of the stock and receive a tax deduction for making a future gift to the Agronomic Science Foundation.

Charitable Lead Trust
This type of trust makes payments, either a fixed amount (annuity trust) or a percentage of trust principal (unitrust), to the Agronomic Science Foundation during its term.  At the end of the trust term, the principal can either go back to the donor or to heirs named by the donor. 
Charitable Lead Trust Example:  Maggie Syms has a savings account with a balance of $100,000.  She would like to use this asset to provide for her disabled sibling, Andy, after her death.  Maggie has been a dedicated agronomic science professor for many years and would also like to financially support the Golden Opportunity Scholars Institute.  Maggie uses this asset to establish a Charitable Lead Trust that will provide a gift of $5,000 per year for 5 years to the Agronomic Science Foundation in support of the Golden Opportunity Scholars Institute.  After five years, the income will revert back into the trust and can be used to provide for Andy in the event that Maggie should pass away before him.

Gifts of Property
Making a gift of property held for more than one year can be a mutually beneficial way to support the programs of the Agronomic Science Foundation.  You may choose to make a gift of property outright, or you may irrevocably assign ownership of the property now and receive the tax benefits while enjoying the property for the rest of your life.  The eventual sale of the property will provide funds to support the programs you choose.   
All property donations must be approved by the Board of the Agronomic Science Foundation.  If you are considering a gift of property, please contact the Development Office to discuss your wishes at 608-268-4947.
Gift of Property Example:  Henry and his wife raised four children in their large home on the lake. The children have moved on and have no desire to return to live in the community in which they were raised.  Henry’s wife has now passed away, and Henry is considering how he would like to plan his estate.  He and his wife had many investments and he has some life insurance, which he has made provisions to leave to his children.  However, there are three charities that are close to Henry’s heart – the University where he spent his career, the The Societies (through the Agronomic Science Foundation) where he has benefited professionally and personally for over 40 years, and the Community Foundation in the city where he lives.  Henry worked with his own financial advisors and the Development offices at each of the charities to have his home appraised and a gift agreement drawn up leaving one-third of the value of its sale (minus sales expenses) to each charity.  Henry will receive a charitable tax deduction during his lifetime, live in his home for the remainder of his life, and still  provide great benefit for the future of organizations he cares deeply about.
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