A legacy gift to The Student Conservation Association in your will, living trust or beneficiary designation has a vital and sustainable impact on our mission to build the next generation of change-makers, wilderness protectors, and conservation leaders.
At Your Service
To explore your giving options, let us know you’ve completed a gift, or to learn more about specific legacy programs and projects, please contact us at donorrelations@thesca.org or call 888-722-9675 or simply submit our form
There are several ways to include a gift to the SCA in your will or living trust. Some options:
You can leave a defined sum of money.
You can leave a percentage of funds left over after other gifts and debts are paid and your loved ones are provided for.
You can leave some percentage of your estate.
You can make a secondary or contingent gift that comes to SCA only if your other beneficiaries do not survive you or other specific gifts cannot be fulfilled.
We suggest this simple language for your will, codicil to your will, or your living trust:
“I hereby give and bequeath < description of gift> to The Student Conservation Association, a tax-exempt organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Virginia, with the Tax Identification Number 91-0880684, for their general purposes.”
If you would like to direct your gift to a particular project or for a particular purpose, we can assist you and your attorney in drafting language that ensures your gift will be used as you intend.
You can name the SCA as a beneficiary of some percentage or all of your:
Retirement accounts
Life insurance plan
Bank and brokerage accounts
You can make a meaningful difference for the SCA by simply signing your name – there’s no need to update your will.
To make a gift through a beneficiary designation, contact your retirement plan administrator, insurance company, bank, or financial institution for a change-of-beneficiary form. You may be able to request or download the form from your online account portal.
As with gifts in your will, you can designate all or a percentage of the funds in your account, and you can name SCA as a primary beneficiary or a second-in-line beneficiary. And, of course, you can change your mind at any time.
Simple Steps to Make Your Gift
1. Contact your retirement plan administrator, insurance company, bank, or financial institution for a change-of-beneficiary form. You may be able to request or download your form from your online account portal.
2. Be sure to include our Tax ID number #91-0880684.
3. Please let us know. Some financial institutions will not notify us after your lifetime that we are a beneficiary; sharing your wishes now helps ensure your gift will be distributed as you wish.
A DAF succession plan is an important part of your overall estate plan and charitable legacy. It simply involves directing your DAF sponsor on how to distribute assets remaining in your charitable giving fund after your lifetime.
There is no downside to making a succession plan. As with most charitable estate plans, you can always update your plan, or your beneficiaries, at any time. Depending on your DAF sponsor’s requirements, you may have multiple options:
Distribute fund remaining directly to charity:
Direct that funds remaining be immediately or over several years distributed to SCA and/or other charities.
You can work directly with our gift planning team to create a gift agreement that specifies how you would like your gift used and recognized.
Distribute funds indirectly through successor advisors:
Appoint family members or others to take over as successor advisors. They will continue giving from the fund. Note that successor advisors may not share your philanthropic goals or support the causes that matter to you and are not required to continue supporting the charities you prefer.
Divide your account: Direct some funds to be distributed directly to the charity of your choice; remaining funds may be distributed by successor advisors.
We encourage you and your financial advisors to reach out to learn more about how to make a significant investment in conservation now and for the future.
You must be 70½ years or older at the time of the gift
Gifts must be sent directly from your IRA to SCA
While your gift is not eligible for a tax deduction, you will not pay income taxes that would otherwise be due from the distribution
How it works:
Request a QCD from your retirement administrator – you may even be able to log in to your online account to make your request.
The distribution must be sent directly to SCA – you cannot withdraw the funds first.
While you will not get a tax deduction for your gift, there is no income tax due on the distribution. This is a great option if you don’t itemize.
If you are 73 or older and need to take a required minimum distribution (RMD), you can direct some or all of it as a QCD.
You can make up to $100,000 in QCD gifts to all charities in a year ($200,000 for married couples who can donate up to $100,000 each from their own retirement plans).
You will need our Tax ID number. And please request that your administrator include your name on the transfer so we can ensure you get the correct acknowledgment:
Tax Identification Number: 91-0880684
When you make a gift of appreciated securities, you may receive an immediate income tax charitable deduction as well as avoid capital gains taxes. You can find the information you need to make a gift of appreciated securities here.
Give Now:
A gift in your will or by beneficiary designation requires no immediate donation, and you can change your mind at any time. We are grateful for gifts in any amount.
You also have the option to name SCA as a secondary or contingent beneficiary, so we only get your gift if your other beneficiaries do not need these funds.
When including a gift in your will or other plan, be sure to include our legal designation:
The Student Conservation Association
Tax Identification Number: 91-0880684
1310 North Courthouse Road, Suite 110
Arlington, VA 22201
The Liz Putnam Legacy Society serves to recognize and thank those who have taken the special step of providing for the future of SCA’s youth conservation service work by supporting the SCA in their estate plans and/or establishing life income or other planned gifts. The Society honors SCA’s founder, Liz Putnam and her vision in creating the SCA.
We hope you will let us know if you include a gift in your will or other estate plan. We will never pressure you to provide details you are not comfortable sharing, and we will always respect your privacy. But we would like to thank you for your generosity. Knowing that our supporters are pledging gifts for the future allows us the confidence to invest in more young people today.
We share a common goal: to harness the power and commitment of young people. Through hands-on service projects in national parks, state forests, marine sanctuaries, and community green spaces, we are building the next generation of change-makers, wilderness protectors, and conservation leaders.
These young leaders are remarkable: They have vision and determination. They don’t just hope for a better future, they want to act.
The future is in their hands and it’s our responsibility to offer them the opportunity to make a difference – as SCA has done for more than 65 years.
Although we have more than 100,000 SCA alumni, there is always more interest in service from young people than we have the funds to place.
Your legacy can empower new generations of young leaders who will work to preserve our natural and cultural heritage and fight for a sustainable, livable world for everyone.