Additional Ways to Give

Become a Monthly Donor

Sign up to become a monthly donor (or choose a different frequency) and your gift will automatically be sent to the Land Conservancy on a schedule that works best for you, with no reminders from us. Not only is this the easiest way to give, but it is one of the most effective ways to sustain the Land Conservancy’s work to conserve West Michigan’s ecologically critical lands.

To make a recurring gift, visit the donation page.

Planned Giving & Bequests

Through planned giving, supporters of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan can leave a legacy that will help ensure that special natural areas are protected forever. By including us in your estate plans, you will join a group of dedicated people–our Circle of Oaks–who are committed to sustaining the work of the Land Conservancy for future generations. People of all income levels have the capacity to create a legacy of conservation.

Giving Stocks or Securities

Donating appreciated assets to a charity, such as the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, avoids federal capital gains taxes and provides a federal income tax deduction for the current market value of the gift. Similar state tax benefits are also offered in most of the United States.

You can often make a bigger impact by donating long-term appreciated securities—including stock, bonds and mutual funds—directed to LCWM, compared with donating cash or selling your appreciated securities and contributing the after-tax proceeds. By making a gift of appreciated securities, you may be able to increase your gift and your tax deduction automatically.

Contact your financial advisor for full benefits and details and be sure to let us know if you’ve made a gift. Contact us for more information about donating stocks or securities or for transfer instructions and account information.

IRA Qualified Distributions

You can contribute gifts directly from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and potentially avoid income and capital gains taxes while protecting West Michigan’s ecologically critical land.

• Your gift will be put to use today conserving your legacy—protecting and restoring ecologically unique ecosystems in perpetuity.
• You will pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.
• Since the gift does not count as income, it may reduce your annual income level. This may help lower your Medicare premiums and decrease the amount of Social Security that is subject to tax.

Donor Advised Funds

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan gratefully accepts gifts and grants from Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs). When you contribute cash, securities, or other assets to a donor-advised fund at a public charity, you are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction. Then, those funds can be invested for tax-free growth, and you can recommend grants to an IRS-qualified public charity, such as LCWM. 

Employer Gift Matching

Your employer could help you make an even bigger impact protecting ecologically critical land in West Michigan. Many companies set aside special funds each year to match contributions their employees make to qualified non-profit organizations. Check with your HR department to see if your company offers a matching gift program and take advantage of this opportunity to support LCWM even more. 

Employees and retirees must initiate the matching gift process. This usually means contacting your employer or former employer’s Human Resources or Payroll Office. Your employer may use an online giving platform or may issue a paper form. If you receive a paper form, please complete and mail it to LCWM as soon as possible. We will verify that your contribution was received and that it qualifies for a match and return the form to your employer so they can release the funds to LCWM. Some companies do require that LCWM complete and return the form within a set time period, usually within 90 days. We recommend that you submit your form to LCWM at the same time you make your contribution or shortly after. Please note, you must submit a matching gift form with each contribution that you make. Often, employees request several forms at once and then just send one with each donation they make.