Leaving a gift to Greenpeace Fund in your will is one of the most valuable and lasting ways you can support the environment
Join thousands around the globe who have left a legacy gift in their will to Greenpeace Fund. It costs nothing during your lifetime, but will have a powerful and lasting impact on future generations. (Why Greenpeace Fund? See below!)
A stranded polar bear mother and her two cubs cross from the barrier islands outside Kaktovik to feed at dusk from a whale carcass left by Inupiat whale hunters.
We know that your priority when making a will is to provide for your loved ones, but many people find that even after they’ve done this, they can leave something to a cause they hold dear in their heart. They can choose the type of gifts left in a will in a way that suits you best. We invite you to contact us to explore the possibilities by calling the Greenpeace Fund team directly 1-800-328-0678 or by emailing us.
We’re fighting for our environment, and we can’t do it without you. In order to stay independent and do the important work we do, Greenpeace takes no money from corporations or the government. Greenpeace relies entirely on support from members like you. Learn more below about how to include Greenpeace Fund in your estate planning, or:
How to give to Greenpeace Fund through wills and trusts
Besides filling an important role in providing for the future financial security of your family and others, your will or living trust can offer a way to make thoughtful charitable gifts as part of your long-range estate and financial plans. It can be satisfying to know that a portion of your property will be put to good use in the future.
A gift made through a will or living trust can be convenient to arrange. A simple provision or amendment prepared by your attorney at the time you make or update your will or trust is all that is necessary. Gifts included in wills and living trusts are popular because they are flexible, easy to arrange, and may be changed with your life circumstances.
To help you get started, we’re sharing this free estate planning tool, courtesy of FreeWill, which helps you to write a legal will or trust in 20 minutes or less, for free — and include the language to support Greenpeace Fund with a lasting legacy gift.
Have you already created a gift in your will or trust to support Greenpeace Fund? Fill out this quick form to let us know!
- Make a gift of a specific amount. They may designate a gift of a particular amount for general use or to fund a special need.
- Provide for a gift of a particular property. Real estate, stocks, and other items of value are examples of properties that can be used to fund charitable bequests.
- Designate that a percentage of your estate be given to Greenpeace Fund through your will or living trust.
- Give the remainder, or residue, of your estate—that is, what remains after all other bequests to friends and loved ones are satisfied.
- Name charitable interests to receive a bequest in the event other heirs are not there to receive their legacies.
There is no limit on amounts deductible from federal gift and estate taxes for charitable gifts made by will or trust, so no tax will be due on assets given in this way. To plan a charitable bequest, inform your attorney of your wishes and ask for advice regarding the best form of your gift.
If you decide to include a gift in your estate plans, our legal name is Greenpeace Fund, Inc. and our tax ID number is 95-3313195.
We have provided sample bequest language for different scenarios; here is one example:
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Bob has been a generous supporter of a charitable interest over the years. When he revised his will 10 years ago, he decided to provide that Greenpeace Fund would receive his estate, should his daughter not survive him.
Today, his daughter is financially independent. After careful consideration of his overall plans, especially the fact that he can now leave more to his daughter free of estate tax, Bob decides to revise his will to provide that Greenpeace Fund will receive generous gifts from his estate, while his daughter will still inherit the majority of his assets. The amount left to Greenpeace Fund will be fully deductible for estate tax purposes and could cause a significant reduction in estate taxes that could otherwise be due to current or future tax law provisions.
A sperm whale dives on the edge of the Saya de Malha Bank in the Indian Ocean. A team aboard the Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, were on an expedition to the bank to contribute to a better understanding of the wildlife and diversity of the region and make the case for this area to be protected.
Other ways to give to Greenpeace Fund through your estate
Many have life insurance or retirement plans with significant balances. Sometimes, these assets total more than is needed for a comfortable retirement, and could give rise to future income and estate taxes.
In that case, it may be wise to consider using these funds to make gifts to benefit Greenpeace Fund now or in the future. Contact your life insurance professional or retirement plan administrator for ways to make gifts from these resources today. A simple change of beneficiary form may be all that is required to provide for a gift of life insurance proceeds or what remains in a retirement account. As in the case of gifts through wills and revocable living trusts, such gifts can be arranged to take place only if loved ones predecease you, or in the event of other circumstances you specify.
For more information on retirement plan giving, see Retirement Plan Gifts. Your retirement plan administrator or your life insurance professional can also provide more details upon request.
How to give to Greenpeace Fund using bank and investment accounts
Many people have bank and investment accounts that they would like to leave directly to family, friends, Greenpeace Fund or other charitable interests at the end of their lifetime. This can often be accomplished using a “pay on death” (P.O.D.) provision for a bank account or a CD or a “transfer on death” (T.O.D.) provision for certain other investment accounts. Simply ask your bank manager or officer of your financial advisor for the appropriate form. You retain full ownership and access to the funds during your lifetime, and the person or charity only receives what they left in the account.
Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins fish on an iceberg off Half Moon Island.
About Greenpeace Fund
Greenpeace Fund, Inc. is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) entity and promotes Greenpeace’s mission through public education and grants to other environmental organizations. To maintain our full independence as an environmental campaigning organization, Greenpeace does not accept gifts or matching gifts from corporate entities or governmental agencies. We intend this policy to allow our advocacy, education and research projects to operate free from outside influence or suspicion of financial pressure.
Because we accept no corporate or government funding, Greenpeace depends on the generous contributions of individuals as well as grants from approved private and family foundations. Greenpeace Fund, Inc.’s Tax ID number is: 95-3313195. Should you have questions about making a gift to Greenpeace to support our environmental campaign work or our gift acceptance policies, please contact us directly by calling 1-800-328-0678 or by emailing us.