Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission and Leadership
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2022
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Teacher Resources
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Autumn on the Prairie
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Stewardship Teams
    • Workday Email List
    • Steward Login
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Stewards and Staff
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Weekly Top Picks
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Links & Resources
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2023
      • Science Grants 2022
      • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2020
      • Science Grants 2019
      • Science Grants 2018
      • Science Grants 2017
      • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2015
      • Science Grants 2014
      • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Science Symposium 2022
    • Science Symposium Abstracts >
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2019
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2018
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2017
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2016
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Testimonials >
      • Dr. Holly Jones
      • Dr. Nick Barber
      • Kimberly Elsenbroek
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • 30th Anniversary Memories
    • Websites of Interest
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
      • Visitor Photos
    • Submit Your Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Heritage Heroes Initiative

Prairie people take the long view.
 
What was created by the last glacier was all but totally converted to row crops in just a few generations and may only be restored with decades of love and investment...and we have begun that process. We see our devoted and lasting work as our collective legacy.
 
What do you value enough to make part of your legacy? For long-term thinkers, Nachusa Grasslands checks all the boxes:
Picture
It restores a landscape almost lost forever.
It benefits both nature and humankind.
It has a demonstrated record of success.
It’s supported by dozens of volunteers giving thousands of hours annually.
It’s beautiful.

Your legacy commitment to include Friends of Nachusa Grasslands in your estate plans will accelerate Nachusa’s restoration in a way that honors your values. Please consider becoming a Heritage Hero by taking the long view with us. Complete the Heritage Heroes Response form below, and we will contact you soon.

Make a Legacy Gift
Creating a legacy gift will leave a lasting impact on the landscape, but costs nothing today. It’s also an easy way to join the "Heritage Heroes" who have provided for Friends in their estate plans or as a beneficiary of a life insurance or retirement account. Heritage Heroes are recognized in our Annual Report and hold a special place in this community, so please let us know if Friends is part of your estate.​
Sample language for your will
To designate Friends as the beneficiary of your will, trust, insurance policy or retirement account, we should be named as Friends of Nachusa Grasslands, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under laws of the State of Illinois, with the name and address of: Friends of Nachusa Grasslands, 8772 S. Lowden Road, Franklin Grove, IL 61031.

Our tax identification number is 26-3303031.

create your legacy – will-making tool
Most Americans do not have a current will. With this tool, it's easy to create an official legal document. It's free to you and a smart, thoughtful way to shape the future of the Friends of Nachusa Grasslands. This software tool is operated by Free Will Co.

FreeWill.com:   
https://www.freewill.com/will/basics/personal/get-started 
​Give from Your IRA ​
If you are 70 and ½ years of age, you may make a tax free distribution called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA to a not-for-profit.
What are Qualified Charitable Distributions? ​
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) are funds from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) that can be donated to a nonprofit organization without first recognizing it as income.

QCDs are also sometimes referred to as IRA Charitable Rollovers.​

Up to $100,000 in IRA funds can be counted as QCDs annually, or $200,000 for married couples.
Who is Eligible?
​If you are above the age of 70 and ½ and have a Traditional IRA, you are eligible to make a QCD.
What are the benefits?  ​
QCDs reduce your taxable income
Normally, funds that are withdrawn from a Traditional IRA count toward your annual income, which will increase your overall tax burden. In some cases, this increase may also move you into a higher tax bracket.​ However, QCDs are an exception to this rule—funds go directly from your IRA to your chosen charitable organization without needing to be withdrawn, thereby helping you avoid higher income taxes.
QCDs satisfy Required Minimum Distributions (RMD)
​Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are amounts that you must withdraw annually from your Traditional IRA once you reach a certain age. As of Jan. 1, 2020, this age is 72.*
 
If you do not withdraw your RMD, you will face a penalty tax of 50% of the required withdrawal amount. QCDs can be used to meet this RMD requirement and avoid penalties.
 
Read more about RMDs on the IRS website.
QCDs maximize your charitable impact
Because QCDs do not need to be recognized as income, charitable organizations receive the full amount of the transfer tax-free.
​

It’s a win-win situation that both supports you and Friends of Nachusa Grasslands.
Give Stocks and Securities
Making a gift of appreciated securities can be a great tax-efficient way to support Friends, as you may be able to reduce or eliminate capital gains tax. To obtain brokerage information on donating securities to Friends of Nachusa Grasslands, please submit this form, and we will reply to you from nachusagrasslands@gmail.com.
 
Note that brokerage companies do not always disclose donors’ names.  By notifying us of your plan to donate stock, we will be sure to recognize your gift with a receipt and our thanks.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ESTATE PLANNING OR GIVING IRAs, STOCKS, OR MUTUAL FUNDS?
The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, the trusted manager of two of our endowments, can answer questions about all of these methods of giving. Please complete this form, which will go directly to the Foundation. Note that the Friends of Nachusa Grasslands does not offer financial advice.
sample language for your will
Most Americans do not have a current will. With this tool, it's easy to create an official legal document. It's free to you and a smart, thoughtful way to shape the future of the Friends of Nachusa Grasslands. This software tool is operated by Free Will Co.
 
https://www.freewill.com/will/basics/personal/get-started
 
To name Friends of Nachusa Grasslands in an existing will or one being prepared for you:  we should be named as Friends of Nachusa Grasslands, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under laws of the State of Illinois, with the name and address of: Friends of Nachusa Grasslands, 8772 S. Lowden Road, Franklin Grove, IL 61031.
 
The tax identification number (EIN) for Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is 26-3303031.
What are my estate designation options?
  • Friends Endowment for Nachusa Grasslands is a permanent resource managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. Annual distributions are made to Friends to fund Nachusa operations as determined by our Board of Directors. This endowment may be preferred by those who favor highly qualified, local control of their gifts.
  • Friends Endowment for Nachusa Science is a permanent resource managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. Annual distributions are made to Friends to fund scientific research grants.  
  • Nachusa Grasslands Stewardship Endowment is a permanent resource managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Annual distributions are used by TNC to fund Nachusa operations. This endowment may be preferred by those who favor highly qualified control of their gifts by an international institution.   
  • Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Scientific-Research Project Grants  are awarded by Friends to qualified candidates conducting scientific research significant to the management of Nachusa habitat and wildlife.  
  • Friends Land Protection Fund supports land acquisition at Nachusa. 
  • Undesignated gifts will be utilized as most needed.
  • Download Designation Options and Sample Language for your will.

    Heritage Heroes Response Form

Submit

UPDATED 03/2022

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2075 Lowden Road             |           Franklin Grove, IL 61031              |             Contact Us


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  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission and Leadership
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2022
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Teacher Resources
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Autumn on the Prairie
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Stewardship Teams
    • Workday Email List
    • Steward Login
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Stewards and Staff
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Weekly Top Picks
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Links & Resources
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2023
      • Science Grants 2022
      • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2020
      • Science Grants 2019
      • Science Grants 2018
      • Science Grants 2017
      • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2015
      • Science Grants 2014
      • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Science Symposium 2022
    • Science Symposium Abstracts >
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2019
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2018
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2017
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2016
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Testimonials >
      • Dr. Holly Jones
      • Dr. Nick Barber
      • Kimberly Elsenbroek
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • 30th Anniversary Memories
    • Websites of Interest
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
      • Visitor Photos
    • Submit Your Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs