Legacy Circle-Planned Giving
The Friends Legacy Circle recognizes those individuals who give or pledge a significant gift toward the long-term support of Schmeeckle Reserve. Legacy Circle members join an exclusive family of dedicated supporters who believe in the vision of Schmeeckle and want to provide for its future success. View our Legacy Circle brochure.
Joining the Legacy Circle
To join the Legacy Circle, donors pledge to give $10,000 or more to the Friends of Schmeeckle as part of their planned giving or as a living gift.
Planned giving, also known as legacy giving, is a way to donate to causes you believe in by planning a contribution that will be given to an organization in the future. Planned gifts are usually granted when a donor passes away. Donors who document a pledge to give $10,000 or more as part of their overall planned giving will be come members of the Legacy Circle. A legacy gift not only ensures future support of the natural area, but also can provide sizable tax advantages.
Living gifts allow donors to see the direct impact that their giving has on protecting and enhancing Schmeeckle. To join the Legacy Circle, donors can gift $10,000 or more to designated Legacy Circle funds (see below).
Options for Legacy Giving
The Friends of Schmeeckle has partnered with the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin to administer and invest its Legacy Circle funds. This makes it easy to donate. You choose where you want the funds to go, and the Community Foundation’s expert staff will help handle the logistical details.
Here are three options at the Community Foundation to consider:
- Friends of Schmeeckle Endowment Fund: Gifts donated to the endowment remain intact, earning interest in perpetuity which can be spent by the Friends for enhancement projects. View information about the endowment.
- Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve Capital Improvement Fund: Gifts donated to this fund provide unrestricted access to purchase land and make capital improvements.
- Establish a Designated Fund in your name or the name of someone you love: Leave a lasting legacy by designating that the annual earnings from your named endowment fund be gifted to the Friends in perpetuity. View information about opening a new fund.
Getting Started
To talk more about Legacy Circle giving and to get your questions answered, leave a message for our Friends giving chair, Jerry Lineberger, at 715-575-1444 (voice or text) or giving@friendsofschmeeckle.org.
Or, if you’re ready to add the Friends of Schmeeckle to your giving plan, contact the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin staff at 715-342-4454 or foundation@cfcwi.org, and they will guide you through the giving process.