Establishing a Legacy Endowment by Will

While SC&RF has donors who are providing current gifts to endowment, many of our supporters consider leaving endowment support as a final legacy gift to the Foundation. These friends work with us and their advisors to create a special endowment support provision for the organization through an estate plan.

For example, the easiest way for you to make an estate gift to endowment is by a bequest in your will or trust. Your attorney can assist you in choosing the appropriate wording for your particular circumstances in order to accomplish your wishes. You (or your attorney) should also talk with us at SC&RF prior to executing your will or trust, in order to assure that the provisions governing the endowment are consistent with SC&RF’s policies and practices regarding the management of endowed funds.

Here is some sample wording for review by you and your attorney:

  1. Unrestricted Bequest to Endowment: I give % of my estate (or the sum of $_________) to SC&RF, 5870 Trinity parkway, Suite 200, Centreville, VA 20120, to be added to the general endowment fund, the income of which will be used for the Foundation’s purposes as determined by its Board of Directors and administration.
  2. Restricted Bequest to Endowment: I give to SC&RF, 5870 Trinity parkway, Suite 200, Centreville, VA 20120 ____% of my estate (or the sum of $________), to establish the _____(name)     _________    endowment fund, the income of which will be used for         ___________            (purpose)                                 .  If in the opinion of the Board of Directors and administration it becomes impractical or inadvisable to use the fund for such purpose, the Board may apply the fund to another purpose, taking into consideration my intentions as expressed about.
  3. Bequest of Residuary Estate: I give the residue of the property owned by me at my death, both personal and real and wherever located, to SC&RF, 5870 Trinity parkway, Suite 200, Centreville, VA 20120 to establish the ____(name)             Legacy endowment, the income of which will be used by the Board of Directors and administration for             ___  (purpose) ___            . If in the opinion of the Board of Directors and administration it becomes impractical or inadvisable to use the fund for such purpose, the Board may apply the fund to another purpose, taking into consideration my intentions as expressed above.
  4. Specific Bequest: I give the following property to SC&RF, 5870 Trinity parkway, Suite 200, Centreville, VA 20120, to establish the ____(name)             endowment, the income of which, will be used for the institution’s general purposes as determined by its Board of Directors: (describe the property — i.e., collection of rare coins, real estate, artwork, jewelry, etc.)
  5. Contingent Bequest: I give the residue of the property owned by me at my death, both personal and real and wherever located, to my spouse (or some other designee), if she/he survives me, or if she/he does not survive me, to SC&RF, 5870 Trinity parkway, Suite 200, Centreville, VA 20120, to establish the ____(name)             endowment, the income of which will be used for the institution’s general purposes as determined by its Board of Directors and administration.

Property passing to SC&RF, under any of the above forms of bequests in your will may qualify for the estate tax charitable deduction, and as such may not be subject to estate taxes.