Join The Long Trail Legacy Society
Planned giving is an incredible way to leave a lasting gift to the Long Trail. Because of the generosity of members of our Long Trail Legacy Society, we have protected more land, invested in public education programming, and built infrastructure to support our work. You can join the Long Trail Legacy Society by including the Green Mountain Club in your will, naming us as a beneficiary in your life insurance, or by creating a Charitable Gift Annuity or Charitable Remainder Trust.
Charitable Bequests
A bequest is the easiest and most common planned gift and simply requires listing the Green Mountain Club as the beneficiary in your will. A donor can bequeath either a dollar amount or a percentage of their estate to GMC in a Charitable Bequest. (You might need the Green Mountain Club’s tax identification number, which is 03-0162865.)
Sample Bequest Language: “I bequest [describe dollar amount, percentage, or proportion of your residuary estate] to the Green Mountain Club, a non-profit organization located at 4711 Waterbury-Stowe Rd, Waterbury Center, VT 05677.”
Gifts of Life Insurance
There are two primary mechanisms to donate life insurance to the Green Mountain Club and other non-profits. The most common way is to name GMC as a full or partial beneficiary on your policy. The second option is to transfer ownership to GMC, in which case we would surrender for cash value and you can receive the tax benefits for transferring the policy. In all cases, we recommend that you consult with your financial advisor and/or policy holder to determine the best option for you.
Name GMC as a Beneficiary
Naming the Green Mountain Club as a beneficiary in your retirement plan is similar to a bequest. You can choose either a percentage or dollar amount to be given to the Green Mountain Club. (You might need the Green Mountain Club’s tax identification number; 03-0162865)
Charitable Remainder Trusts
A Charitable Remainder Trust is created to generate a life income for you or a loved on and can be either fixed or change with the value of the trust. After the passing of the last income beneficiary, the assets of the trust will be distributed to the Green Mountain Club.
Charitable Gift Annuity
A Charitable Gift Annuity is a life income gift. When you establish one, you support the Green Mountain Club with a cash or property gift, and in return, you receive a fixed income for life and an immediate income tax deduction.
GMC partners with the Vermont Community Foundation to issue Charitable Gift Annuities. In exchange for your gift, the Vermont Community Foundation guarantees you and/or your beneficiaries annual or quarterly payments that are determined by using the American Council on Gift Annuities’ rate table. Notably, the payment amount will not change regardless of what happens in the stock market. Upon the death of the last surviving beneficiary, all remaining annuity assets will be set aside in a special fund to support the Green Mountain Club. (Please contact Martha Trombley Oakes at Vermont Community Foundation for more information.)
See the Work Your Giving Makes Possible
Read our most recent impact report to see the projects and work that your donations make possible.