Outright Gifts

Cash donations can be made:

• As pledge payments – a promise to make annual or bi-annual payments of a certain amount for up to 5 years.
• As monthly gifts through an automatic electronic funds transfer of money from the donor’s bank account to the foundation’s bank account.
• Payments can be by cash, check or credit/debit card. Credit/debit card donations can be made online at mi4hfdtn.org.
• As gifts of securities and stock. Contact the Michigan 4-H Foundation for gift instructions.
• The IRA Charitable Rollover allows traditional or Roth IRA owners – aged 70½ years or older – to make an annual tax-free distribution from an IRA directly to a charity such as the Michigan 4-H Foundation.

In-kind gifts, including certain gifts of valuable property or assets such as residences, farmland, equipment and agricultural products (e.g., grain), can also provide immediate support for 4-H.

Planned Gifts

Estate and other planned gifts are future gifts to support 4-H. Types of planned/deferred gifts include:

• Bequests/estate gifts. Donors may bequeath a specific amount, a percentage of an estate or a residual after other distributions are fulfilled.
• Life insurance policies or retirement funds.
• Testamentary charitable remainder trusts.
• Charitable remainder unitrusts.
• Charitable gift annuities.
• Life estate contracts.
• Charitable lead trusts.

Planned gift considerations:

• Planned gifts may establish a new or grow an existing perpetual endowment or fund.
• Gifts of any type may be designated to support a specific 4-H program area, county 4-H program or the Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens. Unrestricted gifts may also be made to support future and emerging needs of 4-H youth development.
• Documented planned gift donors qualify for recognition in the A.G. Kettunen Society during their lifetime.

For more information, contact Carrie Horstman, 4-H assistant director of development by email at greenca5@msu.edu, to verify that your gift intent can be met. Consulting with personal legal counsel and/or a tax adviser for definitive assessment of the tax benefits of and limitations on planned gifts is also recommended.