Friends Forever
Help Friends protect, promote, and care for the forest preserves Now and Forever.
You can ensure the future of the Friends of the Forest Preserves community through your financial support. The Friends community drives our advocacy, on-the-ground ecological restoration, and community engagement work that ensure the forest preserves are here and healthy for us and future generations.
Make a gift today or make a generational impact for years to come by making a plan to give to Friends.
Contribute Now
Other ways to donate
Qualified Charitable Distributions
Enjoy significant benefits by making a direct transfer from your IRA to Friends of the Forest Preserves of up to $111,000, which isn’t reported as income on your tax return. If you are over age 70.5, you may make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from an IRA as a distribution to the Friends of the Forest Preserves. A QCD qualifies as a Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) without increasing taxable income, potentially lowering Medicare premiums, reducing the impact on other tax credits, and offering a tax advantage even if you take the standard deduction.
Donor Advised Funds
A donor advised fund (DAF), which is like a charitable savings account, gives you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often money is granted to the charities you designate. You can recommend a grant or recurring grants now or use your fund for future charitable gifts. You can also create a lasting legacy by naming Friends as the beneficiary of the fund.
Gift of Stocks or Securities
Gifts of publicly traded securities that have appreciated in value allow you to avoid capital gains taxes while also receiving a tax deduction for your gift. As a nonprofit organization, when Friends sells the stock, we do not pay taxes and you benefit from making a generous contribution.
Please ask your financial adviser to use the following broker information:
Brokerage: Morgan Stanley
Broker: Matthew Filosa
DTC: 0015
Account Number: 559252730
Please let us know the name of the contributor and the name and number of shares of the stock being transferred ahead of time so that proper acknowledgment can be made by calling us at 312-356-9990 or emailing us at [email protected].
In the Future
Gift of Stocks or Securities
Wills and Trusts: Please include Friends of the Forest Preserves in your will or trust as a beneficiary to receive assets from your retirement plans, life insurance policies, or other assets.
Please include the following information:
Designate your gift to Friends of the Forest Preserves
Tax Identification number: 36-4519273
Legal address: P.O. Box 709, Chicago, IL 60690
Here is some suggested language for the designation: “I give to Friends of the Forest Preserves, Inc., a nonprofit corporation currently located at 411 South Wells Street Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60607, or its successor thereto, _______ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property]. This gift should be used for _______ [state purpose] if and so long as Friends of the Forest Preserves, Inc. determines that the need exists. If Friends of the Forest Preserves, Inc. shall determine at the outset or at a later time that the need does not exist, or no longer exists, or for some reason it is not possible (or prudent) to administer my gift as originally intended, then Friends of the Forest Preserves, Inc. may, in its sole and uncontrolled discretion, direct the use of my bequest for a purpose related as closely as possible to that stated above.
If you would like to designate your gift for a specific purpose, please contact us at 312-356-9990 or [email protected].
Friends of the Forest Preserves is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and your donation is fully tax deductible as provided by law. We suggest that you discuss your giving with your financial adviser to determine the best option for you to make a donation and the deductibility of your gift.