Plan Your Legacy of Stewardship
There are many meaningful ways to support Friends of the Cherokee National Forest beyond annual giving. Through thoughtfully structured gifts—whether made today or incorporated into your estate plans—you can help ensure the long-term protection, restoration, and stewardship of the forest for generations to come.
Gift and estate planning options provide flexible strategies that allow you to align your charitable intentions with your personal values and financial objectives. Many of these approaches may also offer tax efficiencies and other financial benefits for you and your family.
We invite you to explore the opportunities available and consider how your legacy can help sustain the Cherokee National Forest—now and into the future.
Find Your Strategy
Donor Advised Fund
A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) allows you to support Friends of the Cherokee National Forest with flexibility and ease. Through your DAF, you can recommend how much and how often grants are made to Friends of the Cherokee National Forest and other qualified charities.
You may recommend a one-time gift, establish recurring grants, or name Friends of the Cherokee National Forest as a beneficiary of all or a portion of your Donor Advised Fund—creating a lasting impact that aligns with your charitable goals.
Appreciated Securities
Securities and mutual funds that have increased in value and have been held for more than one year offer a meaningful way to support Friends of the Cherokee National Forest while also providing potential financial benefits to you.
By donating appreciated securities, you may be able to avoid capital gains taxes on the transfer and may be eligible for a federal income tax charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the gift, subject to applicable IRS rules.
Because transfers of securities require specific brokerage information, detailed instructions are provided upon request.
To initiate a gift of stock or to request transfer instructions, please contact:
Mark Healey
Executive Director
📧 [email protected]
📞 (865) 385-5754
We are happy to work directly with you or your financial advisor to ensure your gift is transferred securely and acknowledged promptly.
IRA Gift (Qualified Charitable Distribution)
If you are age 70½ or older, you may be able to support Friends of the Cherokee National Forest through a gift made directly from your IRA. This type of gift, known as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), allows you to transfer funds from your IRA to a qualified charity without the distribution being included in your taxable income.
Eligible donors may direct up to $100,000 per year through a QCD. For those who are required to take a Required Minimum Distribution, a QCD can count toward satisfying that requirement.
Legacy Giving Options
Charitable Lead Trust
A Charitable Lead Trust allows you to transfer cash or other assets into a trust that provides payments to Friends of the Cherokee National Forest for a specified period of time. These payments support conservation, restoration, and stewardship efforts during the trust term.
When the trust term ends, the remaining assets are transferred to your designated beneficiaries, making a Charitable Lead Trust a way to support the forest now while benefiting family or other heirs in the future.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A Charitable Remainder Trust allows you to place assets into an irrevocable trust while retaining an income stream for yourself or other beneficiaries for a specified period of time or for life. Payments from the trust are made according to the terms you establish.
At the end of the trust term, the remaining assets are distributed to Friends of the Cherokee National Forest, supporting long-term conservation and stewardship efforts.
Beneficiary Designation
Naming Friends of the Cherokee National Forest as a beneficiary is a simple and flexible way to make a future gift—often without changing your will or trust. You may designate Friends of the Cherokee National Forest as a beneficiary of:
- A retirement plan
- A donor advised fund
- A life insurance policy
To get started, request a change-of-beneficiary form from your plan or policy administrator, or download the form directly from your provider’s website. Once you have completed and returned the form to your provider, we invite you to let us know about your intentions by completing our confidential Planned Giving Form. This helps us ensure your wishes are honored and allows us to thank you appropriately.
Bequest
A bequest is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways to leave a lasting legacy. By including Friends of the Cherokee National Forest in your will or living trust, you can support conservation and stewardship efforts for generations to come. With the assistance of an attorney, you may designate a bequest as a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder of your estate after other obligations are met. In many cases, this can be accomplished with just one sentence.
Tell Us About Your Planned Gift
If you have already included Friends of the Cherokee National Forest in your estate or financial plans, thank you. Your foresight supports long-term stewardship of the Cherokee National Forest so its natural, cultural, and recreational values endure for generations to come.
If you have made provisions for Friends of the Cherokee National Forest in your will, trust, retirement account, donor advised fund, or life insurance policy, we would be grateful to learn of your intentions. Sharing this information is entirely voluntary and helps us better honor your generosity and ensure your wishes are understood.
Do you have questions or need more information. Contact Mark Healey at [email protected] or at (865) 385-5754.