The West needs champions like you — now and forever.
Planned giving is for everyone, regardless of estate size. It’s a powerful way to ensure your values live on without impacting your current financial security.
Including Western Resource Advocates (WRA) in your plans is a simple and significant way to make a lasting impact on the West — through a trusted organization committed to results.
Join the 1989 Legacy Society
When you include WRA in your will, trust, or other estate plans, you join a community of visionary supporters powering the West’s future. As a valued member you’ll receive:
- A warm welcome — a personalized letter from our president and a commemorative gift celebrating your commitment to the West.
- Insider updates — our annual Impact Report and Wins for the West newsletter, packed with the latest stories, results, and insights into how your legacy drives state-level action.
- Access to experts — invitation-only briefings and Q&As with WRA staff tackling the region’s most pressing challenges.
- Community with purpose — virtual and in person gatherings with like-minded individuals.
SMART GIVING. LASTING IMPACT.
The Benefits of Planned Giving
Your passion for the West can echo for generations. Planned gifts provide smart, flexible options for achieving your philanthropic goals, while partnering with a fiscally responsible nonprofit with a track record of results. Future giving is a powerful way to make a lasting impact, offering both personal fulfillment and long-term stability for WRA’s work.
- Create a lasting legacy. Your values live on, protecting the West for generations to come.
- Give without affecting today’s finances. You maintain full control of your assets during your lifetime, with no out-of-pocket cost today.
- Optimize your giving with tax advantages. Strategically reduce estate or capital gains taxes, maximizing your impact for the West and your heirs.
- Make your generosity count. Your planned gift supports a strong organization, ensuring your values have a lasting impact.
I made a planned gift to WRA because over the decades it has been effective and focused on helping communities in the West respond to environmental challenges and plan for our future.”
WAYS TO MAKE A PLANNED GIFT
Three Simple Ways to Give
Gifts Through Your Will or Estate Plan
The most common planned gift, made by including WRA in your will or living trust. This gift takes effect after your lifetime. It’s an easy way to create a lasting charitable legacy that costs you nothing today and can be changed anytime. Your gift can be a percentage of your estate, a specific dollar amount, or the remainder after all other provisions are specified.
Ensure your values live on without affecting your current financial security.
Gifts of Stock and Appreciated Assets
Donating assets like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate that have grown in value. These gifts can be made during your lifetime. By giving these assets directly to WRA, you can often avoid capital gains taxes and may receive an immediate tax deduction.
Allows you to maximize the impact of your gift while reducing your tax burden.
Gifts From Retirement & Specialized Accounts
Making a gift using your IRA, 401k, life insurance, or Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) can offer unique tax advantages. Whether you’re making a direct distribution during your lifetime (like a tax-free IRA transfer) or naming WRA as a beneficiary for a future gift, these assets often bypass estate or income taxes for your heirs, maximizing your impact.
An efficient way to make a substantial future gift, ensuring more of your generosity goes directly to protecting the West.
Note: We always recommend consulting with your professional financial advisor or attorney to ensure your planned gift aligns with your overall financial and estate plans.
Join the 1989 Legacy Society
Become part of a visionary group of supporters who are leaving a legacy for the Interior West.
Already included us in your will or estate plan?
Please let us know of your generous intentions so we can thank you and welcome you to the 1989 Legacy Society.
Making a Difference Together
See the real-world impact of your support through powerful stories from across the West.
Need assistance? We’re here to help.
We can help you explore the best planned giving options for you and your family.
Elizabeth O’Connell
Development Director
elizabeth@westernresources.org
720-763-3743
Frequently Asked Questions
Planned giving is for everyone, regardless of estate size. Even a small percentage of your estate or naming WRA as a beneficiary on a modest account can create a powerful and lasting impact. It’s about your values, not your wealth.
Many planned gifts, such as those made through a will or by beneficiary designation, are revocable. This means you can adjust or change them if your financial circumstances or wishes evolve. We encourage you to review your estate plans periodically.
Both are legal documents that specify how your assets will be distributed after your lifetime. A will typically goes through a court process called probate. A living trust generally avoids probate, allowing for a more private and often quicker distribution of assets. Your attorney can advise which is best for your unique situation.
While some planned gifts (like naming a beneficiary) can be done with a simple form, we always recommend consulting with an attorney or financial advisor. They can ensure your gift aligns with your overall estate plan and personal wishes.
You can typically add WRA as a beneficiary to your existing will or trust through a simple amendment called a codicil that allows for minor changes without having to rewrite the entire will. Your attorney can help you with this quick process.
Absolutely. Many planned gifts are structured to benefit both your loved ones and WRA. Your financial or legal advisor can help you create a plan that supports your family’s needs while also making a meaningful gift to Western Resource Advocates.
We would be honored to know about your generous intentions! You can notify us of your planned gift by using our online form or by contacting our Development team directly. Knowing about your gift helps us plan for the future and allows us to properly welcome you to the 1989 Legacy Society.
The 1989 Legacy Society recognizes and honors individuals who have included WRA in their will, trust, or other estate plans. It’s a special way for us to thank you for your visionary commitment to the West’s future and keep you connected to our work. Benefits include a warm, personal welcome, insider updates, access to WRA experts and community gatherings.
No. All conversations with WRA regarding your planned gift are private and are not legal or financial advice. We respect your privacy and will never ask for detailed financial information about your estate.
