Leave Your Legacy Through Tree Trust
In 1976, the Twin Cities faced two pressing problems: 1) high unemployment, and 2) devastation of the tree canopy from Dutch elm disease. Our founders recognized a unique opportunity to remove dead elm trees and then to plant new trees, all while providing jobs to those in need. This opportunity created the nonprofit organization Tree Trust.
Over the past 45 years, Tree Trust has served nearly 57,000 promising young people throughout the Twin Cities and planted more than 105,000 well-established trees. With the support of local nonprofit organizations, corporate and foundation funders, government entities, community volunteers, and generous individual donors, Tree Trust has navigated innumerable ups and downs, administration changes, major world events, and—most recently—a global pandemic, to create a legacy of transformed lives and landscapes in the Twin Cities metro area.
As we dream about what the next 45 years will bring, we think about how our donors can leave their own legacies through Tree Trust. That’s why we are thrilled to announce the launch of our new legacy giving program.
Why Legacy Giving?
Trees of Tomorrow is Tree Trust’s legacy giving program, which may also be referred to as planned giving. Rather than giving your major gift now, you plan your charitable gift for the future via a bequest, a life insurance policy, or your retirement account(s). These legacy gift donors – our Trees of Tomorrow Trustees – help lay a solid foundation for Tree Trust’s future, casting a vision of a thriving workforce living on a healthy planet for generations to come.
Legacy giving is truly transformative. For many people, a legacy gift is the largest philanthropic gift they make in their lifetime. And for Tree Trust, legacy gifts are a lasting investment in our mission and our future so that we can look forward to another 45 years of transforming lives and landscapes.
Our commitment to you is just as important as your commitment to us. To express our gratitude, all Trees of Tomorrow Trustees can look forward to a special gift, along with an invitation to annual meetings with Tree Trust’s CEO.
While we may not receive your legacy gift for years, your positive impact begins today. As a Trees of Tomorrow Trustee, you’ll have the opportunity to visit our project sites from time to time. Whether it’s a tree planting event, a summer crew of young people out in the field, or another program in action, you’ll get to see firsthand what your impactful gifts will create for our community.
Become a Trees of Tomorrow Trustee Today!
Legacy gifts look different for each donor, but they don’t have to be complicated. You can make a major investment in our organization by following these simple ways to give:
Charitable Bequest
One of the most common forms of legacy giving is to make a bequest commitment by naming Tree Trust as a beneficiary in your will or estate plans. You can designate either a fixed dollar amount or percentage of your estate to go to Tree Trust. This is an easy way to make an impactful gift! We provide some sample language on our website that you may discuss with your attorney.
IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution
Do you have an IRA? At age 70 ½, you may be able to designate a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) of any amount (up to $100,000) to Tree Trust. This QCD may help satisfy your annual Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) and lower your taxable income. We encourage you to explore this option with your tax advisor, financial planner, and/or legal advisor(s).
For more information, and to hear why Tree Trust co-founder Don Willeke makes Qualified Charitable Distributions, check out this blog post.
Life Insurance
Including Tree Trust on your life insurance policy is another excellent way to leave a powerful, positive legacy. Simply list Tree Trust as a beneficiary on your policy.
Are You Ready to Leave a Legacy?
Leave a legacy of impact today! Complete this form and return it to us at [email protected] or our address listed below:
Tree Trust
Attn: Development
1419 Energy Park Drive
Saint Paul, MN 55108
Questions? Please give us a call at 952-767-3882 or email us at [email protected].
