Planned Giving
Supporting Lincoln Sports through a legacy or planned gift ensures that our community has access to safe, inclusive, and sustainable recreational programs for years to come. Planned gifts allow you to make a meaningful long-term impact, often without affecting your current finances. Whether you’re considering a bequest, designating us as a beneficiary, or exploring other long-term gift options, this page provides clear, practical information to help you get started.
Types of Planned Gifts (often referred to as Legacy Gifts)
1. Bequests (Gifts in Your Will)
A bequest is one of the simplest and most flexible ways to support our mission. You can designate a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, a residual amount (what remains after other gifts). See our bequest page for the specifics on types of bequests and sample language to use in a will or other document. Always speak to an attorney if considering a bequest.
2. Retirement Plan Beneficiary Designations
You can name Lincoln Sports as a beneficiary (full or partial) of IRAs and 401(k)s, employer retirement plans, and annuities. This is often tax-efficient, since retirement assets left to nonprofits are not subject to income tax.
3. Gifts of Life Insurance
You can name Lincoln Sports as a beneficiary of an existing policy, or transfer ownership of a policy you no longer need.
4. Gifts of Securities (Stocks, Mutual Funds)
Donating appreciated securities can provide tax advantages while delivering strong support for Lincoln Sports’ mission.
How to Explore a Planned Gift
If you’re considering a major gift to Lincoln Sports, we would welcome a conversation. We can help you understand our program priorities, structure a gift aligned with your values, document multi-year commitments, and decide between unrestricted and restricted support. Reach out to info@lincolnsports.org or call Andy Soares White at (617) 686-0358 for more information.
Why We Do Not Promote Endowment Gifts
While some nonprofits rely on endowments, they tend to generate 4–5% annually, require a large principal to be impactful, and can come with some significant administrative fees for the management of the funds. At our current size, direct planned gifts or beneficiary designations seem to be more effective at strengthening our programs immediately and sustainably.
However, if you do wish to explore an endowed fund, please contact us at info@lincolnsports.org or (617) 686-0358 so we can discuss whether it will meet your philanthropic goals.
