Guide to Giving

Cash

Giving by cash or check is the simplest and easiest way to support MLR. You will receive a charitable income tax or estate tax deduction for your gift.

Real Estate

MLR is happy to discuss the variety of planning options that a gift of real estate offers – whether a farm or ranching property, residence, vacation home, commercial property, or vacant land. There are more opportunities available involving real estate than nearly any other type of asset, allowing MLR’s gift planning staff to design a plan that meets your philanthropic, tax, and estate planning needs.

Vehicles

MLR staff travels thousands of miles visiting farms and ranches all over the state. Montana roads are challenging, even in a new vehicle. If you have a good, used, fuel-efficient vehicle with less than 60,000 miles, and are thinking of trading it in, please consider making a charitable contribution of your vehicle to MLR.

Stocks and Bonds

Donating appreciated securities is an easy way to provide immediate support to MLR’s work, while maximizing your tax benefit. You can avoid capital gains tax on the sale of appreciated stock and take an income tax deduction for its full market value.

Retirement Assets

Retirement assets, such as funds in an IRA, pension, 401k, 403b, or other tax-deferred plan, can be an excellent, tax-advantaged way to support MLR’s mission. Retirement assets may be especially appropriate to utilize as sources of charitable funds in your estate plans, as your family members may face unanticipated tax consequences if you leave these assets to them.

Beneficiary Designations

Designating MLR as the beneficiary of your investment account, bank account, life insurance, or retirement plan can be a great and easy way to support MLR’s work. Many of these accounts allow you to designate any percentage of the asset for a gift to MLR, or to designate MLR as a contingent beneficiary. You may also donate some or all of your life insurance policy, or designate MLR the policy owner and treat premiums as charitable contributions as you pay them.

Life Income Gifts

Many of the above assets can be used to establish an income stream for you or your loved ones, while also making a gift to MLR. MLR has an easy, effective process for using charitable gift annuities as part of your retirement planning, while taking advantage of the extremely generous Montana endowment tax credit to save on income taxes.

Giving in Memory

MLR works to preserve Montana for future generations, honoring the conservation ethic of generations past. MLR often receives gifts to honor the memory of those who make its work possible. MLR is honored to help celebrate and continue the legacy of your loved ones.

Designating Your Gift

If you’d like to see your gift used in a certain way, such as helping MLR protect its promise of perpetuity, complete conservation projects in high-priority areas, or help with education and outreach, please let MLR know. Drop a note in the envelope along with your check or give the fundraising staff a call at (406) 443-7027 to learn more about different ways your gift can be used.

Planned Giving

It takes all of us to keep MLR’s promise of enduring protection of agricultural lands, fish and wildlife habitat, and open space for generations to come. MLR’s work would not be possible without those who have included the organization in their overall financial and estate plans through planned gifts, such as bequests, gifts of real and personal property, gift annuities, charitable trusts, life estate gifts, and more.

You can leave a lasting legacy of conservation with a gift of any size or type—often carrying a greater impact than you thought possible.

License Plate

Help protect the landscapes you love by purchasing the MLR license plate.