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The power of (planned) giving
Planned gifts are donations that have the unique capacity to make a greater impact over time. When you make a planned gift, The Children’s Museum permanently invests your donation so it continues to grow and sustain the organization long-term.
Planned giving often has no immediate impact on your day to day cash flow. Because of this, your philanthropic impact is not limited to your current financial circumstances. And because planned gifts are versatile and can be made many different ways (see below), there is much more flexibility in your giving. This ensures your planned gift aligns with your long-term goals to support the museum.
In addition, each type of planned gift offers advantages to both you and your loved ones. Whether it is a tax break or passive income, planned giving opens the doors to possibilities traditional cash gifts do not provide.
How has planned giving shaped The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis?
In 1949, Mrs. Ruth Allison Lilly gave 2,000 shares of Eli Lilly & Company stock, establishing the organization’s endowment. This initial investment in The Children’s Museum, the museum’s long-term commitment to fiscal responsibility, and the generosity of other endowment donors helps us be the biggest and the best. Through planned giving, a future of extraordinary and magical experiences without boundaries endures.
Your legacy and your gift live on in perpetuity.
How do I leave a planned gift?
Leave a bequest
Including a charitable gift in your will, living trust or other estate plan is a powerful way to support the Museum’s vision and leave a legacy that will inspire children and families for years to come. You may take the following sample language and ask your professional advisor to incorporate it into your estate plans.
SAMPLE BEQUEST LANGUAGE
I give, devise, and bequeath to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (EIN 35-0867985) [the sum of __________] OR [__________ percent (%) of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate] to be used to support the Museum at the time the gift is received.
Gifts of stock
Gifts of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds not only benefit The Museum but also can be structured in ways that can help you minimize taxes. To make a gift of stock, please share the following transfer information with your broker, and be sure to instruct them to reveal your name and the purpose of the gift to the receiving broker (Stifel Nicolaus) or they are required to not tell us who gave the stock.
The Museum’s broker contact information:
Stifel Nicolaus & Co.
600 East 96th Street, Suite 575
Indianapolis, IN 46240
Account Number: 12650014
Depository Trust Company (DTC) number: 0793
Tax Identification Number (EIN): 35-0867985
Make a gift from your IRA
70½ years old and older are also eligible for an IRA Charitable Rollover. You can give any amount (up to a maximum of $100,000 per year) from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as The Children’s Museum without having to pay income taxes on the money.
Designate The Children’s Museum as a beneficiary
A simple and flexible way to make a gift is to name The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis as a beneficiary to receive assets such as retirement plans and life insurance policies after you're gone. Simply complete a change of beneficiary form from your plan administrator and notify the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
Set up a charitable gift annuity or other life-income gift
A charitable gift annuity is a gift made to our organization that can provide you with a secure source of fixed payments for life based on your age. Creating a Charitable Remainder Trust provides you with income for life and the remainder is passed on to the Museum. A Charitable Lead Trust provides income to the Museum for a specific term of years, and the remainder is retained for your heirs. Please consult your financial advisor to set up life-income gifts and notify The Children’s Museum.
My museum story
In memory of Boris and Marian Meditch and their lifetime of giving and support of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
The Ruth Allison Lilly Society
Ruth Allison Lilly was one of the Museum's earliest benefactors, giving to The Children's Museum during her lifetime and through generous bequests. She was among the visionaries who helped establish the Museum as a world-class educational and cultural institution. If you plan to include the Museum in a bequest or other planned gift, we hope you will notify us so we can welcome you into the Ruth Allison Lilly Society.
Members of the Ruth Allison Lilly Society receive:
- Invitation to an exclusive annual recognition event at the Museum
- Access to behind-the-scenes receptions and other special events
- Updates on upcoming exhibitions and new initiatives at The Children’s Museum
- A personal contact at The Children’s Museum through the Individual Giving office
- Recognition in Museum publications (unless the donor requests to remain anonymous)
Contact our staff
Our development staff is always available to assist you—and your advisor—in achieving your charitable goals now and in the future. To learn more about ways to make a planned gift and the impacts you can make with your future gift, please contact Gretchen Hueni, Director of Individual Giving at the address below or email to GHueni@childrensmuseum.org.
Have you already included The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in your plans?
We would be grateful for the opportunity to acknowledge your gift (or respect your wishes to remain anonymous) and welcome you to the Ruth Allison Lilly Society. Please let us know by returning this confidential Notification Form to document the impact you plan to make through your gift. Information you provide is optional and can be updated as your plans change.
