Ways to Give
Support the San Bernardino County Museum Foundation
The partnership between the San Bernardino County Museum Foundation and the San Bernardino County Museum is vital to the Museum’s mission to develop visitors’ appreciation of our diverse regional identity to spark their curiosity, stimulate inquiry, challenge their assumptions, and invite them to contribute to our shared future.
We invite you to make a charitable investment by making a tax-deductible donation to support the future of the San Bernardino County Museum. Donations keep bringing new exhibits, support educational programming, provide access programs like Museums for All, preserve the Museum’s extensive collections, and allow for the professional development of our curators.
Gifts to the Foundation, both current and deferred, can be made from several different types of assets. Donations can be made without restriction or to support a particular program. Donors can also make gifts in honor or memory of a loved one. Don’t hesitate to contact an Foundation staff member to discuss how you would like to make an impact on the Museum.
Current Gifts
Gift of cash can be made online by clicking the link below or by sending a check payable to SBCMF to the following address:
San Bernardino County Museum Foundation
2024 Orange Tree Lane
Redlands, California 92374
Other Current Gifting Options Include:
Securities
Gifts of appreciated securities – either stocks or bonds, can provide many tax advantages to the donor. Generally, the full fair market value of the donated securities is fully deductible as a charitable contribution. One of the additional benefits of the donation of stock is the donor does not pay capital gain taxes on the appreciated portion of the donated security. Donors should always consult their tax advisor prior to filing income taxes.
Real Estate
A gift of real estate can provide many of the same tax advantages as a gift of appreciated securities. Contributions of real estate can be complex and take some time, but this should not deter a donor from considering such a gift. Since each gift of real estate is unique, an Association staff member can assist you in navigating through the process.
Life Insurance
A gift of life insurance, either through a current policy or the creation of a new policy, is another way to make a substantial contribution to the Association. Donors can receive federal income tax deductions for items such as the cash value of the policy and premiums paid each year. Donors should always consult their tax advisor prior to filing income taxes.
Planned/Deferred Gifts
Donors can also make gifts to the SBCM Association that will be received at some point in the future to carry on the important work of the museum. It can be best described as a present-day decision to make a future gift. It can be as simple as including a bequest provision in your will or naming SBCMF as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy. Other options can provide for the Museum and the donor at the same time through planning strategies such as a charitable trust or charitable gift annuity that allows you to receive payments for life. The Foundation strongly encourages donors that have an interest in making a gift of this type to involve gathering advice from professional advisors including attorneys, CPA’s, financial advisors and others. Generally, planned gifts can be made in several ways.
Bequests
Bequests are donations made through wills or trusts and are transferred after the death of the donor. A bequest can be a specified dollar amount or a percentage of the donor’s estate. Contact the SBCM Foundation for sample language that can be used to make a bequest.
Will or Living Trust
Many donors include a bequest to the SBCM Foundation in their wills or living trusts. The gift can be a specified dollar amount or a percentage of the donor’s estate. Donors can minimize federal income and estate taxes by utilizing this planning technique. Contact the SBCM Foundation for sample language that can be used to make a bequest.
Gifts of Retirement Assets (IRA)
Donations to the Association can be made through a retirement account directly to the Foundation. Using IRAs and other retirement plan assets can provide the donor a number of significant financial and tax advantages. Unlike many assets, retirement plan assets are potentially subject to both income and estate taxes. Naming the Foundation as the beneficiary of a retirement plan can eliminate estate and income taxes, if the gift is structured properly. Examples of retirement fund vehicles that can be used to make a gift include IRAs or 401 (k) plans. The easiest way to make a gift from your retirement fund is to change the beneficiary designation to name the SBCM Foundation as one of the recipients.
Contact Us
Learn more about make a current or deferred gift to the SBCM Foundation, please contact Executive Director, Brandon Mulder, at (909) 798-8626 or send an e-mail to brandon.mulder@sbcm.sbcounty.gov.