Extend Your Stewardship and Broaden Their Horizons

Why should I give to support Skyline’s mission?

That’s a question anyone considering a gift of their accumulated resources must answer for themselves.

There are as many reasons why you could give to Skyline as there are stars in the beautiful night sky.

You could give in honor of a family member who suffers from a disease or disorder that restrains them from the life that many of us consider “normal”.

You could provide funding that would make it possible for children from low-income households to experience nature and attend camp.

Your gift could help add wonderful new programs at Skyline that will benefit all who enter through its gates.

The truth is there are many good reasons to make a gift to Skyline, and your reason will be the best reason of all.

Contact Executive Director, Shana Henry for more information.

Although much of Skyline’s support comes from user fees, year-round operation requires substantial funding through gifts and subsidies. The annual budget is in the neighborhood of $750,000, and there never are enough receipts to cover the necessities (like replacing the Skyline snowplow truck that keeps the camp road open in winter or providing camperships for all the kids who can’t afford the modest summer camp fee).

We are indebted to the first donor, Mrs. Annette B. McComber, whose will provided a generous bequest that in 1962 made possible the purchase of property known even then as “Skyline.” Another generous benefactor came to Skyline’s aid at about the time a fire destroyed one of its main buildings on a cold winter night in 1992. Skyline’s success story is a tribute to the many volunteers and committed staff members who for more than four decades have sustained the Skyline vision. Much of the good that Skyline has achieved … reflected in the positive changes in the lives of many campers, volunteers and staff members … is due to the work, sacrifice and financial support of those who have gone before us.

If you had a hand in this pioneering effort, we thank you. And if you didn’t, we invite you to become part of the Skyline stewardship tradition.

All Gifts Are Tax-Deductible Because Skyline Camp and Retreat Center is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, gifts to Skyline are tax-deductible and bequests are exempt from estate taxes.

To what purpose can a gift be DIRECTED?

Undesignated gifts to Skyline of cash or securities will be judiciously applied where most needed. Alternatively, any donor may designate a tax-advantaged gift for a specific purpose, for example:

• Operations: An ongoing requirement for food, supplies, program needs, equipment and, of course, staff.

• Endowment: Long term, the Skyline Endowment Fund, begun in 1993, needs to grow so that part of the interest can generate funds for operations and capital improvements. This is sometimes called “the gift that keeps on giving.”

• Capital Campaign: Protecting and augmenting the physical infrastructure that supports Skyline’s programs.

Ways to give

There are a number of other ways to make an intentional gift to Skyline. All provide tax advantages to the donor, and many can be designed to return cash as well.

QCD Required minimum distributionS

Under the Qualified Charitable Distribution rule, beginning at age 70½, you can have all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD) made directly from your IRA to Skyline (up to $100,000 per taxpayer, per year). Unlike conventional RMDs, QCDs are not subject to ordinary state or federal income taxes.

Bequest from a Will

Make sure you have an up-to-date will. Without a will, you have little control over what you leave behind. Persons and institutions that you might like to bless with some of your earthly wealth and possessions might never see the bequest you had in mind. Preparing to make a will isn’t difficult or expensive, but it does require serious thought.

For a start, prepare a list of your assets – money, property, life insurance, pensions and investments. Then identify and list the people, organizations and causes that mean the most to you. (Hopefully, Skyline will make your list.) Then, consult your lawyer or tax consultant for advice and preparation of your will and, under some circumstances, a living trust. Almost all wills need regular review and updating.

Simple Bequest Language:

“I give the sum of $_______ to Skyline Camp and Retreat Center, Almont, Michigan, to be used for general purposes.”

“I give (all) or (_____ percent) of the residue of my estate to Skyline Camp and Retreat Center, Almont, Michigan, to be used for general purposes.”

Charitable Gift Annuity

For those who want to make a gift to Skyline or another favorite charity, but also need income for their families and themselves, the charitable gift annuity may be the practical solution. In exchange for an irrevocable gift to a charity like Skyline, the charity by contract agrees to pay a lifetime fixed annuity to you or someone you designate. The amount of the payment will usually depend on the amount of the gift and the age of the annuitant when the gift is made. A gift annuity can provide income for your lifetime, after which its value would be assigned to Skyline or another designated charity. It also can be established so that payments are deferred until, say, time of retirement. This gift annuity like most deferred plans has certain tax advantages.

Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust

A Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust (CRAT) is an irrevocable trust that provides you (or a beneficiary of your choice) with a fixed dollar amount each year based on the value of the assets at the time the trust is created. Payments typically run 5 to 7 percent for a lifetime or a set term of years. After your lifetime, the remaining trust assets are distributed to Skyline or whatever eligible mission you select. With this trust, you can make a charitable gift during your lifetime to support Skyline’s future work and still receive lifetime income. You may also enjoy certain tax advantages. This is one type of charitable remainder trust.

Charitable Remainder Unitrust

A Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT) differs from a CRAT principally in the way in which payments to you are calculated. A CRUT pays a variable amount each year based on the value of the trust. Because the payment amount is determined each year, you or your beneficiaries can benefit from growth in the trust. If the trust value decreases, so will the payments.

Permanent Fund

A donor can make a gift to a permanent fund, similar to the Skyline Endowment Fund. Gifts to this fund are invested, and some of the income earned is made available to Skyline annually. A gift to this fund provides the donor with a charitable tax deduction, but the greatest benefit is knowing that the gift will provide a long-lasting source of funds for Skyline.

Pooled Income Fund

A Pooled Income Fund is a trust in which many donors’ gifts are pooled together and invested under professional management. The donor makes an irrevocable gift and in return receives a share of the net income based on the share of the “pool” that the gift represents. After the donor’s lifetime, that share is withdrawn from the pool and directed to support the charitable beneficiary (Skyline).

Donor Advised Fund

A donor-advised fund is created when a donor makes a tax deductible gift to establish a fund, yet retains the ability to recommend grants from the fund to support charitable activities. Fresh, tax-deductible amounts can be added annually to sustain the fund’s giving schedule. In one form, known as an endowed fund, a portion is made available each year for grants – typically 5 percent – with the goal being fund growth over time, resulting in an increasing amount available for grants in future years. Distinguishing this type of philanthropy, the donor(s) actually determine the annual grant allocation to a selected charity or charities.

Life Insurance

Did you know that you can name Skyline as the owner and/or beneficiary of a life insurance policy? You can make a charitable contribution with very little cost to you. Making an irrevocable gift of life insurance also can provide substantial tax benefits. A life insurance policy that has cash value but no longer meets your needs could make a convenient gift.

Outright Gifts

Skyline welcomes gifts of cash, stock, bonds or other securities and real property. Real estate may be donated to a charity using various methods, one of which is the gift of a retained life estate. You could deed your residence to Skyline or another charity and still use the property for your personal residence for the remainder of your and your spouse’s life, or for a specified period. There are significant tax advantages to this type of gift. When giving cash, check with your employer to see if the company has a matching grant program that can double the effect of your gift. All gifts will, of course, be gratefully acknowledged.

Contact Executive Director, Shana Henry for more information.