Over the years, the Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund (WGSF) has been the recipient of several gifts in the form of cash and appreciated stocks. These charitable gifts have allowed the Whirly-Girls to continue to expand our scholarship program and diversify our investment portfolio.

All of these special gifts constituted planned giving, meaning the donor made the organization aware that he or she intended to make the contribution at a specific time, for example, upon her death or at the end of the year.

The most important consideration in charitable giving is the donor’s intent. Some donors prefer to make significant donations to a nonprofit while they are alive and can see the results of their gift. Other donors prefer to include a bequest for their favorite nonprofit charity in their wills.

Charitable gifts can be made with or without restrictions. A restricted contribution must be used only for what it was intended. An unrestricted gift of stock can be used in any manner that the Board of Directors feels is most beneficial to the organization.

Most charitable contributions come in the form of cash, but non-profits nationwide are seeing an increase in gifts of appreciated assets, which offer significant tax advantages to the donor. Individuals may also name the non-profit organization as the beneficiary of a 401(k) plan, an annuity, or a life insurance policy.

Most of us tend to think of large sums of money when we hear talk about planned giving, but all gifts, large or small, contribute to the success and sustainability of an organization. Donors give to charitable causes because they care about the cause. Donors also give because it makes them feel like they are part of something larger than ourselves.

The Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund, Inc., is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia.

If you have any questions about planned giving, we strongly recommend consulting with your financial advisor or attorney.

If you wish to provide a gift to the Whirly-Girls, please contact our Treasurer at treasurer@whirlygirls.org. You can make a gift donation via PayPal or credit card, or you can mail a check to this address:

Treasurer
Whirly-Girls International
Post Office Box 16114
Atlanta, Georgia  30321