Ministries of the diocese are pleased to accept the following outright gifts:
Online gifts
Cash, check, or money order by mail with your designation clearly noted
Automatic Withdrawal
Outright gifts are convenient and provide an immediate benefit to the church and its ministries.

Stocks or bonds can be appropriate gifts. The Office of Development and Planned Giving will personally assist each donor with the transfer of any such assets. When making a stock gift, you can download an Authorization of Transfer of Gift Securities. Gifts of securities are encouraged when supporters have the desire to make a charitable gift and avoid capital gains tax.

Real estate, artwork and other real property can be appropriate gifts. The Office of Development and Planned Giving will personally assist each donor with the transfer of any such assets. Gifts of real estate may be accepted upon approval in accordance with appropriate gift acceptance policies.

A gift in your will is an excellent way to support one of the many endowments established for parishes, schools or other organizations in the diocese, or to create a new endowment. You can make a specific gift amount in your will, name a percentage, or make the diocese a beneficiary of the remainder of the estate.

Naming the diocese as a beneficiary of an IRA or other qualified retirement plan may save your heirs and your estate a potential tax burden. The gift can be made simply, by using your beneficiary designation forms.

Another commonly used option to make a gift to charity is through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA. A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from your IRA to the diocese. This is a gift from your assets that will not impact your checking or savings account balance. Because the diocese is tax exempt, there is no tax paid on the transfer. You must be 70 ½ years old. You can give from pre-tax assets and the gift is not reported as taxable income. See attached Letter of Intent to help facilitate this type of charitable giving.
Letter of Intent

A gift annuity is an attractive way to make a charitable gift, while at the same time receive guaranteed annual annuity payments. Your gift allows for a tax deduction and a portion of your annual annuity is tax-free. Annuity rates can range from 5-11% depending on your age.

There are several types of charitable trusts that you can create to support any ministry of the diocese. A charitable trust is an attractive way to sell a highly appreciated asset tax free, and reinvest it to provide you with a lifetime of income. A charitable trust can also be flexible to allow you to make future contributions and receive additional income tax deductions.

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) provides a simple, reliable, and effective way to accomplish your charitable giving. A DAF is like having your own foundation; you can establish a DAF today and recommend grants to the qualified charities you want to support now or in the future. You may obtain an immediate tax deduction for each charitable contribution you make to the DAF. The fund is invested in a socially responsible manner. One example of when a DAF works well is when you receive a large bonus or other significant income near the end of the year and there is not time to decide which charities to support. The funds can be used to establish a DAF (or add to an existing DAF) and then you can recommend grants to qualified charities at a later time when you are ready to make those decisions.

Donor Advised Fund Gift Agreement
Donor Advised Fund Policy
Donor Advised Fund Recommendation Form

There are a number of options when considering a gift of life insurance. An easy way to accomplish charitable giving is to name the diocese as the beneficiary of your life insurance. If you own a life insurance policy that is no longer needed for its intended purpose, you may gift that insurance policy and receive immediate benefits. A third option is to create a new life insurance policy, name the diocese as the sole beneficiary and give ownership of the policy to the diocese. You may receive an income tax deduction for your gift. If the policy is not paid in full, you can send a donation to the diocese for the amount of the premium each year and may receive an annual income tax deduction for each of those gifts.
Life Insurance Gift Acceptance Policy

Michael Wescott
Director of Development and Planned Giving

Sandy Lessor
Planned Giving Coordinator

Natalie Stuhlsatz
Catholic Education Development Coordinator

Brandy Nelson
Data Operatons Manager

Ann Maley
Administrative Assistant

Megan Real
Database Assistant

Baylee Schif
Database Assistant