Additional Sample Language for Gifts of Real Estate
Donating Real Estate Through Your Will or Trust
If you own property that you would like to donate to MLC through your will or trust, the following language, which you should share with your attorney, can be used:
I hereby give, devise and bequeath to The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the State of Michigan, and with current business address of PO Box 973, Fenton, MI. 48430, tax identification number 38-2569827, all of that certain piece, parcel or lot of land owned by me and situated and being in the Town of _______ and more particularly described as follows: [full legal description of property]
I understand that the above-mentioned real estate may not be in the best interest of the The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancies preservation and educational mission. If it does not qualify, I hereby give my permission for it to be sold at The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancies sole discretion and the proceeds used as The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancies Board of Directors deems appropriate to further the purposes of The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy.
Note:
At The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, all unrestricted charitable gifts are used strategically to support top mission priorities. If you have a more specific purpose in mind, please contact us at (810) 750-9236 to ensure that we can meet your wishes. Whether you choose to restrict a gift or not, your support will help us achieve our preservation and educational goals for future generations.
Donating Land Through Your Will or Trust
If you would like to donate land to The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy through your estate, we encourage you to consider giving us the flexibility to accept the property without restrictions. When we receive the property, we will evaluate it and determine if it meets our preservation and educational mission priorities. If it does not, we will sell the land and use the proceeds for our priority preservation and educational work. If this is not satisfactory, then you may want to leave your property to us with a provision that, if we are unable to hold onto it, it will go to another non-profit organization with different priorities and criteria than ours for protection; for example, a local land trust.
The following language, which you should share with your attorney, can be used to devise property to The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy:
I hereby give, devise and bequeath to The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the State of Michigan, and with current business address of PO Box 973, Fenton, MI. 48430, tax identification number 38-2569827, all of that certain piece, parcel or lot of land owned by me and situated and being in the Town of _______ and more particularly described as follows: [full legal description of property]
I understand that the above-mentioned property may not be in the best interest of The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancies preservation and educational mission. If it does not qualify, I hereby give my permission for it to be sold at The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancies sole discretion and the proceeds used as The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancies Board of Directors deems appropriate to further the purposes of The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy.
I understand that at the time of my death, property shall be inspected to determine whether it provides habitat for any rare, endangered or threatened species and whether it has any natural features or characteristics that should be protected. I understand that The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy will endeavor to provide for appropriate protection for the property or any portions of the property that then contain any such species or natural characteristics and features. This may include selling the property with conservation restrictions or finding another non-profit organization with different priorities and criteria than ours for protection; for example, a local land trust.
EITHER:
If at the time of my death, The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy determines that it cannot use the property, then The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy may sell the property unrestricted.
OR:
If at the time of my death, The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy determines that it cannot hold onto the property, then I leave the property to ___________ [local land trust or other conservation organization] if it agrees to hold onto it. If that organization will not hold onto it, then ___________ [decide whether you then wish to leave it unrestricted to The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, or to name a third organization as beneficiary].
Note:
At The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, all unrestricted charitable gifts are used strategically to support top mission priorities. If you have a more specific purpose in mind, please contact us at (810) 750-9236 to ensure that we can meet your wishes. Whether you choose to restrict a gift or not, your support will help us achieve our preservation and educational goals for future generations.