CTLCV Education Fund relies on our members and donors to fund our work. Your gift directly helps up keep up the fight for our environment in Connecticut, and there are many ways to give.
Gifts of Stock, Bonds, or Mutual Fund Shares You can make outright gifts of appreciated securities (stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares) at full fair-market value. To avoid capital gains taxes, you must transfer the ownership of the securities to the CTLCV brokerage account.
Gifts of closely held stock (usually stock in a family-owned business) can also be made.
I care about the environment, and the CT League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) is all about having the best government policies to achieve our conservation goals, for our land, air and water. My donations to CTLCV are an investment in a brighter future for all of us, one that brings significant returns over time. So I have become a regular donor.
To make a significant impact, it is clear that the bigger the investment, the bigger the return, as long as this organization remains strong enough to keep an eye on the legislature and to educate the public about the policies and the politicians that determine our future. So I want to make a major gift.
I don't tend to have a lot of cash sitting in my bank account - I invest my savings in a stock portfolio so that they will hopefully grow faster than a savings account over the years. So a major donation means that either I have to sell shares of stock from my portfolio to generate cash, or I could simply call and ask my broker so send shares directly to CTLCV.
If I were to sell shares that have appreciated in value of ver time, I would have to pay a capital gains tax on that appreciated amount. If I gift the shares directly, however, I avoid the tax and can thus afford to give a larger donation.
CTLCV is a non-profit organization. It is not tax-deductible because of its involvement in campaigns and in the legislative activities. But as a non-profit, it can cash in the share without generating a tax to the organization. So its get the full benefit of your stock git and you save in taxes you would have paid had you sold the shares for cash.
As an investment, bottom line, donating appreciated stock to CTLCV is where I get "the best bang for my buck" in terms of overall environmental benefit for each dollar given. If you wish to make a major donation, and have a stock portfolio, you should consult with your broker and accountant and see if that approach makes sense for your future investments in making the world a better place.
