Planned Gifts

a unique opportunity to help sustain the Refuge you love

Leave a legacy…

You’ve spent a life time supporting organizations and causes that reflect your values. So why not consider including a planned gift as a part of your overall financial or estate plan?

…make the world a better place.

By making a planned gift to the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, you create a legacy that protects a place you value for future generations. A planned gift gives you the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy - making the world a better place.

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Why a will?

Having a will offers numerous advantages such as:

  • You can decide how your estate will be distributed and who will put your affairs in order

  • It speeds the probate process, can minimize inheritance taxes, and reduces stress for your survivors

  • You can change your mind at any time if life circumstance change

  • You can make specific provisions and charitable gifts

The simplest way to make a planned gift is by including a bequest in your will or trust document. This can be done at the time the document is initiated, or afterward through a codicil or amendment.

The assets committed through a bequest can be cash, securities, real property, or other valuables. In the case of cash, the bequest can be for a specific amount, or a specified percentage after all expenses and any other bequests are covered. No bequest is too small.

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image: Lou Kellenberger

Let’s talk.

Many people wish to keep their estate plans and wills private. The Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge understand this and will respect your wishes and your right to privacy.

  • If you wish to designate your gift for a particular purpose, it is important that you contact us so we can ensure that your wishes be honored.

  • All unrestricted charitable gifts to the Association will be used strategically to support Refuge programs and projects.

Supporters who inform us that they have included a gift for the Refuge in their will become members of the Friends Legacy Club.

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Your values and the Refuge’s future

It ultimately comes down to values - to consideration of the legacy you leave behind from your time on this earth. It feels good to support things you care about. Your decision to do that - to give back - reflects an important value you pass on to future generations.

You can be an inspiration

We invite you to ensure that the Refuge you love remains healthy and thrives. Help protect its natural habitats, and the plants and animals that live there. Help teach more children about the environment and conservation. Help preserve the special place that is the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge for future generations. Thank you for considering this request.

For further information, or to discuss other ways of supporting the Refuge:

  • Email the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge: info@stmarksrefuge.org

  • Call the Refuge - (850) 925-9121 - and ask to be contacted by the Board of Directors’ Treasurer.

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Everyone is encouraged to consult an attorney or a qualified financial planner to determine what options are best for them.

Your planned gift in support of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is made through the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit friends group that supports the refuge in all aspects of its mission.

The Friends group is governed by a all-volunteer Board of Directors, with no paid staff, and operates under a Friends Partnership Agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (which oversees the Refuge). A CPA conducts regular budget monitoring. Your attorney will want the information below.

Friends Addresses and 501(c)(3) Information

The St. Marks Refuge Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation existing under the laws of the State of Florida

Principal Business Address: 1255 Lighthouse Rd, St. Marks, FL 32355

Mailing address: PO Box 368, St. Marks, FL 32355

Tax Identification number: 59-2811456

Date of incorporation: Dec 29, 1987

d/b/a Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge