Ways to Give

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation is the most effective preservation force in the Shenandoah Valley thanks to dedicated preservationists like you. In addition to saving more than 6,000 acres from the threat of being lost forever, our work includes resource management, interpretation through signage and visitors centers, educational bus tours and conferences, and partnerships with over 50 organizations. But our work can only be accomplished with your thoughtful support.

We understand that charitable giving comes in many forms. It is important to us that your money be used according to your philanthropic interests. Please consider the following ways you can contribute to battlefield preservation in the Shenandoah Valley.

We are recognized as one of the most effective battlefield preservation organizations in the nation, and an enormous part of that effectiveness is due to the support and participation of our most valuable resource: our members. Battlefield preservation is seldom easy, but it’s always a fight worth fighting.

We’re asking you to join that fight; please become a Member of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation is a registered Section 503(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and contributions are tax-deductible.

BECOME A MEMBER or RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Monthly Gifts

Recurring gifts are arguably one of the most important gifts we offer and receive. Monthly donations provide us with a steady cash flow, opening doors to last-minute preservation opportunities and offering flexibility according to spending needs. Even the most humble donations made regularly often total greater amounts than what might’ve been possible with a single donation. For $84 a month, you can join the Shenandoah Guard – the most elite preservation force in the Valley.

Gift Memberships

Give the gift of battlefield preservation! A gift membership is a great way to get a friend involved or feed a growing interest. Your lucky recipient will receive all the benefits of membership including a calendar, our magazine Shenandoah at War, and free admission to the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum in Winchester.

Memorial Gifts

Much of today’s talk about history is focused on the purpose and role of monuments and the people they remember. You, too, can memorialize a friend or loved one in recognition of their passion for Civil War history. A gift made in their honor will go towards preserving the history they loved so well for those that come after. Donations can also be made in honor of fallen soldiers that fought in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War.

Legion of Honor

Let battlefield preservation be your legacy: make a bequest to support preservation as part of your will, estate plan, or trust, and your lasting gift will save the Valley’s battlefields as places of remembrance and learning for the future’s generations. An easy way to give, simply fill out a form separate from your will naming the Foundation as a full or partial beneficiary to receive assets such as retirement plans, IRAs, or life insurance contracts after you’re gone.

Gifts to Appeals

Do you have an ancestor wounded at the Coaling of Port Republic or killed on Fisher’s Hill? Have you lived in the Valley on the very land we’re working hard to preserve? Support for a specific appeal is leveraged by as much as 47-to-1 — call us today to discuss what battlefields are dear to your heart.

Tax Breaks and Non-monetary Gifts

Gifts of Real Estate

In the right situation, a gift of real estate is an effective way for you to make an extremely meaningful gift to the Foundation without touching your bank account. Gifts of appreciated real estate held longer than one year (similar to gifts of securities) offer tremendous potential tax benefits with a fair market value charitable and no recognition of capital gains tax. Call Craig Stevens, CPA CAP at 540-740-4545 to discuss such a gift.

Keep history alive by calling the National Historic District today! For more information, call our offices at 540-740-4545.

The Charitable IRA Rollover

The charitable IRA rollover, or qualified charitable distribution (QCD), is a special provision allowing certain donors to exclude from taxable income — and count toward their required minimum distribution — certain transfers of Individual Retirement Account (IRA) assets that are made directly to public charities, including the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

Since it was first made available in tax year 2006, many donors age 70 1/2 or older have used this popular option to support the areas of their choice with tax-wise gifts ranging from $100 to $100,000.

A charitable IRA rollover makes it easier to use IRA assets, during lifetime, to make charitable gifts.

Under current law, withdrawals from traditional IRAs and certain Roth IRAs are taxed as income, even if they are immediately directed to a charity. The donor receives a tax deduction for his or her donation, but various other federal, and sometimes state, tax rules can prevent the deduction from fully offsetting this taxable income. As a result, many donors have chosen not to use IRA assets for lifetime gifts. The charitable IRA rollover eliminates this problem.

A gift that qualifies, technically termed a “qualified charitable distribution,” is:

Made by a donor age 70 1/2 or older
Transferred from a traditional or Roth IRA directly to a permissible public charity, such as SVBF (If giving in this manner, please tell your broker or fund manager to name you as the donor on the transfer, and if your gift is intended for a particular area have the broker specify that as well.) Contact Craig Stevens at 540-740-4545 or cstevens@svbf.net for more information.

Stocks and Other Securities

A charitable gift of stocks and other securities can be a great way to support the National Historic District and also offer significant tax advantages. If the securities have been held longer than one year, a direct gift to the Foundation would not only yield a fair market value tax deduction, it would avoid capital gains taxes on any appreciation over your cost basis. Securities can be gifted directly to the Foundation through our broker noted below. Please be sure to include contact information with your transmission so we can thank you properly and provide you with appropriate tax receipting. Transferred securities are dated from the settlement date they enter SVBF accounts.

Here is the information you will need to transfer any stocks to SVBF:

DTC #0361

Account #18486850

Our broker’s contact information is:
Sandy von Thelen
DA Davidson
The Von Thelen & Armstrong Financial Advisor Group

210 Ridge McIntire Rd, Unit 100
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Office: 434-328-7640
Direct: 434-328-7643
SVonThelen@dadco.com

The content found on this site is general in nature and intended to be used for informational purposes only. It should not be relied upon as legal, tax, accounting or other professional advice. To determine how a gift or estate planning decision might affect your particular circumstances, it is expressly recommended that you consult an attorney, financial advisor or other qualified professional.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation: Tax ID number is 54-2007460