Methods of Giving


Opportunity Project invites corporations, foundations and individuals to participate in Ensuring the Future.

As a contributor you have the unique opportunity to attach your family or company name to a room, furnishings and equipment, area of our new Clubhouse facility or Clubhouse program. You can also pay tribute to loved ones and family members on our permanent display, The Path to Opportunity.

Cash or liquid securities are the preferred form of giving to the Campaign for Opportunity Project. However, other forms of giving are encouraged and may offer viable alternatives. For example, planned gifts offer the donor an effective way to participate in the campaign and, in many cases, when combined with cash gifts provide an attractive way to significantly increase a commitment.

Gifts of this significance require careful thought. Once you have decided to contribute to Ensuring the Future, you may find the following ideas helpful in choosing the most suitable way to make your gift. Opportunity Project staff can work with you or your financial advisor to structure a gift that best suits your needs.

Gifts of Cash/Check:

  • Checks should be made payable to Opportunity Project. A tax deduction is taken in the year the gift is made. If the amount of gift exceeds fifty percent of donor’s adjusted gross income; the excess contribution may be carried over for up to five additional years until full value is deducted.

Budget Your Gift:

  • You may prefer to make a financial pledge and then pay that pledge over a one-, two-, three, four- or five-year period. Gifts may be pledged and then paid annually, quarterly or at other intervals that suit your needs.

Gifts of Appreciated Securities:

  • For outright gifts of appreciated long-term securities, the deduction is equal to the fair market value of the securities on the date the donor relinquishes control of the assets to Opportunity Project. As a result, none of the appreciation has to be realized by the donor.

Gifts of Real Estate:

  • Gifts can consist of almost any type of property: personal or recreational residence, farm or ranch, commercial building, subdivision lots, underdeveloped property or a fractional interest in property. Assets may be given outright, serve as the corpus of a trust arrangement or, in the case of a personal residence, be given with the right of lifetime tenancy. The campaign will be credited with 100 percent of the fair market value of the property as per a professional appraisal. Life tenancy gifts will be reviewed by the Campaign Executive Committee to determine the amount to be credited to the campaign.

Gifts of Closely Held Stock:

  • In this manner, the donor avoids capital gains on appreciation of the stock and receives an immediate tax deduction (limited to the 30%, five-year rule).

Gifts of Life Insurance:

  • Using life insurance to make a major gift is a viable option for donors who no longer need policies purchased some years ago. Donors may choose to assign their policies irrevocably to Opportunity Project. Here a donor could realize an immediate tax deduction in the amount of the policy’s current value. Further, the proceeds would not be subject to estate taxes and the premiums would be deductible for income tax purposes in the years thereafter in which they are paid. Policies irrevocably naming Opportunity Project as owner and beneficiary illldrestricted to the Case, will be credited to the campaign in the amount of the cash surrender value and all premiums paid during the campaign pledge period.

Gifts by Will:

  • Bequests large and small contribute to the good health of organizations such as Opportunity Project for many years. Bequests qualify for unlimited charitable deduction, which reduces one’s estate taxes and preserves more of the donor’s assets for family and other intended beneficiaries. All bequests received, with the exception of those restricted toareas outside the case, will be credited to the campaign.

Charitable Remainder Trusts/Life Income Gifts:

  • Charitable trusts are particularly beneficial for those who hold highly appreciated low yield investments from which a higher return: is desired. With a Remainder Trust, the donor and/or beneficiary retains the income from donated assets for his/her lifetime, and is eligible to take a current tax deduction for a portion of the gift,and eliminate the tax on capital gains from the gifted securities or real estate. Charitable Reminder Trusts will be credited to the campaign at 100 percent of the fair market value of the assets in trust bill the date of gift.

Charitable Lead Trusts:

  • With a Lead Trust, an income-producing asset is placed in a trust. The income is donated to The Campaign for Opportunity Project for a predetermined period of time, after which the asset in the trust and the income it produces are returned to the donor or to the non charitable beneficiaries the donor has named. The campaign will be credited with the projected value of the income to be paid to The Campaign for the term of the trust.

Matching Gifts:

  • Many companies have matching gift programs that will double or even triple charitable contributions made by their employees.  Prior to making a donation, please check with your employer to see if the company offers a matching gift program, as it may be necessary to obtain a matching gift form.  We are happy to help facilitate this process.

Donors should consult with their tax advisor to determine specific tax savings and/or the planned giving opportunity which best fits a particular need.