Annual Fund

The Annual Fund is a yearly campaign to raise unrestricted gifts from individual, corporate, and foundation friends to support Living History Farms' vision and mission. Annual Fund gifts provide funding to all areas of the museum. These gifts make it possible for Living History Farms to sustain the quality of our programs and services.

Last year, as part of the $700 billion Economic Stabilization Bill, Congress extended opportunities for donors to make tax-free charitable gifts from their IRAs. This provision is designed specifically to encourage philanthropy during these tough economic times. We urge you to consider this important year-end giving option because of its expiration on December 31, 2009-unless Congress passes another extension this fall.

This opportunity was originally created by Congress in August 2006 in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and  Rita. At that time, there was widespread concern that the outpouring of generosity toward disaster victims would leave not-for-profits around the country high-and-dry. It was a limited-time offer that resulted in millions of dollars in new and increased gifts. The hope is that there will be a similar result this time.

A gift from an IRA is just one way to support the Farms. Please consider making a gift to us in whatever form works best for you by December 31 to take full advantage of the tax benefits allowed by law. Please
consult with your tax advisor to determine how this can positively impact the amount of your 2009 taxes.

For more information, contact Jim Dietz-Kilen at 515-278-5286 or jdietz-kilen@lhf.org.  Thank you for your consideration.