Establishing a Fund
Establishing a fund through Big Bend Conservancy provides reliable long-term support for the Big Bend National Park’s most pressing needs. It allows you to extend your care and support for this remarkable place for generations to come.
How It Works
Field of Interest Fund
A field of interest fund supports a Big Bend Conservancy initiative that reflects your conservation priorities. In collaboration with Conservancy staff, you determine the purpose and scope of the fund at its inception, and Big Bend Conservancy awards grants to advance that purpose over time. Your fund can also receive additional contributions from others who share your vision, extending your impact well beyond your original gift.
Donor-Advised Fund
A donor-advised fund is an account you establish that is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the fund, which grows tax-free, and you may recommend how and when distributions are made to Big Bend Conservancy. While distributions cannot be directed, your recommendations help guide support for the park’s most important priorities.
A donor-advised fund offers flexibility and involvement in your giving, allowing you to sustain meaningful conservation work at Big Bend over time.
Examples
Field of Interest Fund
Sue Smith has long admired the beauty and resilience of Big Bend’s desert flora. From towering yuccas to delicate wildflowers, she sees the park’s plant life as the foundation of its unique landscape. To preserve that beauty, she establishes The Sue Smith Desert Flora Fund, a $100,000 field of interest fund with Big Bend Conservancy. Her gift qualifies for a federal income tax charitable deduction and provides enduring support for the protection of Big Bend’s native desert vegetation.
In partnership with Conservancy staff, Sue defines the fund’s focus on the protection and restoration of native desert plant communities. The Conservancy manages the fund and awards grants to projects that advance this mission. Her gift reflects a lasting commitment to ensuring Big Bend’s desert blooms continue to thrive for generations to come.
Donor-Advised Fund
Andrew and Lisa Jones have long cherished their time exploring Big Bend National Park. Now, they’ve reached a point in their lives where they can give back to the place that has given them so much. The couple establishes a $250,000 donor-advised fund with Big Bend Conservancy called The Jones Family Conservation Fund. Their gift qualifies for a federal income tax charitable deduction, and they work with Conservancy staff to identify the initiatives their fund can support. Andrew and Lisa are proud to begin a personal legacy of giving that will help protect Big Bend for generations to come.
Interested in receiving more information?
Please email Loren Riemer, our Executive Director, at director@bigbendconservancy.org and express that you're interested in learning more about planned giving and you were looking at establishing a fund.
We'd love to work with you!