A bumblebee on Smooth Oxeye flowers in a meadow
Bumblebee A bumblebee on Smooth Oxeye flowers in a meadow in Southwest Virginia. July 2019. © Steven David Johnson

Gift & Estate Planning

Legal Language and Tax ID

If you wish to name The Nature Conservancy in your will or estate plan, we should be named as:

The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the District of Columbia, with principal business address of 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203-1606.

Tax ID:

Our tax identification number is: 53-0242652

Date of Incorporation:

October 11, 1951

The Nature Conservancy is tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is a 50%-type organization under section 170(b)(1)(A).

Questions?

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Click here to view our legal designation language in a printable format.

At The Nature Conservancy, all unrestricted charitable gifts are used strategically to support top conservation priorities. If you have a more specific purpose in mind, please contact us toll-free at (833) 336-7526 to ensure that we can meet your wishes. Whether you choose to restrict a gift or not, your support will help preserve our lands and waters for future generations to enjoy.

If you have included The Nature Conservancy in your estate plans, let us know. We would like to thank you for your generous commitment to the future of our natural world and welcome you to The Legacy Club.

Yellowstone grizzly cub in Yellowstone National Park
Grizzly Cub Yellowstone grizzly cub in Yellowstone National Park © Cathy Hummel/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Additional Sample Language for Gifts of Real Estate

If you own property that you would like to donate to the Conservancy through your will or trust, the following language, which you should share with your attorney, can be used:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the District of Columbia, and with current business address of 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203, tax identification number 53-0242652, all of that certain piece, parcel or lot of land owned by me and situated and being in the Town of _______ and more particularly described as follows: [full legal description of property]

I understand that the above-mentioned real estate may not qualify for protection under the Conservancy’s natural area program. If it does not qualify for protection, I hereby give my permission for it to be sold at the Conservancy's sole discretion and the proceeds used as the Conservancy's Board of Directors deems appropriate to further the purposes of the Conservancy.

 

Donating Conservation Land Through Your Will or Trust

If you would like to donate land to The Nature Conservancy through your estate, we encourage you to consider giving us the flexibility to accept the property without restrictions. When we receive the property, we will evaluate it and determine if it meets our conservation priorities. If it does not, we will sell the land and use the proceeds for our priority conservation work. If this is not satisfactory, then you may want to leave your property to us with a provision that, if we are unable to provide protection, it will go to another conservation organization with different priorities and criteria for protection; for example, a local land trust.

The following language, which you should share with your attorney, can be used to devise property to The Nature Conservancy:

I hereby give, devise and bequeath to The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the District of Columbia, and with business address of 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203, all of that certain piece, parcel or lot of land owned by me and situated and being in the Town of _______ and more particularly described as follows: [full legal description of property]

It is my wish that The Nature Conservancy preserve and protect this property in its natural state. I understand that at the time of my death, The Nature Conservancy shall inspect the property to determine whether it provides habitat for any rare, endangered or threatened species and whether it has any natural features or characteristics that should be protected. I understand that The Nature Conservancy will endeavor to provide for appropriate protection for the property or any portions of the property that then contain any such species or natural characteristics and features. This may include selling the property with conservation restrictions.

EITHER: 
If at the time of my death, The Nature Conservancy determines that it cannot protect the property, then the Conservancy may sell the property unrestricted.

OR: 
If at the time of my death, The Nature Conservancy determines that it cannot protect the property, then I leave the property to ___________ [local land trust or other conservation organization] if it agrees to protect it. If that organization will not protect it, then ___________ [decide whether you then wish to leave it unrestricted to the Conservancy, or to name a third organization as beneficiary].