The Bequest Challenge
Support the Fund
Philanthropic support is critical to promoting leadership and innovation, enabling the Library to test new ideas, leverage those ideas to scale, and respond to evolving community needs. While city funding provides the Boston Public Library with a strong base of support, gifts at all levels make innovation and expansion of new services and programs possible.
The Boston Public Library Fund (BPLF) is launching its first-ever Bequest Challenge — an effort to raise awareness and interest in legacy giving. The Challenge is your opportunity to be a part of the future of this iconic and beloved Boston treasure while unlocking current support for invaluable programs that benefit our community today.
Your legacy gift to the BPLF is an investment in transforming the Boston Public Library’s aspirations into results and in catapulting us to new heights of innovation and achievement. The Fund provides vital resources that help us offer inclusive services and programs to all community members, fulfill our role as a convener and equalizer, and take calculated risks to support innovative opportunities, above and beyond city funding.
A gift in your will or estate plan is an easy and flexible way to support the preservation of vibrant resources that define and distinguish the Library, help serve every person who walks through its doors, and affirm the Library’s role as a trusted beacon of information.
And now, thanks to the generosity of a longtime board member, your bequest will be matched with a current-use gift made in your honor — increasing the impact of your support.
Here is how the Bequest Challenge works:
- Name the Boston Public Library Fund in your will or living trust or as a beneficiary of your retirement or financial accounts. New commitments as well as increases to previous commitments qualify.
- Sample language: “I give to the Boston Public Library Fund, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116, a Massachusetts nonprofit corporation, or its successor, Federal Tax Identification Number 04-3150560 [insert here the exact dollar amount].” You’ll find additional language for a Specific, Residuary and Contingent Bequest on our website, Gifts by Will or Trust | Boston Public Library Fund (bplfund.org).
- Fill out a Letter of Intent to document your gift and email or mail it to the BPLF.
- Once the Letter of Intent is received, a gift to the Fund equal to 10 percent of the amount of your bequest (up to $10,000) will be provided for current use in your honor.
- Enjoy recognition in our 1848 Society and be included in a listing of honored donors.
Let us know about your gift intent using this form:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Do I qualify to participate in the Boston Public Library Fund 1848 Bequest Challenge?
A: To qualify, either you or your spouse must be at least 55 years old and be willing to provide documentation of your planned gift.
Q: What types of gifts qualify for the Bequest Challenge?
A: Eligible planned gifts include: bequests made in a will or living trust, beneficiary designations from a retirement account, financial account, donor advised fund or life insurance policy as well as charitable remainder trusts.
Q: Do I have to decide on a specific dollar amount for my gift today?
A: No. A popular choice is stating a gift as a percentage which will automatically adjust no matter what the future may bring. However, we do ask that you provide your best estimate of what your gift would be worth at this time.
Q: What if I don’t want to reveal the amount of my bequest?
A: You can still participate by letting us know that you have included the Boston Public Library Fund in your estate plans and a gift of $1,000 will be made in your honor.
Q: How can I provide for my family and at the same time make a future gift to the Boston Public Library Fund?
A: Some people choose to put aside a percentage — which could be 10% or 20% and leave the majority of their assets to family and friends. You can also choose to make a gift with the balance of a retirement account, which may also save on taxes.
Q: How will I be recognized for my gift?
A: You will be recognized in the 1848 Society and listed in our annual Impact Report. You will also be acknowledged with a special matching gift made in your honor during the year that your gift is made.
Q: Is there a deadline to participate in the Challenge.
A: The Challenge will run as long as matching funds are available. Act now and don’t miss this great opportunity.
Q: Who made this Challenge possible?
A: A long-time member of the BPLF Board who is passionate about the power of legacy gifts.
To learn more about how you can achieve both your philanthropic and financial goals, contact Carol Estes-Schwartz, Deputy Executive Director, at 617-859-2032 or cestes@bplfund.org.
