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Huntsville Botanical Garden Foundation
The Huntsville Botanical Garden Foundation was formed in 1997 and is a separately incorporated
501c(3) tax-exempt organization that solicits, receives, invests, maintains, and distributes
gifts for the benefit and growth of the Garden. The goal of the Foundation is to strengthen
the partnership between the community and the Garden by developing a strong endowment fund. The
principal of the endowment fund is invested to generate a steady and reliable income stream to
help offset operational and capital expenses for the Garden, while the principal remains intact
to provide support for future generations.
You can support with an immediate gift of cash, securities or real estate, or through a
planned gift. Some planned giving options include:
- Naming the Garden Foundation as a beneficiary as all or part of life insurance proceeds,
retirement plan benefits, or property to the Garden foundation.
- A Charitable Remainder Trust allows you to receive income for your lifetime, receive an
income tax deduction in the year of the transfer, and provide a gift to the Garden foundation.
- A Charitable Lead Trust allows you to direct current income from the trust to the Garden
foundation and have the asset returned to you or given to family or others at the end of a
time period you determine.
- Establish a special named fund to be named in memory or honor of a friend or loved one that
would endow a Garden program. The principal of this fund could be added to, while only the
earnings would be used to support the Garden area. For example, income from the "Jane Doe
Wildflower Fund" would support the wildflower trail throughout the years.
By carefully planning your charitable gifts you can:
- Provide support to the Garden beyond your lifetime,
- Produce exciting tax benefits and increase your disposable income,
- Become a member of the Foundation’s Perennial Gift Society, an honor with special privileges
reserved only for those who make a planned gift to the Foundation. Perennial Gift Society
members will receive invitations to special events throughout the year, will be listed in the
Garden’s Annual Report, and will become members of the Garden’s major donor society, L’Espalier,
at the appropriate level.
L’Espalier Society
L’Espalier (l’i-spal’yea): A trellis or other framework on which a tree or shrub is
trained to grow. L’Espalier is a French word derived from the Italian "spalliera" which means
something to rest the shoulder (spalla) against; a support. The purpose of the Society is to
honor and recognize the individuals and organizations whose outstanding and cumulative giving
provide the framework on which our Garden grows.
All Garden donors at the level of $1,000 and above are designated as members of our major
donor society, L’Espalier. Donors at the level of $5,000 and above are listed on the Donor
Wall in the Linda J. Smith Visitor Center. L’Espalier levels and their explanations are listed
as follows:
- L’Arbre (Tree): $100,000 cumulative lifetime giving
- La Fleur (Flower): $50,000 cumulative lifetime giving
- La Branche (Branch): $25,000 cumulative lifetime giving
- Le Tronc (Trunk): $10,000-$24,999 cumulative giving in 10-year period
- La Racine (Root): $5,000-$9,999 cumulative giving in 5-year period
- La Graine (Seed): $1,000-$4,999 cumulative giving in 1-year period
For more information contact:
Tish Pegues | 256-430-3572 ext. 235 | tpegues@hsvbg.org.
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