Legacy Giving

Plant the future. Grow a legacy.

You already invest in the people and places that make Whidbey home. Legacy giving lets you continue that care—supporting local nonprofits and community priorities long after today.

At the Whidbey Community Foundation (WCF), we partner with you (and, if you wish, your family and professional advisors) to craft a charitable plan that reflects your values and endures over time.

Three welcoming pathways:

  1. Create a legacy fund at WCF. One bequest can support many causes, now and in the future. Your fund can:
    • Distribute gifts immediately after your estate is settled,
    • Provide support over a set number of years, or
    • Become an endowment that delivers annual grants in your fund’s name.
  2. Invest in WCF’s community leadership. Support WCF’s capacity-building, grantmaking, and community initiatives so we can meet evolving needs across Whidbey Island for generations.
  3. Give directly to your favorite nonprofit(s). Prefer to name organizations you love? You can include them in your will or trust. Use our sample bequest language and simply add your chosen nonprofit(s).

We’re here to help you do any (or all) of the above—side by side with your advisors, family, or whomever you choose.

How It Works

  1. Start the conversation. We listen for what matters most to you and outline straightforward options. Check out our Fund Inquiry Form.
  2. Capture your intent. If you’re starting a legacy fund, we draft a simple fund agreement that records your charitable wishes. (You can update it anytime—no need to change your will.)
  3. Put your plan in motion. When your estate transfer assets, WCF carries out your instructions and stewards your legacy as directed.

Ways to Give Later:

  • Bequest by Will or Trust: sample bequest language
  • Beneficiary Designation Gifts — IRA, Life Insurance, or Qualified Plan Assets
  • Charitable Gift Annuities
  • Charitable Trusts
  • Close Held Business Interests including Subchapter S-Stock

We’re glad to discuss other assets (e.g., real estate, appreciated securities) and coordinate with your advisors to ensure the best fit for your goals and tax situation.

Why work with WCF:

  • Simplicity & flexibility: One plan, many possibilities—easily updated as your interests evolve.
  • Local stewardship: Grants stay aligned with your Whidbey values and priorities.
  • Permanence: Endowed gifts provide reliable, annual support—forever.
  • Partnership: We collaborate with your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor

Join the Whidbey Island Legacy Society

If you’ve included WCF—directly or through a fund—please let us know. Our Whidbey Island Legacy Society honors those who’ve made future gifts to benefit our island community.

“Legacy isn’t what you leave behind.  It’s what you leave forward.”

Download the Legacy Society Statement of Intent Form

The Whidbey Island Legacy Society Statement of Intent Form is a non-binding document that lets us know about your intentions of planned giving to benefit the community. You will then be invited to join our Legacy Society, which honors those who include the Whidbey Community Foundation in their planned giving.

Learn More About Legacy Giving

Making An Impact on Whidbey: Giving in the Present & Leaving Legacy for the Future.

Questions on your options?

If you have questions about starting a fund, leaving a legacy or have questions that will support your philanthropy, please reach out to Holly Harlan, Development & Donor Services Manager at (360) 854-4965 or email her at HollyH@whidbeyfoundation.org.