The following provides a simple guide to paving the road for a more walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly Monroe County. Please remember that it is always best to discuss any of the following with your legal or tax advisor.

What is a planned gift?

A planned gift is a way to support Reconnect Rochester’s mission in the future—often through your will, retirement account, or another part of your estate plan. It’s called “planned” because it’s arranged now but typically takes effect later, helping to ensure a future where everyone can safely and easily get around.

Do I have to be wealthy to make a planned gift?

Not at all. A legacy gift is a way for people of all means to make a lasting impact and leave a legacy. A gift of any size helps us continue to advocate for equitable, people-first streets and a transportation network that serves everyone.

What are the most common planned gifts? 

The most common are:

• Including a gift to Reconnect Rochester in your will or trust
• Naming Reconnect Rochester as a beneficiary of your IRA or life insurance policy
• Setting up a charitable gift annuity that pays you lifetime income and supports Reconnect Rochester at the same time

What’s the easiest way to leave a gift? 

Adding a few sentences to your will is often the simplest way.

Here’s one example: “I give [% of my estate, residual or what’s left after other bequests are paid, or $ amount] to Reconnect Rochester, a nonprofit organization located in Rochester, New York, Tax ID# [16-1445025], to be used for its general purposes.”

We’re happy to help you with suggested language you can share with your attorney.

Can I choose how my gift will be used? 

Yes. While many donors choose to make an unrestricted gift (so it can be used where most needed), you can also designate your gift to support a specific aspect of our work, such as:

• Our advocacy for a more connected bike network
• Our work to improve public transit
• Projects that make streets safer for pedestrians
• Our community engagement and education programs

We’re happy to work with you to ensure your wishes are honored in a manner that also addresses our strategic goals and helps build a more vibrant and equitable community.

Are there tax benefits?

Planned gifts may reduce income taxes, capital gains taxes, and estate taxes-depending on the type of gift and your financial situation. For example:

• A gift of appreciated stock may help you avoid capital gains tax.
• A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA (if you’re 70% or older) can lower your taxable income.

We recommend talking with your financial advisor to determine what works best for you.

Should I tell you about my planned gift?

If you feel comfortable, we would love to hear from you so we can acknowledge your planned giving and thank you accordingly. Of course, you may also choose to keep your planned giving confidential.

Can I change my mind later?

Absolutely. Most planned gifts are revocable, which means you can change your beneficiaries or gift amount at any time.

What do I need to get started?

All you need is a conversation with your financial advisor, your attorney, or us. We’re happy to answer questions, provide sample language, and help you create a gift that fits your values and your situation.

Still Have Questions?

Reconnect Rochester’s Fundraising & Development Manager, Kristin Brower, would be happy to work with you on your planned giving. Reach out to her at Kristin@reconnectrochester.org or 585.484.0737

All conversations are confidential and without obligation.

What is a Donor Advised Fund?

A donor advised fund (DAF) is a tax-advantaged charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations, like Reconnect Rochester. Anyone can open a DAF; you don’t have to be extremely wealthy or a financial expert.

 

Easy and tax-savvy, it makes sense that donor-advised funds are the fastest growing giving vehicle. Contact a financial advisor or institution to determine if a donor advised fund is right for you.

 

 

What if I already have a donor advised fund? 

If you already have a donor advised fund, you may recommend a grant to Reconnect Rochester by contacting your financial institution or fund manager and letting them know how much you would like to donate. The grant payment is typically sent via mail. Reconnect Rochester’s mailing address is 400 Andrews St., Suite 100A, Rochester, NY 14604.

Please make a special request for your name and address to be included with your distribution, as some grant payments from DAFs arrive without a name, so we can properly thank you for your generosity!

If you’re 70 ½ years of age or older, you can make a tax-free charitable gift from your traditional or Roth IRA (sometimes called a Qualified Charitable Distribution), potentially reducing your taxable income. The maximum amount you can donate changes yearly based on inflation. You can give directly to charitable nonprofits, like Reconnect Rochester from your individual retirement accounts without it being treated as taxable income, however, these distributions must be paid directly from the IRA custodian to an eligible charitable organization.

 

If you’re 73 or older, you’ll need to start taking withdrawals from your IRA. This is a great opportunity to support non-profit organizations! You can choose to give all or a portion of your withdrawal directly to a nonprofit like Reconnect Rochester, and in doing so, you won’t have to pay income tax on the amount you donate.

 

Consult your plan administrator or your tax advisors for more information.

What information will I need to provide to my IRA administrator?

Checks should be made payable to Reconnect Rochester and mailed to:

 

Reconnect Rochester
400 Andrews St
Suite 100A
Rochester, NY 14604
EIN: 16-1445025

 

Memo Line: If possible, please include your name in the memo line, as often these checks come to us without any donor information. Ex: “IRA QCD donation from (your name)”.

Ready to go Car Lite, car-free or just ready for a new one? We set up a Reconnect Rochester account on Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS), a vehicle donation program provider, to make it super easy for you to donate your car, get a tax deduction and support Reconnect Rochester all at the same time! Donating your car helps to support our community as a place where everyone can easily and safely get around, regardless of age, ability, income or mode of transportation.

 

The vehicle donation program accept all types of vehicles:

 

• cars
• trucks
• motorcycles
• trailers
• boats
• and more!

Are there any costs?

 

There is no cost to the donor. All expenses are deducted from the gross sales price, and if the costs ever exceed the price, those costs are covered by our vehicle donation program provider CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services).

How it Works

1. 1. To get started, visit Reconnect Rochester’s CARS site to fill out an online donation form, or call CARS at 855-500-RIDE or 855-500-7433 to speak to a live operator
   2. They will tow your vehicle at no cost to you!
   3. Get a tax deductible receipt
   4. Sale proceeds are sent to Reconnect Rochester to support our cause!

If you have more questions about how it works, you will probably find the answer on this CARS FAQ webpage.

Are you celebrating a milestone like a birthday or wedding, or just love Reconnect Rochester and want to help us raise funds to support multimodal transportation? 

There are thousands of creative ideas for events you can plan (sky’s the limit!), but here are a few examples of fundraisers and friendraisers you can organize: 

• “Car free Commute” Challenge: Pledge to commute to work (or to a favorite spot) exclusively by bike, on foot, or by bus for a set amount of time, like a week or a month. Ask friends and family to donate a certain amount per day or per week they complete your pledge. We can help you set up a personal fundraising page!
• House Party: Host a cocktail or dinner party for friends and family (optional: encourage them to get there car-free!). You can talk about Reconnect Rochester’s mission (or a staff member can drop-in and give a pitch), and encourage attendees to make a donation in lieu of bringing a bottle of wine or a dish.
• Karaoke or Trivia Night: Organize a fun karaoke or trivia night with friends at your house or a local bar, charging a cover price to be donated to Reconnect Rochester. Optional: Tie it to the mission with mobility-themed songs and questions!
• Birthday or Special Occasion Fundraisers: If you’re celebrating a birthday, holiday, or wedding, you can invite friends and family to donate to Reconnect Rochester instead of buying you a gift. Social media platforms like Facebook Fundraisers, have great tools you can use to share and collect donations!

We’d love to hear your ideas and see how we can support you in raising funds for Reconnect Rochester! Feel free to reach out to Fundraising & Development Manager, Kristin Brower at kristin@ReconnectRochester.org or 585.484.0737.