Sample Bequest Language for Nonprofits: Top Example Clauses

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The article’s title: “Sample Bequest Language for Nonprofits: Top Example Clauses"

Inviting supporters to leave a legacy is a natural next step in your relationship. Estate planning can feel unfamiliar, but clear guidance makes it approachable. Providing sample bequest language makes it easy for donors to include your mission in their will, trust, or beneficiary designation, ensuring long-term funding for your organization.

This guide provides a library of example clauses. Specifically, we’ll cover:

Add these templates to your website, donor letters, and campaign materials to make legacy giving simpler and more accessible.

Disclaimer: Please note that this information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or tax advice. Always recommend that supporters consult an estate planning attorney to ensure their will or trust accurately reflects their wishes and complies with state law.

Sample Bequest Clauses You Can Use Today

Before sharing any sample clause, clearly display your organization’s identifying details. Donors and their attorneys need this information to ensure accurate gift delivery. Always include:

  • Legal Name of Organization: (e.g., The Community Foundation)
  • Tax Identification Number: (e.g., 00-0000000)
  • Official Mailing Address: (e.g., 123 Main Street, Suite 400, City, State, Zip)

Unrestricted Bequest

Unrestricted bequests give your organization the flexibility to direct funds wherever they are most needed. This option shows trust in your future leadership and serves as an easy entry point for first-time legacy donors.

General Amount Bequest

With this option, supporters can leave a specific dollar amount.

Template: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], the sum of $ [Amount] to be used for its general and unrestricted purposes.”

Percentage of Estate Bequest

Many supporters choose this option because it adjusts naturally with changes in their estate’s value.

Template: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], [Percentage] % of the total value of my estate to be used for its general and unrestricted purposes.”

Residuary Estate Bequest

This clause grants your organization the remaining balance of the estate after all other obligations and specific bequests are fulfilled.

Template: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], all (or a stated percentage) of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to be used for its general and unrestricted purposes.”

Restricted Bequest

Restricted bequests allow supporters to direct their gift to a specific area of your mission, ensuring their personal philanthropic intent is honored.

Specific Program Support

This option lets supporters direct their gift to a specific program while giving your board the flexibility to redirect funds if it is deemed no longer necessary or practical.

Template: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], the sum of $ [Amount] (or stated percentage of the estate) to be used specifically to support [Name of Specific Program or Initiative]. If, in the future, it is deemed by the Board of Directors that this specific purpose is no longer necessary or practical, the Board may direct these funds to serve a closely related purpose.”

Endowment Funding

An endowment fund works by keeping the principal intact and only drawing from the income generated by investing the principal. This option builds your endowment by contributing to the principal.

Templates:

  • To contribute to an existing endowment: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], the sum of $ [Amount] to be added to the [Name of Endowment Fund], to be administered in accordance with the governing documents of said Fund.”
  • To establish a new endowment: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], the sum of $ [Amount] to be added to the [Name of Endowment Fund]. The principal shall remain intact, and the income generated shall be used to support [Specific Purpose or General Operations].”

Specific and Contingent Bequest Options

Specific and contingent bequests allow donors to direct specific assets or set conditions for their gift, ensuring their intentions are met across changing circumstances.

Specific Property or Asset Bequest

Supporters can gift real estate, stocks, or other non-liquid assets instead of cash.

Template: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], my [Description of Property, specific stock shares, or asset] to be used or sold for its general and unrestricted purposes.”

Contingent Bequest

This clause ensures your organization receives a gift only if the primary beneficiaries do not survive the donor.

Template: “In the event that [Name of Primary Beneficiary] does not survive me, I give and bequeath their share of my estate to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], to be used for its general and unrestricted purposes.”

Advanced Legacy & Designation Options

As your legacy program matures, expanding your sample marketing copy and web resources helps capture unique scenarios and modern financial vehicles, offering language tailored to every donor’s situation.

Nuanced and Highly Tailored Bequest Clauses

These clauses cover specific situations like honoring a loved one, supporting a regional chapter, or updating an existing will.

Honorary or Memorial Bequests

Offering explicit language for honorary or memorial gifts validates the donor’s personal and emotional connection to the gift.

Template: “I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], the sum of $ [Amount] (or [Percentage] % of my estate). This gift is made in honor of (or in loving memory of) [Name of Individual] and shall be recorded as such in the organization’s legacy records.”

Chapter or Geographic-Specific Bequests

Supporters of national or international organizations often prefer that their funds be used within their local community.

Template: “I give and bequeath to [National Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], the sum of $ [Amount]. It is my explicit direction that these funds be restricted for use by the [Name of Local Chapter or Specific Region] for its general operational purposes.”

Codicil Language for Quick Updates

A codicil allows donors to make minor additions to an existing will without redrafting the entire document.

Template: “I, [Supporter Name], hereby amend my Last Will and Testament, dated [Date of Original Will]. I add the following provision: I give and bequeath to [Legal Name of Organization], located at [Address], with the Tax ID number [Tax ID], the sum of $ [Amount] for its unrestricted use. In all other respects, I reaffirm and republish my Last Will and Testament.”

Beneficiary Designations (The Alternative to Wills)

Naming your organization as an account beneficiary avoids probate and provides a simple, direct way for supporters to give.

Below are sample marketing copy and instructional web page copy snippets you can share with donors to guide them through naming your organization as a beneficiary with their plan administrator, including your Legal Name, Tax ID, and Address.

Retirement Accounts (IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s)

Supporters can list your nonprofit as a full or partial beneficiary of their retirement account.

Sample Marketing Copy: “Naming [Organization Name] as a beneficiary of your retirement account is one of the most tax-efficient ways to give. Simply request a beneficiary designation form from your plan administrator and write in our Legal Name [Name] and Tax ID [Number] for the percentage you wish to allocate.”

Life Insurance Policies

Supporters can transfer ownership of a paid policy or name your organization as a primary or contingent beneficiary.

Sample Marketing Copy: “You can put an existing life insurance policy to work for a cause you care about. By naming [Organization Name] as the beneficiary, your legacy continues to support our mission. Contact your insurance provider for a beneficiary update form.”

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)

Donors using a DAF can designate your nonprofit to receive remaining funds when closing the account.

Sample Marketing Copy: “If you manage your philanthropy through a Donor-Advised Fund, you can designate [Organization Name] as a succession beneficiary. This ensures the remaining funds transition directly to support our ongoing initiatives.”

Best Practices for Implementation, Marketing, and Infrastructure

Strategic Placement on Your Digital Assets

Place bequest language where supporters can easily find it. Your legacy page should help donors quickly locate the necessary legal wording. For example, a loyal college alumna inspired by years of thoughtful stewardship is more likely to finalize her gift if she can easily pull up the exact Tax ID and instructions she needs from your college website.

Reducing friction helps turn intent into action. Applying accessibility principles, such as clear headings and strong color contrast, ensures your legacy page is usable by everyone.

Enhancing Direct Mail and Outreach Letters

Direct mail is a great channel to introduce legacy giving. Pair a soft introduction with a short, practical sample clause rather than filling the letter with technical legal language.

Letter Integration Template:

“Dear [Donor’s Name],

Your generosity has transformed our community. If you would like to continue this impact for years to come, please consider including us in your estate plans. A simple clause like the one below is all it takes to make a lasting difference:

[Insert General Amount Bequest Template]

For example: “I give and bequeath to The Community Foundation, located at 123 Main Street, Suite 400, City, State, Zip, with the Tax ID number 00-0000000, the sum of $10,000 to be used for its general and unrestricted purposes.”

For more options, please visit our website or share this phrasing directly with your legal advisor.”

Cross-Promoting Bequests in Existing Campaigns

Weave legacy messaging into existing campaigns. If you are currently running a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, include a simple checkbox or short note in campaign follow-ups to show participants how to extend their impact through a bequest.

Crafting the right message is only half the strategy. Using technology to segment your audience helps deliver legacy messaging to supporters most likely to respond. Delivering it to the right audience is what turns a well-written clause into a completed gift.

Segment donors by giving tenure, affinity for your cause, and overall engagement rather than gift size alone. Loyal, long-term donors are often your best legacy candidates. Data appends further highlight philanthropic capacity by appending external wealth indicators, real estate values, and financial asset data to your internal records, revealing a supporter’s true giving potential beyond their past donation history. This keeps records accurate for donors and their legal advisors, simplifying gift realization and giving your team a full view of each supporter’s giving journey.

CRM platforms help track ongoing donor relationships, allowing your organization to maintain detailed interaction histories, personalize outreach, and prevent valuable supporters from slipping through the cracks over long cultivation cycles. Additionally, tools can indicate donor retirement readiness, signaling good timing for legacy conversations.

Track legacy gifts by type in your database so you can tailor communications to each donor’s preferred giving method.

Final Thoughts

Legacy giving can be simple. By maintaining clear bequest templates, an accessible website, and light legacy messaging within existing campaigns, you can guide your most loyal supporters toward making a lasting impact.

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