Legacy Giving
Resistance without resilience is burnout.
A legacy gift is resilience.
The Disruptors Circle is CELDF’s legacy society — for those who have decided their commitment to this work doesn’t end with their lifetime.
Established for donors who have chosen to include CELDF in their estate plans. Members are people who understood what was broken before it was comfortable to say so, who acted on that understanding when it still carried risk, and who have decided that their commitment to this work doesn’t end with their lifetime.
There is no minimum gift. The qualifier is the commitment, the intention to sustain this work across the long horizon it requires.
We are currently welcoming founding members of the Disruptors Circle. Those who join at launch become part of the inaugural cohort and become the first to formalize a commitment that shapes what CELDF can do and be for the next generation. If you have already included CELDF in your plans, or are ready to do so, we’d be honored to welcome you as a founding member.
Membership Eligibility
The Disruptors Circle is open to anyone who has included CELDF in their estate plans through a bequest, a beneficiary designation, or another qualifying planned gift arrangement. There is no minimum gift amount. The qualifier is the commitment: the intention to ensure this work continues long after we are gone.
If you are considering a planned gift and would like to discuss your options before making a decision, we welcome that conversation with no obligation attached. Many Disruptors Circle members also choose to support CELDF with an annual gift. We encourage you to consider ongoing giving as part of your broader financial planning, which helps sustain the day-to-day work while your legacy gift secures the long term.
Why a Legacy Gift
CELDF has always operated at the edge of what the legal and political system permits, and beyond it when necessary. That position makes foundation funding increasingly difficult to secure. Individual donors, including legacy donors, are the sustainable foundation for this work going forward.
A legacy gift is not charity. It is a strategic investment in what is already coming, the paradigm shift toward community rights and ecological justice that CELDF has been building toward for three decades. Your gift ensures CELDF is prepared and present when that shift arrives.
Ways to Include CELDF in Your Plans
Legacy gifts are flexible, cost nothing today, and can be updated at any time.
Bequests
The most common form of legacy gift. Include CELDF in your will or living trust by leaving a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or whatever remains after your other wishes are fulfilled.
Sample bequest language (for reference):
“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, a nonprofit organization, a portion of my estate to be used in support of its mission.”
(You may also specify a dollar amount or percentage. Your attorney can tailor the language to fit your specific plans.)
Gifts of Stock or Securities
Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds directly to CELDF allows you to avoid capital gains tax while receiving a charitable deduction for the full market value. Contact your broker to initiate a transfer and notify Stacey Schmader at stacey@celdf.org so we can acknowledge your gift promptly.
Beneficiary Designations
Name CELDF as a beneficiary of a retirement account (IRA, 401k), life insurance policy, or other financial account. No changes to your will are required — simply update your beneficiary designation form directly with your plan administrator. It takes minutes and can be changed at any time.
Donor-Advised Fund Succession
If you have a donor-advised fund, you can name CELDF as a successor beneficiary — meaning the remaining balance of your fund passes to CELDF upon your death. This requires no changes to your will and can be set up directly through your DAF sponsor such as Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or Vanguard Charitable.
IRA Charitable Rollover (Qualified Charitable Distribution)
For donors 70½ or older, a QCD is one of the most powerful ways to make a lasting gift. A direct transfer from your IRA to CELDF — up to $111,000 per year — is tax-free, satisfies your required minimum distribution, and can be set up as a recurring annual gift, effectively creating a sustained legacy of support during your lifetime and beyond. Contact your IRA administrator to initiate the transfer and ask them to note it as a Qualified Charitable Distribution.
Other Planned Gifts
CELDF also accepts gifts of real estate or gifts made through charitable trusts or annuities, considered on a case-by-case basis. If you are exploring one of these options, we welcome the conversation. Please consult your own legal or financial advisor — CELDF does not provide legal or tax advice.
CELDF Legal Information
Legal name: Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF)
Address: PO Box 360, 10914 Clay Lick Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236
EIN: 25-1760934
Member Benefits
Membership in The Disruptors Circle includes:
- A personal welcome from CELDF’s Executive Director
- An annual message from the Executive Director reflecting on the year’s work and what lies ahead, including an opportunity for members to share their thoughts, concerns, and hopes for the movement
- Early access to major publications, legal developments, and organizational milestones
- Invitation to an annual virtual gathering with CELDF leadership
- Optional listing by name on the CELDF website and in relevant publications
All recognition is opt-in. Members who prefer anonymity are equally welcomed and honored.
If you have already included CELDF in your plans, or would like more information, we want to hear from you. Letting us know allows us to welcome you into the Disruptors Circle personally. Your plans are always revocable and there is no obligation attached to notifying us.
