Leave Your Mark

Legacy Giving

You know the value of an education. You understand how college can be life changing – both in discovering who you truly are and in providing the framework for a better future.

But the reality is that the majority of students whose lives would be most changed by a college degree – first-generation-to-college students from low-income backgrounds – are among the least likely to see their educational dreams come true. Nationwide, only 15% of first-generation students from families with limited financial resources complete their degree. They are why Collegiate Directions was founded. And donors like you have been instrumental in changing the statistics for first-generation CDI Scholars.

Since 2005, donors like you have enabled over 350 CDI Scholars to see their dreams come true – at a graduation rate nearly six times that of their peers who don’t receive the same level of support. But the education landscape in the United States continues to change. Changes to federal educational policy will have a disproportionate impact on the very students that CDI serves. You can make a difference for the long-term through establishing a legacy gift to CDI.

Ways to Make a Legacy Gift

  • Bequests are the most common – and among the simplest – form of legacy gift. A bequest is a gift outlined in an individual’s will or trust that indicates a dollar amount or percentage of the estate that should be distributed to a charity after other obligations have been addressed.

  • If you have a life insurance policy, you can choose to make CDI the beneficiary of a policy you hold, or even establish CDI as the owner and beneficiary of the policy.

  • IRA and 401(k) policy holders can name CDI as the beneficiary of retirement plan assets. CDI would receive the assets tax-free, and your estate could receive an estate tax charitable deduction.

  • Depending on your DAF sponsor, you may be able to provide a standing recommendation for a one-time or recurring grant to be made to Collegiate Directions.

Legacy giving:

a way to pass along your values to future generations.

Frequently Asked Questions about Legacy Giving

  • Legacy gifts are just one part of an estate plan. While some people choose to leave their entire estate to charitable causes, many structure their estates so that their loved ones are taken care of first, leaving a fixed dollar amount or percentage of the estate to charity only after all other obligations are met.

  • Absolutely! For many people, the gifts they establish in their estate plans are the most significant they will ever make.

  • Establishing a legacy gift is not a binding commitment. You can set up a gift now, and change your mind later – designating more, less, or nothing to CDI. You can always revise your will, or change the beneficiary on your accounts.

  • If you would like to ensure support for future CDI Scholars by establishing a legacy gift, you should first speak your financial advisor or estate planner. They can help you discuss options, including ones we haven’t mentioned. If you wish to include CDI in your plans, they will want to know our EIN: 20-3675989.

  • If you have already included CDI in your estate plans, thank you! We would appreciate you letting us know so we can thank you for your thoughtful planning and acknowledge you publicly (if you wish). Please contact our Development Director, Liberty Bliss, at 301-450-2866 or lbliss@collegiatedirections.org.

  • Notifying CDI in advance of your intentions is the best way to ensure that your legacy gift is recognized how you want – even if that means it isn’t recognized publicly at all. Notifying us of your intentions during your lifetime allows us to thank you and discuss your intentions and document your desired recognition for when the gift is realized.