Planned Giving

We want to provide our friends and members with some information about Planned Giving to the Celtic Arts Foundation.  As this wonderful organization has grown and developed more programs and events, it’s clear that people appreciate and look forward to activities such as the Skagit Valley Highland Games, the Masters of Scottish Arts Concert, Winter School, in addition to any of the scores of events we produce each year at the Littlefield Celtic Center in Mount Vernon.  If you like what we do, our events and celebrations, then please consider including us in your estate plans.  For most people, this will bring up two major questions: first, “why should we support the Celtic Arts Foundation?” and second, “how do we support the Celtic Arts Foundation through planned giving?”

Why support CAF?

Since incorporating as a non-profit organization in 1997, our mission has been to “sponsor, encourage and promote Celtic Culture through events and educational activities.”  Over the decades, we’ve entertained literally hundreds of thousands of people at our major events, and many thousands more at our concerts, workshops and activities at our base of operations, the Littlefield Celtic Center.  Simply put, our request for your support is really about nothing more complicated than keeping all these wonderful events and programs going.  You may enjoy a more in-depth explanation by reviewing our Case statement for CAF Planned Giving 2019.

How to support CAF through Planned Giving:

1. If you are just initiating your estate planning activities, designate the Celtic Arts Foundation as a beneficiary in your will, trust, retirement fund or insurance plans
2. When it’s time to update your will, you don’t have to start from scratch—you can use a simple document called a “Codicil” that can be an addition or modification to your existing will (below).
3. Complete a “Declaration of Bequest” form (below) and share it with us.  If your planned gift is $5000 or more, you can become a member of the Celtic Legacy Society. This is a special recognition group wishing to strengthen the next generation of Celtic enthusiasts by providing future support to CAF. Requests for anonymity will be honored.

Where will my planned gift go?

It’s important to remember that you may choose to support the Foundation in anyway that makes sense to you.  The recommendations that have been developed based on extensive discussions with our Board include:

1. The James E. Monroe Endowment fund (restricted) for the Celtic Arts Foundation (preferred), which exists solely to support the operations of the Foundation.  This endowment fund has been established and by Board policy none of the corpus may be used until the balance of the fund exceeds $100,000.  The long term goal for this fund is to reach $10,000,000, and the short term goal is to reach $1,000,000 by 2025.
2. General purposes/area of greatest need (operations)
3. Scholarship funds
4. Other donor directed purposes

Resources:

1. Codicil for Planned Giving – Celtic Arts Foundation
2. Declaration of Bequest for Celtic Arts Foundation

To designate the Celtic Arts Foundation as a beneficiary of a qualified retirement plan or other financial account, please use the following information:

Legal name: Celtic Arts Foundation
Address: PO Box 1342, Mount Vernon, WA  98273
Federal Tax ID number: 91-1878785

Please notify us of your intent to give a planned gift by downloading and sending us the “Declaration of Bequest Intention” Form. Most information on the form is optional, and all will be kept confidential.  If you have already included the Celtic Arts Foundation in a bequest or other planned gift, we hope you will let us know.  Call 1-360-416-4934 or e-mail  info@CelticArts.org