Support Inland Seas and Great Lakes stewardship through your donor-advised fund, stock donation, qualified charitable deductions, and more. Questions? Call us at (231) 271-3077 or email at isea@schoolship.org.

Donor Advised Fund

Minimize your taxes by bundling your charitable deductions through your donor-advised fund. Once you’ve set up an account, ask your sponsoring organization to make checks payable to Inland Seas Education Association and mail them to 100 Dame St #218, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Our tax ID is 38-2866234.


Qualified Charitable IRA Distributions

Qualified Charitable Deductions (QCDs) are available to owners of traditional IRAs and who are of age 70½ or older. A QCD is a distribution from your traditional IRA that can go directly to a qualified non-profit such as ISEA, and is NOT included in your taxable income thus does not increase your adjusted gross income (AGI). Click here for more information.

When you reach age 72, you are required to withdraw a certain amount of money from your retirement accounts each year. That amount is called a required minimum distribution, or RMD. A payment directly from your IRA to Inland Seas may be considered a qualified charitable distribution that can satisfy your RMD. Contact your financial planner to learn more.


Property other than cash

What if the amount you wish to give exceeds the amount you feel you can give from your cash resources? Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, and other resources can make excellent gifts to ISEA. A gift of such an asset may allow you to give with little or no effect on your current spendable income, and you may enjoy various tax incentives. Please contact us at (231) 271-3077 or isea@schoolship.org if you would like to donate to ISEA through one of the following methods.

Closely Held Stock: Publicly traded securities, shares of stock in closely held companies, bonds, and government issues may be given to Inland Seas Education Association. Call the office for stock transfer and delivery directions. Click here for more information.

Savings Bonds: Turn your savings bonds into a generous ISEA gift while reducing the tax liability generated by these investments.

Real Estate: Inland Seas Education Association may accept gifts of real estate, including homes, condominiums, commercial properties, farmland, rental properties, and undeveloped land after a thorough review of several factors, including an environmental assessment.

Gifts of Life Insurance: When you own a life insurance policy with accumulated cash value, you’re essentially sitting on a pile of money. When the original purpose for the protection no longer applies—such as to educate children now grown or to provide financial security for a spouse now deceased—your life insurance can be redirected to help support Inland Seas Education Association. You can name ISEA as the beneficiary and also assign us ownership of the policy as a current charitable gift. Another option is to name ISEA as the primary beneficiary, making this a legacy gift (naming ISEA as beneficiary while you retain ownership of the policy does not qualify you for an income tax deduction).

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