Planned Giving

We invite you to join Yale Legacy Partners, a society of alumni, family, and friends who have made bequests or other planned gifts to the University.

Donors who remember Yale in their estate plans support the ambitions of talented students and faculty from around the world. To learn more, please contact the Office of Planned Giving or any development officer at the Divinity School.

Many alumni and friends have chosen to support the Divinity School through the making of “planned gifts” that may include gifts of assets other than cash or securities; life income gifts whereby the donor transfers an asset and retains, or provides for another person or persons, an income for life; charitable lead trusts that may permit people to save on income, gift, and estate taxes; or bequests.

Even gifts of cash and marketable securities may be considered to be planned gifts. In fact, any time you stop to consider the timing or tax benefits of making a gift, you may be making a planned gift.

A complete description of opportunities is on the Yale Tomorrow Planned Giving web site. For more information about planned giving opportunities, please phone, fax, e-mail, or write:

Yale Office of Planned Giving

P.O. Box 2038 New Haven,
CT 06521-2038
(800) 445-6086
Fax No. (203) 432-5685
e-mail: development.plannedgiving@yale.edu

or 

Rod Lowe
Senior Associate Director of Major Gifts
Yale Divinity School
409 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Telephone: (203) 432-8127

Or e-mail: rodwin.lowe@yale.edu

Your Legacy

If your gift is given as an endowment, it will serve in perpetuity according to your expressed desires. At Yale Divinity School all bequests, large and small, are appropriately honored and cared for according to the wishes of the donor.

As a center for preparing young men and women for religious leadership, the Divinity School has in every generation made a difference in the lives of millions around the world, through the leadership and service of our graduates.

Your Bequest to YDS

You can make a specific gift of cash, securities, real estate, or other property through your will, codicil, or trust instrument. You can also designate YDS as the beneficiary of all or part of the remainder of your estate or trust after payment of estate-related expenses, other bequests, or following the death of a spouse or other primary beneficiaries. Another way to include YDS in your estate plan is to name the Divinity School as beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy.

Directed Giving

While unrestricted gifts allow the Divinity school to allocate funds to areas of greatest need, you may designate your bequest for a particular purpose, such as a named scholarship fund. In order to ensure that the evolving educational needs of future generations of students are met, it is advisable to include the following language with restricted gifts:
“If at any time in the judgement of the Yale Corporation it is impossible or impracticable to carry out exactly the designated purpose, the Yale Corporation shall determine an alternative purpose as near as possible to the designated purposes.”

Assisting You

Sample Testementary Language“I give (____ dollars) or (a specific asset, such as securities, real estate or other property) or (all) or (__ percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, for the sole benefit of the Divinity School (for its general purposes) or (for he following purpose:_______).”

For further information for including Yale Divinity School in your estate plan, members of our professional development staff are ready to assist you in identifying the right gift opportunities for your bequest or in considering other planned giving opportunities. We would be pleased to assist you as you plan your Gift of a Lifetime.

For further information on including YDS in your estate plan, please contact:

Rod Lowe
Senior Associate Director of Major Gifts
Yale Divinity School
409 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Telephone: (203) 432-8127

Or e-mail: rodwin.lowe@yale.edu