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Master Gardener Program
Erika Johnson, Program Coordinator
erika.d.johnson@wsu.edu
(564) 397-5738


Clark County Master Gardener Endowment

Maureen in the weeds
Master Gardener volunteers steward our natural spaces.

If you’ve never experienced the joy of accomplishing more than you can imagine, plant a garden. — Robert Brault

About the Endowment
How You Can Help
CONTRIBUTE!
Reasons to Give
FAQ

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Events | Heritage Trees | School Gardens  | MGs in the News


About the Endowment

An endowment is a permanent fund whose principal is invested to generate income which provides financial support for an organization.

Four percent of the fund’s market value (36 month average) is available for use each year, coming directly to us to support our programming.

How You Can Help

Contribute by check or credit card
Contribute online

You have several choices on how to support the WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardener Program Endowment. Please consider donations of:

  • Cash, stock or bonds, including formal pledge agreements.
  • A bequest in your will.
  • A memorial gift to honor a friend or loved one.
  • Cars or other property.
  • Naming the WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardener program as a beneficiary in your IRA, 401 (k), SEP, annuity, or life insurance policy.

Your contributions to the Clark County Master Gardener Endowment are secure, and they benefit from the oversight and professional management provided by the WSU Foundation.

In addition, with your gift to the WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardener program, you may enjoy a lifetime income from your assets, while taking advantage of generous tax deductions. These planned giving opportunities include:

  • Charitable Gift Annuity
  • Charitable Remainder Trust
  • Retained Life Estate

Contribute by Check, Credit Card or Online

Thank you for your generosity!

Employer Match
Many employers will match their employees’ donations to Washington State University. Some employers will even match the gifts of retired employees, spouses, parents, and even contributions from their board of directors. All matched funds will be designated to the area to which you originally contributed your gift.

Seiferts mason bee cocoons
Master Gardener volunteers enjoying life-long learning.

Learn more and find out if your current or former employer has a match policy.

7 Excellent Reasons to Give

  1. Your donation enhances Clark County’s and WSU’s awareness of our Master Gardener volunteers.
  2. Your donation expands the influence of our Master Gardener volunteers and the entire Master Gardener Program within Clark County.
  3. Donors receive recognition from WSU.
  4. The CCMG Endowment is particularly well suited for complex donations that require attorneys, monitoring, and a long-term commitment.
    • This may include Real Estate, a pledge that you fulfill over time, a planned gift such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust, a beneficiary designation, or a bequest.
    • You can donate your residence or other property while retaining lifetime use through a Retain Life Estate option.
    • WSU handles the complex attorney and filing requirement.
    • WSU has a Gift Planning division to help donors select options that meet their needs and wishes.
  5. WSU provides access to estate planning information and planners.
  6. All donations over $1,000 qualify the donor for honors as a WSU President’s Associate.
  7. All donations are tax deductible.

And the best reason of all: The Master Gardener Program of Clark County will exist forever because of your generosity!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an endowment? Our endowment is a sum of donated money deposited with the WSU Foundation. In turn, WSU invests the money and each year, distributes a portion (usually four percent of the principal amount) to the Clark County Master Gardener Program. WSU also takes a portion (usually one and a half percent) of the amount deposited as a fee for managing the account. The remaining income is reinvested.

In the event that the principal amount falls below the amount contributed, distributions from the Endowment will be suspended until such time as the principal equals or exceeds the amount donated.

ESL Seeds
Training Clark College English Language Leaners in vegetable gardening.

Why an Endowment for the Clark County Master Gardener Program? The Endowment provides a source of income specifically designated for the Master Gardener Program of Clark County. This dedicated source of income will be used to augment the current Master Gardener Program funding sources of state and county funding along with grants from the Master Gardener Foundation of Clark County. While these traditional funding sources are not expected to disappear, they can fluctuate from year to year. The Endowment will help bridge any shortfalls in lean years and help expand the Program’s services in normal years. The Endowment has the potential to grow large enough to provide independent funding to the Master Gardener Program thus ensuring its perpetual existence.

How do the Clark County Master Gardener Endowment, the Master Gardener Foundation of Clark County, and the Clark County Master Gardener Program relate to each other?

  • The Clark County Master Gardener (CCMG) Endowment’s only purpose is to support the CCMG Program.
  • The MG Foundation is a public, non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, whose purpose is to support the CCMG Program as well as provide horticultural education to the citizens of Clark County.
  • The CCMG Program is a WSU Extension Service providing horticultural education and assistance to the citizens of Clark County.
  • Quite simply, both the MG Foundation and the CCMG Endowment have been established to provide support for the CCMG Program.

Why do we have both the CCMG Endowment and the MG Foundation? These two entities provide different sources of funding for the CCMG Program.

The Endowment’s sole purpose is to support the MG Program and that support is perpetual. The Endowment principal began with, and is continually increased by donations from the Foundation, private individuals, and businesses.

The Foundation has a broader purpose. In addition to providing annual support to the Program, it also provides horticultural education to the citizens of Clark County by awarding scholarships to horticultural students, offering adult horticultural classes, sponsoring youth gardening projects, and sponsoring demonstration gardens.

Who decides how the proceeds from the endowment will be spent? Those decisions are made in Clark County by the Director of the Clark County Extension Program, currently Kristine Perry, or his/her designee.

Discovery
The joy of discovery… in a compost pile!

Why establish an Endowment at this time? An endowment does have a beginning; but it has no end – it is perpetual. We began now because the MG Foundation had funds available to provide a significant contribution and because the Master Gardeners saw a need for an additional, stable funding source and were willing to contribute toward the establishment of an endowment. The best time to begin any endeavor is now! While the economy is weak right now, remember the CCMG Endowment is perpetual. This is the strength of the Endowment – it will be here in both good and bad economic times!

Who can contribute to the CCMG Endowment? Anyone can contribute.

How do I give? Please make your check payable to WSU Foundation. In the memo section write CCMG Endowment, Account GF005334, and mail it to:

CAHNRS & WSU Extension Office of Alumni and Friends
PO Box 646228
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164-6228


WSU Clark County Master Gardener Program
1919 NE 78th Street • Vancouver, WA 98665
(564) 397-5738

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