Planned Giving
When someone gives through a planned gift, they consider the enduring impact of their life and the world they wish to help shape. Planned gifts offer a meaningful way to support the causes you care about while creating a lasting impact in your community and the world. By including the Gardens in your estate or long-term financial plans, you help ensure this special place continues to inspire visitors, protect coastal ecosystems, and conserve plants for generations.
When someone includes the Gardens in their legacy, we honor that trust with care, intention, and respect. Their generosity is tended thoughtfully, ensuring that even long after their lifetime, it continues to bloom—shaping our landscapes, supporting programs, and inspiring every visitor who follows.
If you are interested in learning more about how a planned gift might fit into your financial or estate plans, we would be happy to start a conversation. Contact us to explore the options available and discover how your legacy can help the Gardens flourish well into the future.
Gifts That Grow Your Legacy
Legacy gifts can take many shapes. These gifts are expressions of who you are and what you care about most deeply.
Beneficiary Designations
One of the simplest ways to create a lasting impact is by naming the Gardens as a beneficiary of a retirement account, life insurance policy, bank account, or investment account. This type of gift requires no change to your will and can often be updated easily through a simple form with your plan provider.
Stocks & Securities
Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or other securities can be a tax-smart way to support the Gardens. By transferring securities directly, you may avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation while receiving a charitable deduction for the full market value of the gift.
Charitable Gift Annuity
A charitable gift annuity allows you to support the Gardens while receiving reliable payments for life. In exchange for your gift, you receive a fixed annual income, and the remaining value supports the Gardens in the future. It can be a meaningful way to combine philanthropy with financial planning.
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)
A gift to the Gardens through a Donor-Advised Fund can be made during your lifetime or designated as part of your estate plan. Naming the Gardens as a beneficiary of your DAF allows remaining funds to support the mission after your lifetime, potentially providing estate tax benefits while continuing your charitable legacy.
Gift of a 401(k) or Retirement Account
Retirement accounts such as 401(k)s, IRAs, and other qualified plans can be tax-efficient assets to leave to charity. Naming the Gardens as a beneficiary of a retirement account may help reduce taxes on those funds while directing support to a cause you care about.
Donate Property or a Home
Stories of Lasting Impact
Many of the Gardens’ most meaningful improvements have been made possible through legacy gifts—from preserving historic buildings to supporting vital infrastructure and landscape care. These contributions help the Gardens remain a vibrant, welcoming place for all.
A Legacy in Bloom
Ben and Scott
Ben Nicholson and Scott Vorhees first visited the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens (MCBG) in 1988 and were immediately smitten by the beauty and serenity the Gardens provide. Twenty-two years later, they decided to leave a legacy gift in their trust. We are honored by the confidence they have in us and appreciate the meaningful support that planned gifts provide. Ben and Scott are early members of the Flowerland Society, which was formed in 2024 to appreciate and recognize bequests and our legacy donors.
Ben has given to the Gardens in more ways than we can count. After moving to Fort Bragg permanently in 1998, Ben wasted no time becoming...
When a Home Becomes a Gift
The Alice Drive Bequest
In early 2024, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens (MGBG) received a generous gift in the form of a bequest — a family home on Alice Drive in Fort Bragg. The property was gifted to MCBG through the estate of a husband and wife* who were members of the Gardens earlier in the 2000s and who had purchased a memorial bench there in the past. Consistent with the donors’ intent, MCBG sold the home in the spring of 2024 for more than $800,000 — the largest single gift ever received by the Gardens to date.
In naming Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in their estate, this couple became the latest...
The Flowerland Society
When you provide for the Gardens in your estate plans, you are invited to join the Flowerland Legacy Society. Members of this community share a commitment to protecting the natural beauty of the Mendocino Coast and ensuring that the Gardens continue to inspire future generations. Their foresight and generosity help sustain the Gardens—supporting plant conservation, maintaining beautiful landscapes and trails, and expanding educational and community programs. These gifts provide long-term stability, allowing the Gardens to plan, grow, and care for this remarkable coastal landscape.
Legacy Society members enjoy a range of benefits, including recognition in select Garden publications, invitations to special events and seasonal gatherings, and opportunities to connect with Gardens leadership and staff. Members may choose to be recognized publicly or remain anonymous. Most importantly, membership is more than recognition—it represents a heartfelt connection to the Gardens and the lasting peace of mind that comes from making a meaningful, enduring contribution.
Let Us Know About Your Gift
Every legacy gift has a story rooted in love for nature, community, and the belief that this extraordinary place should thrive for generations.
If you have already included the Gardens in your will or estate plans, we would be honored to know. Sharing this information allows us to thank you, welcome you to the Legacy Society, and better understand the future support needed to sustain the Gardens.
Your generosity may be recognized or kept anonymous—whatever feels most meaningful to you.
