The mission of the Desert Caballeros Western Museum is to welcome and enrich diverse audiences by inspiring an appreciation of the art and history of the American West through creative exhibitions and educational programs that preserve the West’s cultural legacy. Supporting us in that endeavor is a group of incredibly dedicated friends and patrons.

Gift arrangements may provide you with significant tax advantages while creating a lasting legacy at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum for you and your family. Gifts of any amount are valuable to DCWM. Ensure the Museum’s future by making a testamentary provision, or other planned gift, naming the Museum as beneficiary. For more information about planned giving please call Executive Director, Daniel M. Finley, at 928-684-2272.

Disclaimer: Please consult your tax advisor for specific tax advice.

Charitable Gifts

Donations of real property provide ways of giving that are best for you while allowing the Desert Caballeros Western Museum to sustain its mission of cultural stewardship.

Cash

Stocks, Mutual Funds, and other Securities (If you have long-term appreciated stocks or bonds that you have held for a year or more, consider giving them directly to the Museum, as you may receive tax benefits.)

Retirement Plan Assets

Bequeathing retirement assets to the museum allows you to fulfill your charitable objectives while preserving more of your estate’s value for family members. Designating the museum as the beneficiary of your retirement account may help your estate bypass multi-tier tax exposures, preserve the value of your estate, and protect your heirs from potential tax burdens.

Life Insurance Policies

Giving a life insurance policy is a great way to transform a modest gift into a dramatic one. You can transfer ownership of a fully paid policy to the museum, reassign ownership and beneficiary status for a policy on which premiums are still being paid, or establish a new policy and designate the museum as applicant, owner, and beneficiary.

Real Estate

Consider gifting real estate the the Western Museum.

Art or Artifacts

If you would like to donate a work of art or an artifact to the Museum please contact Mary Ann Igna, Deputy Director and Curator at 928-684-2272. Be sure to have detailed object information (artist, title, date, medium, dimensions) and a photo of the work. If the Museum is interested in acquiring the piece, the Curator will guide you through that process and provide answers to your appraisal and tax questions. Although the work may be artistically significant, not all pieces are appropriate for the Museum’s collection. The Desert Caballeros Western Museum does not accept works without proper evaluation and will not accept donations made at the Visitor Services (admissions) desk or receptionist desk in the Administration Building.

In-Kind Gifts

You can support the Museum with silent auction items (gift certificates, food, beverages), services such as advertising or printing, or tangible items such as office furniture and computer equipment.

Bequests in Wills and Trusts

The simplest way to make a planned gift is through a bequest in your will. You may direct a bequest to support a specific acquisition fund for art or to endow a specific program or collection. Undesignated bequests allow the museum to use the funds where they are most needed.

Charitable Gift Annuities

Charitable gift annuities provide beneficiaries with a fixed income for life in exchange for a gift of cash or marketable securities to the museum. The rates of return are generally higher than those from savings or money market accounts, and you can choose whether to receive income immediately or wait until retirement.

Charitable Remainder Trusts

Contribute to the future of the museum, secure lifetime annual payments for yourself and/or other beneficiaries, and generate substantial tax benefits with a charitable remainder trust. A trust of this kind provides beneficiaries with income for life or a specified length of time and then distributes the remaining assets to the museum. An income tax deduction is available immediately.

Charitable Lead Trusts

With a charitable lead trust, you make a significant multiyear gift to the museum and maximize the value of assets for your heirs. This type of trust pays an annual amount to the museum, with the assets ultimately passing on to another beneficiary. You can decide whether to receive an income tax deduction or pass savings on to your estate.

Gifts of Endowment

The Museum’s endowments were created to provide a permanent source of operating income for the institution. Restricted endowment gifts establish named funds and positions to support specific areas and needs of the Museum. An endowment gift demonstrates a long-term commitment to support the Desert Caballeros Western Museum. This type of gift is invested and maintained in perpetuity. Earnings from this type of gift, after it has been invested, provide crucial and on-going support to the Museum. Endowments reflect your specific interests and serve as a testament to your generosity.