RFU Legacy Challenge
Description of the Program
The RFU Legacy Challenge, will match each new planned gift commitment (e.g., via bequests in a will or living trust, retirement plan beneficiary designations, etc.) with a contribution to the university's Impact Fund campaign, up to $5,000. Therefore, a donor who informs RFU of their qualifying planned gift will help raise both current and future support for the university.
MAKE AN IMPACT NOW.
Document your planned gift today! As of December 1, 2020, we have a pool of $100,000 in matching funds that are available on a first-come, first-served basis to any donor who documents a planned gift. The RFU Legacy Challenge program will end on either December 31, 2022, or when the matching funds have been depleted.
Contact
George Rattin
Executive Director of Development
Division of Institutional Advancement
Rosalind Franklin University
3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60064
(224) 570-7342 • Jill.Doherty@rosalindfranklin.edu
FAQ
Q: What types of planned gifts qualify for the RFU Legacy Challenge?
A: Planned gifts eligible for matching funds include: bequests via will or living trust, beneficiary designations from a retirement account or bank account, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and beneficiary designations of a life insurance policy given to RFU (the match would be based on the existing cash amount in the policy). If you want to know if your gift qualifies for a match, please call (224) 570-7342 or Jill.Doherty@rosalindfranklin.edu.
Q: If I have already documented a planned gift with RFU, will it qualify for the RFU Legacy Challenge?
A: Thank you very much for documenting your planned gift with RFU. Generally speaking, the RFU Legacy Challenge is meant to encourage the creation of new planned gifts or to inform the university about previously established but unreported planned gifts. However, if you have increased the amount of a previously documented bequest, or if you previously documented the gift of a percentage of your trust or residual estate and the estimated value of that percentage has more than doubled, then we may be able to credit the increased value to the Challenge. To confirm that your gift qualifies for a match, please email Jill.Doherty@rosalindfranklin.edu.
Q: How do I document my planned gift for the RFU Legacy Challenge?
A: You can document your planned gift by submitting a RFU Legacy Challenge Gift Confirmation Form, which you can download here. Print the document, fill it out, and return it via email to Jill.Doherty@rosalindfranklin.edu or via mail to the Division of Institutional Advancement, Rosalind Franklin University, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60064.
Q: If my bequest will create a future scholarship fund in my name, can the RFU Legacy Challenge matching funds be used for a current use scholarship in my name?
A: No, matching gift funds from the RFU Legacy Challenge will be allocated to RFU greatest strategic priorities.
Q: What if the value of my bequest exceeds $5,000—will I qualify for more than $5,000 matching funds?
A: We have set a cap of $5,000 on matching funds. Since one purpose of the RFU Legacy Challenge is to reward many people for documenting their planned gifts to RFU, we do not want to expend all of our matching funds on a small number of large bequests.
Q: How else might I go about supporting RFU with my philanthropy??
A: We hope that you will also consider supporting RFU by making an Impact Fund gift to any area of the university that is meaningful to you. We ask that all donors participating in the RFU Legacy Challenge consider making an Impact Fund gift by completing the gift form found here.
Resources
Legacy Challenge Notification Form
Legacy Challenge Informational Flyer
Bequest Language
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only.