Planned Giving

CPF works in partnership with landowners to protect natural areas, agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, scenic open space and historic sites and structures.

Over the years, supporters have made legacy gifts to ensure that trails, history, and farmland are forever protected. Legacy Circle Members are honored and recognized during their lifetime and celebrated well beyond. And surprisingly, including CPF in your estate plans is not difficult to do.

2025-2027 Legacy Gift Incentive

Right now, you have a unique opportunity to give immediate support to CPF, just by informing us of your planned gift. Thanks to the generosity of CPF Vice President Craig Buckhout and his wife Carol, every new legacy commitment will unlock an immediate $1,000 gift to CPF’s operating fund—up to $15,000. We invite you to become a Legacy Circle Member today!

Bequests of real estate have been the most commonly made gift to CPF in the past. Depending on their conservation value and the landowner’s intent, these properties have either been added to the organization’s portfolio to be forever protected, or held as “trade land” to be sold or exchanged for real estate with higher conservation value.
The most common way people leave either real estate or cash to CPF in a will or living trust is through a charitable bequest. There is no need to rewrite your current estate documents as you may simply add an amendment, called a codicil, to your will or living trust.
Here is some suggested language for review by your attorney:
“I give, devise and bequeath to the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation (tax I.D. EIN#16-6101151), located in Cazenovia, New York, the sum of ______________ dollars ($______) (Or state a percentage of your estate, or describe real or personal property, including exact location) for the benefit of its general purposes [or specify the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation program you wish to support].”
You may also name the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation as the beneficiary of a retirement plan, life insurance policy, stocks or bonds, savings/checking accounts, and donor-advised funds. If you select this method, please know it is necessary to update your will or living trust to reflect the same designation.
There are more sophisticated estate-planning tools such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts that would provide a gift to CPF and income for you, as well as favorable tax treatment. These two financial instruments are the more commonly known of myriad options that require professional assistance in order to be enacted.

Regardless of the route you select, consulting with a certified financial planner and trusted attorney is essential, and will ensure your estate plan is best suited to your charitable goals and financial requirements.

If you have made a gift to CPF in your estate plans, please let us know so that we may thank you during your lifetime.

Please contact Jen Wong, executive director, at jwong@cazpreservation.org.

Be assured we always honor requests for anonymity.