Providing a straightforward one-time Donation to the Norfolk Historical Society will help to ensure that the Eva Brook Donly Museum and Archives continues to provide a centre of Norfolk County history for years to come. The Society cannot maintain the programmes and Archive collection without continued support from our Society members as well as the general public.

Even a few dollars will help and, as a non-profit organisation and registered charity, the Norfolk Historical Society can issue receipts for income tax purposes.

It's easy to make a one-time donation of any amount with the following options:

Note: In all cases a receipt, for tax purposes, will be forwarded after processing.

Planned Giving includes Bequests through your will, gifts of marketable Securities, gifts of Life Insurance and Charitable Remainder Trusts. A planned gift to the Norfolk Historical Society helps to ensure the future of our programs and services. As a donor, a planned gift allows you to perpetuate your belief that there is a story to be told, a lesson to be learned and a commitment to community to be shared. At the same time, you will realize tax savings either now or in the future, depending on the option you choose.

This type of gift usually requires the assistance of a lawyer to ensure you understand the impacts of your decision and that all legal documents are properly in place.

The following are categories of Planned Charitable Gifts:

Bequest - a gift made through your will; such as a specific piece of property, a specific sum of money, or a percentage of your estate.

Your Benefits - Planned today, a bequest is not paid to the Norfolk Historical Society until after you pass away. By carefully planning your bequest, you may eliminate all the taxes payable on death. Your executor can claim bequests up to 100% of the net income on your final two tax returns.

Securities - the least expensive way to make a gift of appreciated, publicly-listed securities such as stocks, bonds and mutual fund units.

Your Benefits - You receive a charitable tax receipt for the fair market value of your donation and taxable capital gains are reduced a further 50%. You will receive the satisfaction of contributing a significant gift that will both benefit and support future generations at a reduced cost to you. Securities are tax-effective when given today or in the future through a bequest.

Life Insurance - you can give a new policy, an existing policy or simply name the Norfolk Historical Society as the beneficiary.

Your Benefits - A planned gift of life insurance can either save you tax dollars today, meaning immediate tax relief, or your estate can receive a tax credit for the face value of your policy. Payments of small premiums today can provide a significant contribution towards the future of Society programs.

Charitable Remainder Trust - enables you to give today and create immediate tax savings as you retain the income or continue to make use of the donated asset.

Your Benefits - Charitable remainder trusts are powerful planning tools for people over age 65 who have made, or are planning to make a charitable bequest. You receive an immediate tax receipt for the present value of the donated asset and annual income from the assets in trust.

All gifts to the Norfolk Historical Society are extremely valuable and will have a direct and long-term impact on the Society. An unrestricted gift provides the flexibility to allow the Norfolk Historical Society to better meet the needs and challenges of an unpredictable future.

However, Donors may prefer to direct their contribution to benefit a specific area of the Norfolk Historical Society's current programs, such as:

Thank you for honouring the Norfolk Historical Society by considering a planned gift. If you do plan to make a future gift to the Society through your Will, we would appreciate notification of the same. It is our goal to ensure that all future gifts to the Society are handled according to the wishes of the donor. This goal requires us to maintain accurate permanent records of our correspondence with future donors.

As a registered charity, the Norfolk Historical Society can accept donations and issue receipts for income tax purposes. In return for your gift, we will include you in our list of supporters that appears in the Annual Report. To ensure that your Will, or any codicil to it, is valid and takes full advantage of current legislation, please consult your lawyer or financial advisor.

The Norfolk Historical Society charitable number is: 12995 5290 RR0001.

If you have any questions or wish to discuss a personal donation, please do not hesitate to contact our Curator/Manager, Helen Bartens via phone (519-426-1583) or email.