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Donate

Thank you for considering a gift to Belle Grove Plantation. Your gift will be tax deductible and you will receive an acknowledgement to use for tax purposes. Belle Grove relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund about a third of its annual budget. Click here to read our 2020 Member and Donor newsletter.

These gifts join income that Belle Grove earns from museum admissions, special events, facility rentals, memberships, and Museum Shop sales. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had a great reduction in this income. Your gift is appreciated now more than ever. While we were fortunate to receive some relief program grants, Belle Grove receives no regular income from federal, state, or municipal sources and the outlook for 2021 is uncertain. The staff and board of our self-supporting organization continually work to maximize income and keep expenses steady. Thanks to your generosity, Belle Grove has been a beloved Shenandoah Valley treasure since its founding as a museum in 1967 and remains vital and engaging today. You help make this possible.

To donate online, click the link below and enter the amount you wish to donate. Then click to pay using PayPal or any major credit card. Although the page is operated by PayPal, it is not necessary to have a PayPal account to make an online donation, you may use any major credit card. Please opt to share your mailing address with Belle Grove so that we may thank you.

If you have any questions or would like to make the gift of stock, please contact us at 540-869-2028 or by email.

There were new charitable donation guidelines for 2020 provided for in the CARES Act passed by Congress on March 27, 2020 and for 2021 in the second stimulus bill passed December 27, 2020. It makes the following changes to charitable giving for 2020 and 2021, but please consult your tax advisor for more information:

If you do not itemize: Continuned into 2021 is the CARES Act's allowance of up to $300 per taxpayer (and now $600 for those who file jointly) in annual charitable contributions for filers who take the standard deduction . This will be an “above the line” adjustment to income that will reduce a donor’s adjusted gross income, and thereby reduce taxable income. A donation to a donor advised fund or a donation of stock or other asset does not qualify for this deduction.

If you itemize: Individuals and corporations that itemize can deduct much greater amounts of their contributions. Individuals can elect to deduct donations up to 100% of their 2020 adjusted gross income (up from 60% previously) for 2020 and 2021. Corporations may deduct up to 25% of taxable income, up from the previous limit of 10%.  A donation to a donor advised fund does not qualify for this new deduction.

If you want to donate from pension or IRA plans: The required minimum distributions that would have had to start in 2020 do not have to start until 2021, including distributions from defined benefit pension plans and 457 plans. Making a “Qualified Charitable Distribution” in 2020 will still allow itemizers and non-itemizers to direct up to $100,000 from their IRA to charities in a tax efficient manner.  If you are over 70 and a half years old and have a tax deferred IRA, you may donate from your IRA directly to Belle Grove without ever paying taxes on the donated amount. This is true even if you do not itemize deductions for tax purposes. The donation must be made directly to Belle Grove by your IRA trustee. The amount donated will not be reported as income for tax purposes. You will need to provide Belle Grove’s EIN, 54-1047175.  For those who qualify, this will allow a larger donation and savings on income tax. Consult your financial advisor for details.