Support Our Work
 | Intro |
| Become a member |
| Sponsor a Friends Project (Including a museum at Cinnamon Bay) |
| Donate |
| Planned Giving |
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park is only as strong as its members make
it. Your support in the forms of annual membership dues and other contributions
is essential to ensure the protection and preservation of the Park for future
generations. There are many ways that you can support our work. For example you
could:
| Become a member of the Friends (or renew your membership) |
| Provide a gift membership to someone you care about |
| Become a special sponsor of a Friends project |
| Contribute to our periodic special appeals |
| Include the Friends in your will |
| Consider other planned giving options |
Become a member of the Friends
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park has more than 3000 members representing
the Virgin islands, all 50 states and ten foreign countries. Annual membership
dues start at $30 for individuals, $50 for families and $100 for businesses.
Your dues are essential for helping the Friends further the protection of the
natural resources and the preservation of the cultural resources of Virgin
Islands National Park while promoting the responsible enjoyment of this unique
national treasure. Friends of Virgin Islands National Park is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization and contributions, including your membership dues, are
tax deductible.
Membership dues have helped us:
| Assist the Park acquire critical in-holdings |
| Provide scholarships that promote study among young Virgin Islanders in fields related to natural resource management |
| Ensure the continuation of ongoing cultural activities such as Annaberg Cultural Presentations |
| Support long term planning efforts in the Park |
| Advocate on behalf of the Park before Congress and the Territorial Government, within the National Park Service and among the general public |
| Help make the Park a model of natural resource protection and cultural preservation |
As a member of the Friends you have the satisfaction of taking an active role in preserving and protecting this fabulous Park for future generations. As additional benefits, you receive:
| Friends Tidings, our quarterly newsletter keeping you abreast of the latest news and developments about Virgin Islands National Park and the Friends |
| Discounts and preferential booking for our very popular Seminar Series |
| Special rates at Maho Bay Camps (certain conditions apply) and our other Affinity Partners |
| Invitations to Friends events and functions |
If you are already a member, why not take out a gift membership for someone you care about who also loves Virgin Islands National Park and St. John?
Join the Friends
Renew your Membership
Give a Gift Membership
Sponsor a Friends Project
The Friends funds, supports and implements projects and activities that further
the protection of natural resources, preservation of cultural resources and
enhancement of environmental awareness.
We invite members to review our Current Projects
and Support Needs and
consider becoming a special sponsor of one of these projects. This gives you a
unique opportunity to become more personally involved in an aspect of the
Friends work and really make a difference. An exciting new opportunity is the
museum at Cinnamon Bay. Please see the
proposal for a museum at Cinnamon
Bay and consider
making a donation.
Friends is also seeking funding for the Accessible Trails Project, described in the proposal (click here).
Join us in supporting the John King Scholarship fund. See the president's message in a recent newsletter, or click here to donate to this important program.
Please contact us to find out more about becoming a project sponsor.
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Donate to Friends
Periodically the Friends appeal to its members to support our work with a
special contribution. In the past, our members have generously contributed to
appeals for cultural preservation projects at Annaberg, Hassel Island
restoration, environmental education and archeology.
Making a donation is simple and safe with PayPal.
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Planned Giving
In all honesty, not many of us like to think ahead about our final days or our
final words. In fact, half of all Americans pass on without a written estate
plan. Yet this is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy that speaks to what
we are about and what we hope for those we leave behind.
Planned giving provides the tools for each of us to make a meaningful final
statement about what we love, cherish and hold dear. Whether honoring a loved
one or a favorite charity, our planned gifts provide support that continues long
after the reading of a last will and testament. It truly is the gift that keeps
on giving.
Below are some of the most common planned giving arrangements. This information
is general in nature and we strongly suggest that you consult the appropriate
estate planning professionals to draw up an estate plan that is specific to your
interests and needs.
Remembering the Friends in your will
Wills and Bequests are the most common planned gifts. These enable you to direct
the distribution of your assets, provide for your heirs in a manner you choose,
possibly eliminate or reduce certain taxes or other costs, and designate a
portion of your assets as a gift to your favorite charity.
Testamentary gifts to the Friends, or other charities, can take many forms,
either through a new will, or through a "codicil", an amendment to your existing
will. There are several different types of charitable bequests that you may
select:
| Cash Bequest: Friends of VI National Park receives a specified dollar amount |
| Specific Bequest or Devise of Property: Friends of VI National Park receives specified assets, such as securities, an interest in real estate (such as land, residence, or vacation home), or tangible personal property (such as art work, jewelry, or rare books) |
| Residuary Bequest or Devise: Friends of VI National Park receives all, or a percentage, of the remainder of your estate after specific legacies, debts, taxes, and estate expenses have been paid |
| Contingent Bequest or Devise: Friends of VI National Park receives a gift only if certain conditions are met. There are a wide variety of conditions that you could place on such a bequest. For example, if you outlive other named beneficiaries, then all or part of your estate would benefit Friends of VI National Park |
For your consideration and that of your estate advisor, below are examples of language that you may add to your will or a codicil to include Friends of Virgin Islands National Park:
Unrestricted Bequest
I give and bequeath to Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, a non-profit organization (Tax ID # 66-0463113), PO Box 811, St. John, VI 00831 for its charitable purposes, the sum of ______ Dollars ($ _____) - OR - ________ percent (___ %) of my residuary estate.
An unrestricted bequest allows your gift to be used in the area of greatest need.
Restricted Bequest
I give and bequeath to Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, a non-profit organization (Tax ID # 66-0463113), PO Box 811, St. John, VI 00831 for its charitable purposes, the sum of ______ Dollars ($ _____) - OR - ________ percent (___ %) of my residuary estate to support _________________________ (e.g. environmental education, natural resource protection, cultural preservation)
If you have a more specific purpose in mind, please contact us so that we can work with you to ensure that your wishes can be met.
Bequest of Specific Assets
I give and bequeath to Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, a non-profit organization (Tax ID # 66-0463113), PO Box 811, St. John, USVI 00831 for its charitable purposes, _______________ _________ (e.g., a vacation home, land, a painting, stock, jewelry - please include detailed descriptions of these items)
Other Planned Giving Options
Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Lead Trusts are popular planned gifts that can complement, or be an alternative to, an outright bequest. They offer significant tax advantages and ensure important benefits to the Friends.
| Charitable remainder trusts: Assets are put into this type of trust and the donor (or other designated beneficiary) receives income for a period of years or a lifetime. At the death of the surviving beneficiary the principal in the trust goes to the Friends. |
| Charitable lead trusts: Assets are put into this type of trust and the Friends receive income for a period of years or a lifetime. At the end of the designated period the principal reverts to the donor or other beneficiary. |
| Donation of appreciated assets: When appreciated assets (such as securities, real estate, etc) are donated to the Friends the donor receives the tax advantages for its full assessed value without the capital gains obligations. |
If Virgin Islands National Park and St. John has been important in your life and
you would like to ensure its protection and preservation for future generations,
please consider a planned gift to the Friends. This will truly be a gift that
keeps on giving.
Please contact the Friends for more information concerning planned giving
options.
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