The Asia Foundation

How You Can Help

The Asia Foundation Legacy

For more than half a century The Asia Foundation has been dedicated to creating opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region and empowering its people. Each year, through the valued support of our donors, we are able to continue, and even expand, programs that address Asia's most pressing needs. Recently, The Asia Foundation has fought human trafficking across Asia, helped to establish environment protocols in India, and continued to re-build in tsunami-stricken Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.

The contributions of our individual donors are essential because they allow us to be more flexible and innovative in the programs we offer. We also know that you, the donor, are faced with a number of competing demands for your donation. Therefore we want to provide you with as many giving options as possible. To this end, The Asia Foundation is pleased to launch The Asia Foundation Legacy, a planned giving program that accepts bequest gifts.

We understand that a planned gift is a private matter, signifying a donor's faith in an organization and its mission. For more than fifty years, The Asia Foundation has gained knowledge in, fostered partnerships with, and earned the respect of the Asia-Pacific region. Every gift given to the Foundation is reflected in our commitment to the Asia-Pacific. We hope that our work inspires the same commitment from you.

If you are considering making a planned gift to The Asia Foundation, here is some sample language to help you in your decision-making process. As in all legal matters, however, we strongly encourage you to seek the advice of your attorney in designing a bequest agreement.

Bequests

Giving to The Asia Foundation through your will or living trust is one of the simplest ways to make a planned gift. Making a bequest is straightforward and easily executed with your attorney. In addition, a bequest to the Foundation can save your estate a significant sum in taxes if the estate is subject to federal estate tax.

You can name The Asia Foundation as a beneficiary in your will in a number ways:

• If your gift is made in cash, you can designate a dollar amount for the Foundation.
• You can bequeath a specific asset to the Foundation.
• You can specify a percentage or fraction of your estate through a residuary bequest.  The Foundation would receive the residual amount only after specific sums have been paid to individual beneficiaries.
• You can make a contingent bequest, naming the Foundation to receive certain assets only if a named individual, such as a spouse, doesn't survive you.

Gifts of unrestricted funds give the Foundation the most flexibility to meet unexpected needs, but you may designate your gift for a specific purpose if you wish. The following language options may be of use to your attorney:

Cash Bequest
I give and bequeath to The Asia Foundation (Federal Tax ID #94-1191246) the sum of ____ dollars to be used for its general purposes.

Asset Bequest
I give and bequeath to The Asia Foundation (Federal Tax ID #94-1191246) _[asset]_ to be used for its general purposes.

Residuary Bequest
I hereby give and bequeath to The Asia Foundation (Federal Tax ID #94-1191246) all (or ___ %) of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to be used for its general purposes.

Contingent Bequest
I hereby give and bequeath (description of property) to my spouse, if he or she survives me. If my spouse does not survive me, I give and bequeath (description of property) to The Asia Foundation (Federal Tax ID #94-1191246) to be used for its general purposes.

Gifts for a Specific Purpose
Modify any of the above with the following insert: " …to be used for the following purpose: _______. If the Trustees of The Asia Foundation determine at any time that such purpose is obsolete, inappropriate, or impractical, the Trustees may use the income or principal of this bequest for whatever purpose they deem advisable."

The Asia Foundation is appreciative of all its donors and their donations; we especially realize that planned gifts are one of the most personal decisions an individual can make. However, for legal and policy reasons, the Foundation may not be able to accept every gift as specified.  We therefore suggest that you or your attorney consult with the Foundation prior to formalizing your bequest.  For more information concerning our gift acceptance policies, please contact:

Nicola Burt
(415) 743-3346
nburt@asiafound.org

As this new century unfolds, the Asia-Pacific region stands as an area of great promise, and great challenge. With your support, we can use the tools we have garnered and honed in our half-century's work to continue toward the realization of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific. Be a partner in our efforts; let our legacy be your legacy as well.