The UW Foundation’s Gift Planning staff assists donors in integrating legacy gifts
into their financial, tax, and estate planning objectives, maximizing benefits to
both donors and the University of Wyoming. With smart planning, you can increase the
impact of your gift and reduce the tax burden on your heirs, and/or you can receive
an immediate tax deduction, life income, continued use of gift property, or elimination
of capital gains tax—all while making a meaningful contribution to UW.
University of Wyoming alum Charles “Chuck” Johnston makes a difference in the lives of UW students by giving back. Through his trust, he is helping future generations and aiding them in their interests and educational journeys. As a graduate of the pharmacy program, Chuck specifically looks to support students in pharmacy, medicine, and science. “Strive on,” he says, “the control of nature and science is won, not given”— partially quoting the inscription on the UW Engineering Building.
Diane Mott was a true warrior of the West. During her battle with cancer, Diane honored her parents by establishing the Harold and Jean Mott Fellowship in Migration and Conservation—a fund that protects our state’s wilderness and wildlife by supporting the Wyoming Migration Initiative. Diane passed away in April 2020, leaving a legacy of environmental appreciation, protection, and conservation.
The graduate students of today go on to become leaders of tomorrow. In the field of atmospheric science, Craig Sutter supports these future leaders through his legacy gift, the Sutter Family Atmospheric Science Graduate Student Fellowship. The endowed fund is the largest in the history of the department. Craig’s involvement with UW began on a trip to Antarctica in the 1980s with faculty from this UW department. Since that experience, he has supported UW, ultimately leading to the establishment of this endowed fund that supports Atmospheric Science graduate students.
Dr. Thomas Weber is passionate about the rodeo community. He says, “These people have the stuff that counts the most. These are people who raise crops and cows and feed the nation, and they love it.” Because of his love for the rodeo community, agriculture, and the state of Wyoming, Tom decided to create the UW Rodeo Excellence Fund—a legacy gift that supports members of the UW Rodeo Team. Though not a UW alum, Tom developed a love for UW and the state of Wyoming, considering it “a perfect place.”
What if you could see the impact of your bequests now—whether from a will, living
trust, retirement plan beneficiary designations, or other means? That opportunity
is exactly what the Legacy Match provided. The Legacy Match was a matching gift program
that enabled donors to have an immediate impact when they made a planned gift to support
the university. For example, if a future estate gift was valued at $100,000, the donor
could direct up to $10,000 from matching funds to immediately benefit the program
of their choice.
“The Legacy Match program caught my attention as an opportunity to provide immediate support for the School of Pharmacy, based on my planned gift,” says UW School of Pharmacy alum (‘77) and UW Foundation Board member John Pieper. “I believe the program is very innovative, and I have appreciated the opportunity to see my legacy gift in action. This type of strategic and creative thinking is an example of the outstanding work of our University of Wyoming Foundation.”
The pool of $555,000 was used to match 10% of the estimated value of donor future gifts, up to $10,000, and supported Accounting, Alumni Association, Anthropology, Arts and Sciences, ASUW, Athletics, Berry Biodiversity Institute, Botany, Business, Communication and Journalism, Education, Energy Resources, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Football, Geology and Geophysics, Haub School, History, Kinesiology and Health, KUWR, Law, Mathematics, Music, Pharmacy, Physics and Astronomy, Psychology, Rodeo, Scholarships and Financial Aid, Visual Arts, and Volleyball. The initiative was a major success, supporting 25 scholarships and leading to 65 newly documented future gifts. Not only that, but the return on investment was 48:1. A total of $27,009,779 in future gifts was leveraged, immensely impacting both current and future UW students.
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Clancee ReaBrett BefusAssociate Vice President for Development |