Photo by Pete Mauney ’93 MFA ’00

The Bard Legacy Challenge

The greatest opportunity to leave
a legacy of impact at Bard is right now.

Bard has distinguished itself as a leader in liberal arts education, the performing and visual arts, educational innovation, and civic engagement through its programs across the country and around the world. Now you can secure a significant future for Bard by participating in the Bard Legacy Challenge with a gift to the College's endowment.

Thanks to a generous commitment from George Soros and the Open Society Foundations, gifts to the endowment will be matched. By disclosing and documenting your legacy gift, your future commitment will have an immediate impact.

How it Works

Gifts may be made in the form of estate bequests, life insurance or retirement account designations, or charitable trusts.

For more information about planned gifts, download this information sheet.

To qualify for the challenge: gifts must be for endowment, be disclosed and documented, irrevocable, and include a dollar amount or estimated (or minimum) value (if a percentage).
To make a new estate gift or bequest: Bard has partnered with FreeWill, a free online platform that guides you through the process of making or updating your will. Get started here.
If you would like to disclose or update an existing bequest intention or gift of endowment: download, complete, and return a Bequest Intention Form, or alternatively report your bequest gift online using Free Will’s disclosure form.
If you would like to disclose or make your gift by designating Bard as a beneficiary of your retirement assets or life insurance policy: download, complete, and return a Declaration of Future Intent Form with the estimated dollar amount of the percentage designation.
Have an IRA, 401(k), life-insurance policy, or any other assets not included in your will? These are called non-probate assets and you must plan your beneficiaries for them outside of your will. If you would like to designate Bard as a beneficiary, you can use this secure online tool to make your plans.
If necessary, a Bard representative will follow up with you to sign and complete a gift agreement to document your gift.

All donors participating in the Bard Legacy Challenge will automatically become members of the Margaret and John Bard Society (MJBS) to recognize their generosity toward Bard’s endowment.

For more information about making your legacy gift, please contact Debra Pemstein, Vice President for Development and Alumni/ae Affairs, at 845-758-7405 or by email at [email protected].

Bard cannot offer legal or tax advice, but we welcome a conversation or an opportunity to answer your questions.
Planned Gifts Information

FAQs

Q: Do I need to make a planned gift or estate gift to qualify for a matching endowment commitment?

A: No! All gifts of endowment are matched. We also welcome and encourage you to consider a pledge of cash or securities, if you prefer. You may also make endowment gifts of stock online, or designate a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to Bard’s endowment.
Q: If I have previously made a planned gift of endowment, will it qualify for the challenge?

A: The Legacy Challenge will match new and newly disclosed or updated gifts of endowment. If you would like to update a previously intended bequest to allocate it to endowment, contact [email protected].
Q: What if I want to designate a percentage of my estate or assets?

A: In order to qualify for the Legacy Challenge and secure a matching commitment, Bard can accept your good faith estimate of the current dollar value of your percentage designation. You may designate a percentage of your estate or assets but commit a minimum dollar amount for your matched commitment.
Q: May I designate my legacy gift to a specific program at Bard?

A: We welcome unrestricted gifts of endowment to the College to ensure that your generosity will help Bard’s greatest area of need. You may restrict your gift to an existing endowment fund by contacting [email protected] to ensure your intentions can be honored and stewarded.
Q: What if my planned gift requires my spouse (or family member or friend) to predecease me?

A: To qualify for a match from the Legacy Challenge, your commitment must be irrevocable, and thus cannot be contingent on others predeceasing you. To ensure your gift may be counted, a gift agreement can be signed by both spouses; request one at [email protected].
Q: What happens if I change my estate plan?

A: To qualify for a match from the Legacy Challenge, gifts and commitments must be irrevocable. To make your commitment firm, request a gift agreement for your commitment by emailing [email protected].