Other Ways to Donate to the Historical Society of Carroll County
Any non-profit organization is dependent on the generosity of donors for its day-to-day operations, and the HSCC is no different. Every dollar that you donate helps pay staff salaries, keeps the lights on, and supports our diverse menu of programs and publications. Without your financial assistance, the many audiences we serve—from children to seniors—would be the poorer for it.
The generosity and thoughtfulness of those who make gifts to the HSCC help fund the Society’s mission of preserving, presenting and perpetuating the history of Carroll County. There are a number of ways you can do this:
Bequests
A bequest in your Will or Trust is the simplest and most popular form of planned giving. Through a bequest, you can give cash, securities, real estate, personal property, or a portion of the residue of your estate to the Historical Society or its Endowment Fund. Bequests of Carroll County artifacts and family heirlooms can be made to the HSCC for preservation as part of the museum collection.
Sample Bequest Language
“I give and bequeath unto the Historical Society of Carroll County, Inc. for its general purposes, the sum of $__________ [or percentage of the residue of your estate or description of a particular asset].”
A gift to the “Endowment Fund of the Historical Society of Carroll County, Inc.” would be added to the fund and used to produce an annual income for the Historical Society.
Life Insurance Gift
A Life Insurance Gift could be the donation of a paid-up policy; the gift of an existing policy; an accelerated method of premium payment, or the designation of the Historical Society of Carroll County as a partial or sole beneficiary of the policy. In certain circumstances, Life Insurance Gifts enable the giver to make a sizable donation at a relatively small cost
Life Estate Gifts
A Life Estate Gift is made by deed of a home, farm or land to the HSCC with provision that you may continue to use it during your lifetime. At your death, the property is directly transferred to the Historical Society as remainderman.
A Note on the Tax Benefits of Planned Giving:
While planned gifts are generally not motivated solely by its tax benefits, nevertheless a planned gift to the Historical Society of Carroll County, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, can result in significant income, estate and inheritance tax savings. Certain gifts may allow donors to eliminate tax on accumulated capital gains, receive immediate income tax deductions for deferred gifts, or increase annual income. Please consult with your attorney or tax advisor for specific advice on planned giving options.
For more information, contact Executive Director Jason Illari at jillari@hsccmd.org or 410-848-6494 Ext. 202.
Many supporters of the HSCC derive great satisfaction by making gifts in memory of loved ones or in honor of a family member or friend. Contributions can celebrate any occasion – a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or holiday.
The HSCC gratefully accepts honor and memorial gifts and treats each gift with special attention. When an honor or memorial gift is received, a special card is prepared for the person identified by the donor. The amount of the contribution is never revealed. The donor will also receive a letter of acknowledgment.
If you want to make an honorary or memorial contribution, please contact Executive Director, Jason Illari at 410-848-6494 Ext. 202 or jillari@HSCCmd.org.
Preserving history costs money. Collecting, cataloging, interpreting, and presenting 40,000 artifacts takes resources. Three historic properties always need attention, too.
Your Society operates on a shoestring. In fact, we lose money each year. We can’t keep doing it. But you can do something about it:
- Honor a parent, spouse, child or friend by gifting in their name. Your donation above a required minimum will be specially recognized by the Society.
- Do you hold stock worth a lot more now than when you bought it? Don’t sell it and pay big capital gains taxes. Gift it to us! You’ll avoid the tax and get a charitable deduction. Ask your financial advisor for details.
- Name the Society in your will! Your gift will build the Society’s operating endowment, letting us do important work for the next hundred years.
For information, contact Executive Director, Jason Illari at 410-848-6494 ext 202 or e-mail him at jillari@HSCCmd.org.
The gardens behind the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman House were made possible through the generosity of the Paul Shipley family in memory of Miss Lillian Shipley, our first resident curator.
Many of your friends and neighbors have donated funds for dedicated plantings in memory of loved ones, both friends and family, and in honor of special events, homesteads long gone, cherished and respected individuals, or accomplishments. Join them in becoming part of this lasting legacy; there are a limited number of shrubs available to adopt as well as two memorial benches.
All adopted plants will feature plaques with the names of the donor and the recipient as well as the common and botanical names of the plant. This donation also supports the upkeep and care of this lovely addition to the East End of town which has proven to be a beautiful attraction all year around.
Visit in the spring and into the summer and you can see the kitchen garden beside the back porch. We’ve put in some of the more interesting and unusual plants that may have been grown in the period 1800-1850 and used for food or medicinal and domestic-industrial purposes. The larger portion of the garden, “the Pleasure Garden,” is planted with a wide variety of plants, shrubs, and trees that would have been available during the same early 19th century period.
Please call the Historical Society at 410-848-6494 for additional information or email us at Info@HSCCmd.org.
We should all know about the “What” and the “How” of the Historical Society of Carroll County by now. These are regularly on display in our campus of historic buildings which include the Shriver-Weybright Gallery and the recently renovated Sherman-Fisher-Shellman house, our monthly Box Lunch Talks, the spring and fall visits by enthusiastic school children, the schedule of bus tours to historic sites, our special events like Teas, the Spring Soiree, and Antiques Appraisal, and our publications, like the Carroll History Journal. But what’s the “Why” behind all of this?
Why do we do it, and why are you kind enough to support us? That answer is a bit more complicated. It involves providing for the greater good, preserving our local roots and the role they played in our national story, ensuring that we leave behind a legacy of heirlooms and heritage that is the birthright of every generation to follow, and searching for lessons in the past that might guide us to a brighter future. You can’t really put these kinds of things in a convenient box, yet they are every bit as important as any pile of bricks and mortar or bus trip. That’s because the “why” we are represents “who” we are. It is our mission statement, and the solemn promise that we won’t forget the generations that have come before.
Your support is essential. Donations to HSCC’s Annual Fund are fully tax-deductible and allow us to increase our educational programming, care for our collections and maintain our historic buildings. Contributions also enable us to offer special exhibitions, programs and events. Please consider supporting the Historical Society of Carroll County.
For more information on how you can help, call Executive Director, Jason Illari at 410-848-6494 Ext. 202 or email him at jillari@HSCCmd.org.
Thank you for your support!
If you have an object or objects you want to donate to the Historical Society, please contact the Curator of Collections, Catherine Baty at 410-848-6494, ext. 203 or Cathy@HSCCmd.org. Please be prepared to provide as much detailed information about the object(s) as possible – including their history and condition. You may be asked to provide photographs of the objects for staff review.
Please do not bring potential donations to the Society unless you have an appointment for that specific reason. The staff at the front desk is unable to accept donations. Objects left without permission of the authorized staff will be disposed of at the discretion of the Society.
Criteria for Donations: HSCC acquires objects for their historical and educational significance in interpreting the history of Carroll County. The curatorial staff will weigh the item’s importance to the Collection and its condition, rarity, value, and copyright status before recommending acquisition. Objects are accepted as irrevocable, unrestricted gifts to the Society.
Appraisals: Donations of objects to the Society may be qualify as tax-deductible contributions. Appraisals associated with donations to the museum are the responsibility of the donor. Under the American Association of Museums Code of Ethics, museum employees are prohibited from providing appraisals and/or discussing the value of donations being offered to the institution. The following list of national organizations is provided to assist you in finding a qualified, professional appraiser: Appraisers Association of America, American Society of Appraisers, and International Society of Appraisers.