Memorials, Tributes & Endowment Giving
Memorial Giving
The Atlanta Area Council has a Memorial/Tribute Fund established for its Scouters and supporters to make living and lasting tax deductible contributions to the Scouting program. Contributions may be made for any amount as a living memorial or lasting tribute to a departed relative or in honor of someone.
Click here to make a memorial or tribute gift.
Condolences, recognition or congratulations may be expressed through the use of the Memorial/Tribute Fund, when material gifts or remembrances may not be desirable or appropriate.
Upon receipt of a contribution, the Council will mail a nice card to the family or group in whose memory or honor the gift is made and send an acknowledgement to you.
If you would like to make a contribution to the Atlanta Area Council In Honor or In Memory of someone, please click here or simply contact 770-956-5690. Thank you for your support.
Encouraging gifts to the endowment fund is one of Scouting's highest priorities. It is one of the best ways to ensure that the Atlanta Area Council can continue to offer the outstanding programs it now has long into the future and also grow to meet the needs of the youth and communities it serves.
Planned Giving
Most of us have heard of the term endowment, but what does it really mean? An endowment is a fund held in perpetuity to provide interest and dividend earnings for the benefit of a charitable cause. That is the textbook definition, but in reality, an endowment is the life preserver of a charitable organization. To be healthy and stable, the Atlanta Area Council needs to meet its current operating budget, without exerting 100% of its energy on fundraising. 10% of the operating budget is provided from investment income, our mission is not to raise funds, but rather to continue the movement and build a strong foundation that provides our youth with quality, values-based programs. For more information on planned giving contact Jenna Knight, Director of Development and Marketing at 770-956-3178.
In its gratitude for such support, the Boy Scouts of America nationally offers two distinct endowment recognition awards which are all a part of the Heritage Society.
Heritge Societies
Second Century Society
An outright gift of $25,000 or more payable over five years,or a deferred gift of $100,000 or more,to a local council,BSA Foundation, high-adventure base,or any BSA entity for operating, capital,or endowment. Donors making outright gifts of $100,000 or more are designated as “Members with Distinction.” Donors making deferred gifts of $500,000 or more are designated as “Legacy Members.” Members in these categories receive special recognition and opportunities provided by the BSA Foundation. Second Century Society members are recognized with a member lapel pin and certificate. Members giving at least $100,000 also receive a framed Rockwell print and a Custom Second Century insignia item.
The James E. West Fellowship
This award is named after James E. West who was the first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. Dr. West exemplified Ralph Waldo Emerson's observation that "an institution is the lengthened shadow of one man." Scouting today is the "lengthened shadow" of more than three decades of the farseeing and dedicated leadership of Dr. James E. West. Those who are recognized by the James E. West Fellowship Award will cast their own "lengthened shadow" as they help ensure the Scouting legacy for future generations of young people and create the financial stability of the program for the Atlanta Area Council.
Qualifications
The James E. West Fellowship Award is a national recognition for individuals who contribute $1,000 or more in cash or marketable securities to the Council's Endowment Trust Fund. This gift must be in addition to and not replace or diminish the donor's annual Friends of Scouting support. Many individuals and organizations make these gifts on behalf of someone else such as in honor of an Eagle Scout, Silver Beaver recipient, Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, a retirement, a special accomplishment, or anniversary or in memory of a special individual. The James E. West Fellowship Award is recognized with a personalized certificate, a distinctive lapel pin and an exclusive knot for the uniform and are all presented at a special recognition program. The recipient will also be included in special Atlanta Area Council events and mailings in the future.
