Leave a gift in your will
Leave a gift in your will
Invest in the future of your community
Let United Way East Ontario help you achieve your philanthropic goals—now and well into the future. Through United Way’s Tomorrow Fund™, you can change lives by supporting local programs that will have the greatest measurable impact in our communities, sharing in our belief that for our region to be great it has to be great for everyone.
The Tomorrow Fund™ enables us to make strategic and innovative investments where they are needed most and will have the greatest impact. Today, tomorrow, and during times of crisis.
Continue to build your legacy by leaving a gift to United Way East Ontario’s Tomorrow Fund™ in your will.
Why include the United Way Tomorrow Fund™ in your estate or financial plans?
For decades, we’ve partnered with donors, agencies and local leaders to create safe and healthy communities for all. But, as times change so do the needs of our region.
When you include the Tomorrow Fund™ in your will, you can feel confident that your gift will remain stable and accessible for years to come, and will provide much needed support that thousands of local people rely on.
Donors like you invest in:
Every child and youth deserves the chance to have a great life, no matter where they grow up.
We believe that everyone deserves a place to call home, a job, and a sense of belonging to their community.
We ensure that all members of our community get the help they need, when they need it.
COVID-19 investment snapshot
In the first few weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to the generosity of donors who left legacy gifts to United Way, we were able to act quickly and invest $39,123.42 through testamentary funds. As a result of these investments:
people were supported
check-in calls were made
phones and tablets were distributed to support initiatives responding to violence against women
calls related to violence in the home were answered
Leaving a legacy for our region's most vulnerable
Leaving a gift in your will to United Way is an important part of ensuring lasting change in the lives of future generations. As a loyal donor, this comes as no surprise to Heather Keatley.
When her husband Gareth passed away, she says she was thankful they were prepared. The grieving process was made easier since the couple had already agreed on their approach to planned giving, which included a generous gift to United Way in their wills. “We were always conscious of helping those who had less than we did,” she says.
"It just seemed like the right thing to do. There are tax benefits to the estate, for one thing. And for another, family members don’t have the added burden of carrying out wishes."
How to leave a gift to the Tomorrow Fund™ in your will
If you don’t have a will …
Consider that having a will in place is the simplest way to distribute your estate the way you choose. It also makes it easy to give a gift in support of United Way East Ontario. Consult a lawyer or financial planning professional to create your will.
If you already have a will …
Don’t set it and forget it! Be sure to review your will every couple of years to ensure that it stays relevant. A new marriage, divorce, birth, or death of a family member should all result in a review to make sure your will is still protecting the people you love.
A bequest is the most common type of planned gift. This can be a sum of money, a piece of property, or a percentage of your estate that is designated to United Way East Ontario in your will. Other types of planned gifts also include RRSPs/RRIFs, life insurance, securities/stocks, charitable remainder trusts and gifts-in-kind.
Here are a few examples of language to consider using when creating or revising your will. If you have special wishes regarding how you would like to personalize and design your bequest or other planned gift, please contact us—we would be happy to help.
Give a percentage or residue of your estate to United Way East Ontario
“I give to United Way East Ontario, currently located at 363 Coventry Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1C2C5, [_________ %] of the rest, residue, or remainder of my estate to be used for its general charitable purposes in accordance with this organization’s applicable practices and policies.”
Give a specific asset or collection of assets such as cash, stocks/securities, or other designated property to United Way East Ontario
“I give [$ ______________] or [a specific asset] to United Way East Ontario, currently located at 363 Coventry Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1K2C5, to be used for its general charitable purposes and held and administered in accordance with this organization’s applicable practices and policies.”
You have identified a specific area of interest that to which you wish your gift be, for example, to support youth homelessness in Ottawa
“I give, devise and bequeath [______________%] or [ $ ____________] or [a specific asset] to United Way East Ontario currently located at 363 Coventry Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1K2C5 to be used to support [_____________________________] and held and administered in accordance with this organization’s applicable practices and policies.”
Once you have a sense of the type of gift you wish to make, we advise that you consult a lawyer or financial planning professional to complete your will.
Gifts of life insurance
The gift of life insurance provides a unique opportunity to make a positive impact in the future while receiving tax benefits today. It allows you to make a long-term investment while preserving the value of your estate for your loved ones. Choosing to give the gift of life insurance means the proceeds of the policy are paid directly to United Way East Ontario and remain in our region.
How to transfer ownership to United Way East Ontario:
- Give an already paid-up policy and receive a donation receipt for the cash value of the policy.
- Give an existing policy on which premiums are still being paid and receive a receipt for the cash value of the policy and subsequent premium payments.
How to make United Way a benefactor:
- Name “United Way East Ontario” as the beneficiary of your policy and a donation receipt will be issued to your estate, which can be claimed in your final tax return.
Acknowledging your gift
We would like to honour your generous philanthropy by recognizing you in our annual Honour Roll, and by inviting you and your family to donor events and community activities. We will also respect your wish to give anonymously should you choose to do so.
