Planned Giving
Through planned giving, you can have the assurance your legacy will inspire generations to come as they experience a connection with wildlife and nature through the work of Zoo Knoxville.
Planned Giving Opportunities
Please consider including Zoo Knoxville in your estate plans and becoming a valued member of Zoo Knoxville’s Legacy Society. Regardless of the size or type of your gift — bequests, charitable trusts, beneficiary designations, or remainder interest in a residence — your generosity will ensure you are remembered as a friend and benefactor of Zoo Knoxville for generations to come.
- Outright gift of cash
- Outright gift of personal property
- Donation of stocks/securities to the Zoo
- A specific amount, percentage of, or residual amount of estate
- Retirement plans
- Insurance plans
Gifts to Zoo Knoxville can be restricted or unrestricted. Unrestricted gifts support the Zoo’s general needs and are used at the Board of Directors’ discretion, offering the Zoo valuable flexibility. However, we understand some donors prefer to support specific programs, so we welcome restricted gifts as well. Since bequests may not be received for many years, we ask that their terms be as general as possible to ensure they remain relevant and beneficial. If you are considering a specific purpose for your bequest, please contact our office to discuss your wishes for your donation.
How To Make A Planned Gift
The first step is talking with your estate attorney, tax preparer or financial planner. He or she will help you decide on the type of gift that is most beneficial to you now and into the future.
Information Your Attorney Will Need
If you already have a will and would like to remember Zoo Knoxville, your attorney could include us easily with a sentence (codicil) such as:“I hereby give $_______(specific amount, specific asset, ____% of my estate, or ____% of the residuary of my estate after settling) to Knoxville Zoological Gardens (Zoo Knoxville), a not-for profit charitable corporation incorporated in Knoxville, Tennessee and presently located at 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive.” If you are drafting a new will or trust, your attorney will need the following legal information:
- Legal name: Knoxville Zoological Gardens (also known as Zoo Knoxville)
- Mailing Address: 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914
- Phone: 865-637-5331
- Tax ID #: 62-1034633
- Zoo Knoxville is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Gifts and bequests to Zoo Knoxville are deductible to the extent permitted by law for income, gift and estate tax purposes.
Why it makes a difference
When choosing to honor Zoo Knoxville with a planned gift, you become a member of a committed group of donors known as Zoo Knoxville’s Legacy Society. As a member of our Legacy Society, you will receive regular updates on changes and improvements at the Zoo, and you will be invited to an annual reception celebrating the impact of planned gifts on Zoo Knoxville and welcoming new members. With your permission, you will be acknowledged publicly in print and electronically and will appear in Zoo Knoxville’s “Year in Review” publication. No mater how you plan, making a lasting donation to a community treasure committed to wildlife conservation and education is a decision with lasting positive outcomes. Because Zoo Knoxville is 87 percent self-supporting, we rely heavily on donations to support operations as well as accomplish critical conservation work and build state-of-the-art-habitats.
For more information or to advise us of your plans, please contact [email protected].