Beyond the Mountain

Standing Steadfast for the Future

Together, our legacy can be to ensure that the wonders of Grandfather Mountain and our beautiful world never cease.

You may have come to the mountain as a child and met Mildred the Bear or visited with your own family to cross the Mile-High Swinging Bridge. Maybe it was a hike, a sunrise, a special program or a picnic. It may even have been a breathtaking picture.

You have experienced the wonders of Grandfather Mountain and its enduring presence.

A planned gift is one way to express what you value that will have an impact well into the future. Through such a gift to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, you can protect the vital ecosystems on the mountain, expand research and education, and engage people of all ages to experience, learn about and care for the natural world.

We invite you to join the Grandfather Mountain Legacy Society

Make a Gift Through Your Will or Trust

It’s easy to include a gift when creating your will or trust, or an existing one can be amended with a simple document. You can give a percentage of your estate, a specific amount, or simply what is left after taking care of your loved ones and other obligations. The following is language you can use.

To make a gift of a percentage or the remainder of your estate:

I give to Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, Inc. (Federal Tax ID 26-4812778) located at 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville NC 28646, the sum of _____% [or the rest, residue, and remainder] of my estate to be used to further the general purposes of the organization.

To make a gift of a specific amount:

I give to Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, Inc. (Federal Tax ID 26-4812778) located at 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville NC 28646, the sum of $____________ to be used to further the general purposes of the organization.

If you wish to designate your gift to a particular program or aspect of our work, please contact us for assistance in developing the language and to ensure that we can honor your wishes.

Designate the Stewardship Foundation as a Beneficiary of A Life Insurance Policy

Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation can be named as the beneficiary of an existing life insurance policy, or a new policy can be purchased with the organization named as the owner and beneficiary. Such a gift may reduce income taxes.

Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 129
2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville NC 28646
Federal Tax ID 26-4812778

Learn More About the Impact of Your Gift

Legacy gifts have a unique role in our daily work to inspire conservation of the natural world through education, exploration and example. They also help fund vital investments toward a vision of Grandfather Mountain as a renowned center for conservation that inspires us to be stewards of our world.

With a strategic plan in place, and a comprehensive master plan for the park to guide us over the coming decades, your legacy gift will have a lasting impact.

Conservation – Active efforts to support biodiversity, research, engagement of the public in citizen science studies, and protection and restoration of endangered species.

Education Focused on Conservation and the Environment – Formal and informal educational programs, renowned speakers, outreach to the community and schools, program development and evaluation, and scholarships.

Animal Habitats and Outdoor Classrooms – Animal care and habitat renovations, teaching gardens, amphitheater and pavilion, hiking and walking trails, and accessibility.

Infrastructure & Sustainability – Comprehensive master plan for the park, roads, facilities, technology solutions, and reduced carbon footprint. Continuous improvement to support exemplary guest experiences.

Human & Financial Resources – Capacity and empowerment of personnel, volunteer engagement, expanded and diversified revenue, strategic reinvestment, and storytelling.

Our Promise to You About Your Gift

You Have Our Gratitude and Our Promise

All legacy gifts serve a common purpose: to sustain active conservation and education efforts and to inspire conservation and care for the natural world.
Your gift is precious, and we pledge to be good stewards of any resources you entrust to us, just as we are stewards of Grandfather Mountain.
Making a legacy gift is a deeply personal decision to be made in your own way and in your own time.
You can notify us of your gift or not. If you do let us know, we would be honored to recognize you as a member of the Grandfather Mountain Legacy Society if this would be meaningful to you.
You can revise your wishes at any time, and we respect whatever decisions you make.
We would be happy to talk with you as you consider or make such an important decision and to answer any questions you may have.

You can share your gift intention to leave a gift to Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation in your will or estate plans using this form. Or please email Margaret Thiele, Vice President of Development, or call her direct line at (828) 833-6339 for more information about planned gifts and our work.

As a member of the Legacy Society, you will be part of a very special group of caring and committed individuals who—just like you—want to help ensure that the wonders of Grandfather Mountain are protected and shared to inspire future generations.