Planned Giving
YOUR GUIDE TO PLANNED GIVING WITH UNITED WAY
Planned giving
Planned giving offers a unique opportunity to create a lasting impact on the causes you care about – not just today, but for generations to come. It’s a way to leave a meaningful legacy.
What is the Legacy Circle?
The United Way of Rhode Island Legacy Circle honors our most dedicated donors, whose generosity shapes the future of our community and drives meaningful, lasting change in people's lives. Through their planned gifts, they create an impact that resonates not only during their lifetime but for generations to come.
How to create a legacy?
There are various financial vehicles available for planned giving. Personal financial advisors can help you design a planned gift that aligns with your financial goals and philanthropic aspirations.
Endow your gift
It generally takes a commitment of 20 times your annual contribution to endow an annual gift.
Bequests through a Will or Trust
The most popular and simplest way to make a planned gift is under your will or trust. You can provide a specific dollar amount or percentage, a residual amount, real estate, or tangible property to United Way RI.
IRA Rollover and Pension Fund Gifts
These are some of the best ways to make a charitable gift because of the ease of initiation. Donating these assets to a nonprofit, such as United Way RI, avoids double taxation under income and estate tax provisions. United Way RI can be named as a partial or contingent beneficiary of your retirement or pension plan.
Gifts of Life Insurance
With a relatively small outlay, you can make a substantial gift while obtaining tax benefits. United Way RI can be named as the sole, partial, or contingent beneficiary of a new or existing policy. Also, a paid-up policy can be donated to United Way RI as the owner and sole beneficiary.
Charitable Remainder Trust
Certain charitable vehicles can provide you with a lifetime income, with the remainder being left to charity. These options ensure an income stream during your lifetime, or the lifetime of your designated beneficiaries, leaving the residual benefit to charity. This is a simple and flexible way to maintain or increase your income while also supporting United Way RI.
Charitable Lead Trust
This vehicle can provide an annual income to United Way RI for a fixed period of years, offer an annual charitable deduction, and at the end of the time period leave significant, untaxed income for the beneficiary you have designated, which may be grandchildren, great grandchildren, or another designee.
Charitable Gift Annuity
There are many ways to fund a Gift Annuity, but cash or appreciated stock are the most common. When transferring securities to United Way RI, you can obtain an immediate charitable income tax deduction and bypass a portion of the capital gains tax as well. In addition, your income can frequently be increased in the form of a lifetime annuity payment based upon your age.
Planned Gift Notification
Sharing information about your planned gift is a meaningful way to demonstrate your generosity and help us plan for the future. It’s easy—simply let us know the type of gift, its estimated value, and any special wishes you may have.
When donors notify nonprofits of their planned gifts, it allows organizations to acknowledge their generosity, express gratitude, and invite them to participate in legacy societies or recognition programs. By keeping us informed, you enable us to honor your wishes and strengthen our relationship.
Importance of Planned Giving
Planned giving is a powerful partnership between you and United Way, offering a strategic approach to charitable giving. For you, it’s a chance to create a lasting legacy, benefit from potential tax advantages, and support the causes you care about. For nonprofits, planned gifts provide a stable, predictable source of future funding, ensuring long-term sustainability and enabling strategic growth.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PLANNED GIVING?
Planned giving is a meaningful way to create a lasting impact while optimizing your financial resources. It offers mutual benefits for both donors and nonprofit organizations:
Benefits for Donors
- Tax Benefits: Offers potential reductions in income, estate, and capital gains taxes.
- Financial Planning: Integrates charitable giving with your financial and estate planning goals.
- Legacy Creation: Provides an opportunity to leave a lasting impact on causes that matter most to you.
Benefits for Nonprofits
- Stable Funding: Predictable future income to support long-term initiatives.
- Donor Relationships: Deepens connections with donors, fostering greater engagement with the organization’s mission.
- Financial Stability: Enhanced ability to plan and allocate strategically for sustainable growth.
HOW TO GET STARTED IN PLANNED GIVING
Embarking on the journey of planned giving is a deeply rewarding experience. If you’re interested in exploring our Planned Giving options, we’re here to collaborate with you and your advisors to design a gift that best meets your needs.
Here’s a simple guide to help you get started:
- Reflect on Your Values: Identify the causes that resonate with you and envision the impact you wish to create.
- Explore Your Options: Research the various types of planned gifts to determine which aligns with your financial and philanthropic goals.
- Seek Expert Advice: Consult financial, legal, and tax professionals to fully understand the benefits and implications of your gift.
- Choose Your Beneficiaries: Select the organizations that inspire you and align with your values.
- Create Your Legacy: Work with your advisors to integrate your planned gift into your estate or financial plan.
- Share Your Vision: Inform us of your intentions so we can express our gratitude, honor your wishes, and include you in our legacy programs.
Getting started is easy! United Way proudly offers Free Will, a free, user-friendly tool to help you create a personalized will or other estate planning documents online.
Our Documents
Here are some helpful documents to help get you started.
UNITED WAY OF RHODE ISLAND’S LEGACY CIRCLE MEMBERS
The Eugene P. Carreiro Revocable Family Trust*
Victor R. Charles
William H. Claflin*
Karen A. Davie & Garrison A. Hull
Sarah and Charley Denby
Christine Ann Farrands
Anonymous
John D. Flynn, Jr.
Ms. Patricia A. Gauvin
Mary & Tom Gilbane Jr.
Anonymous
Jonathan W. & Cornelia K. Hall
Ashley M. Jankowski
Lauren Amy Johnson
Georgeanne Keith
Marie Langlois & John Loerke
Catherine Lewis
Linda J. Marty
David & Cortney Nicolato
Anita Oliver*
Carol A. Peterson
Anonymous
Ms. Irene K. Plaga*
Dennis E. Stark
Susan & Alec Taylor
Thomas & Sharon Veronneau
Donald & Crystal Way
Contact us
For more information on how you can make a lasting impact as a member of UWRI’s Legacy Circle, please contact:
Jessica Barry
Senior Director of Donor Relations
401.444.0640
Jessica.barry@unitedwayri.org
It’s time to broaden view of what nonprofits really are. Hope & Main shows how
I’ve spent the majority of my life immersed in the nonprofit sector, and one of the most common misconceptions is that they’re often placed beneath a "social services" umbrella. That narrow view couldn’t be further from the truth.
When nonprofits are seen only as organizations that address basic needs, it’s a limited perception that overlooks their far-reaching influence. They are the heartbeat of our communities, enhancing and influencing our daily lives in ways many do not even notice.
Nonprofits can be found everywhere – from youth sports leagues and museums to community gardens, arts foundations and public media. Your niece’s town soccer team? They’re part of a nonprofit. Enjoying a WaterFire lighting, hiking at a preserve or watching PBS on a quiet evening? Those experiences are made possible by nonprofits as well. They’re also economic engines, civic leaders and innovation hubs. Sometimes, they’re all of those things at once.
Volunteers Needed for “Day of Action” on June 7 to Help Prepare Donated Books for Distribution to Local Children
Providence, R.I. (May 27, 2025) – United Way of Rhode Island’s annual “Day of Action” is quickly approaching, and the organization is looking for additional volunteers to help prepare thousands of donated books for distribution to local children. The event is one of United Way’s largest volunteer-driven initiatives of the year to improve childhood literacy.
“Day of Action” will take place on Saturday, June 7, at United Way’s 50 Valley Street headquarters in Providence, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is a fun, family-friendly event and provides a great opportunity for individuals needing community service hours for school or professional development.
During “Day of Action,” volunteers will help with sorting, labeling, and packaging thousands of books collected during United Way’s recent Children’s Book Drive in partnership with Books Are Wings, whose mission is to put free books in the hands of kids. Thanks to the drive’s many partners, community drop-off locations, and collections organized by businesses, schools, and other groups, the effort has thus far collected more than 10,000 books.
Once the books are ready for their new homes, Books Are Wings will distribute them to children across Rhode Island through summer learning and afterschool programs.
Volunteers on “Day of Action” will receive United Way “UNITED IS THE WAY” t-shirts and refreshments, including a pizza lunch at 12:15 p.m. Families and children are welcome and encouraged to participate; those aged 16 and under must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.
If you would like to volunteer, or if you have questions, please contact Lori DiMatteo at Lori.DiMatteo@unitedwayri.org. Volunteers may also us this link to register.
Over the past decade, United Way’s Children’s Book Drive has provided more than 300,000 books to kids throughout the Ocean State.
###
United Way of Rhode Island is uniting our community and resources to build racial equity and opportunities for all Rhode Islanders. As a member of the world’s largest nonprofit network, we bring together individuals, business, nonprofit, community leaders and government to tackle the root causes of inequity and achieve specific, measurable goals. Our programs include 211, the statewide front door connecting Rhode Islanders with social services, resources, and vital programs. Both directly and through grants to nonprofits, we are investing to build economic opportunity, advance childhood learning, expand philanthropy, and to drive policy and participation. To learn more, visit unitedwayri.org, or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
United Way of Rhode Island Statement on the House Budget Cuts
United is the Way— and that means standing up for every Rhode Islander.
At United Way of Rhode Island, we believe budgets are moral documents — they reveal what we truly value. The budget passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 22 fails that test.
This federal budget proposal would devastate communities across our state. It includes sweeping cuts to programs that tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders rely on — putting healthcare, food assistance, housing, education, and veterans’ services at risk.
Slashing Medicaid funding and adding harsh work requirements would jeopardize care for more than 366,000 Rhode Islanders — including older adults, people with disabilities, and veterans who’ve earned better. Cuts to SNAP would force families to choose between food and rent. And new restrictions on services for homeless students and immigrant families betray our most basic commitments to dignity and fairness.
Every day, through 211, we hear the real stories behind the headlines — Rhode Islanders struggling to afford food, find housing, or access healthcare — and we’re here, answering the call, connecting them to the help they need.
By gutting funding for clean energy, stripping environmental protections, and attacking safety net services, this bill tears at the very foundation of strong communities.
Rhode Island should never be punished for choosing compassion — for expanding healthcare access, investing in sustainability, and protecting our neighbors. This isn’t just bad policy. It’s a betrayal of what we stand for.
Rhode Island deserves a budget that builds people up — not one that tears them down in the name of tax cuts.
It is critical that we advocate for the needs of our residents and take action that shows
United Is The Way. Because fairness and dignity, is critical to create a Rhode Island where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
📞 Call your U.S. Senators today and tell them you stand with them in standing up for the people of Rhode Island.
Senator Jack Reed: (401) 943-3100 https://www.reed.senate.gov/contact
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: (401) 453- 5294 https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/
Contact Jack | U.S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island
Lawyers’ Committee for RI seeks Volunteer Attorneys to help Nonprofits Navigate the Evolving Regulatory and Funding Landscapes
Warwick, RI – [April 28, 2025] – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) has partnered with United Way of Rhode Island to establish a satellite 211 office on CCRI’s Warwick campus, expanding access to essential community resources for students. This collaboration underscores CCRI’s ongoing commitment to removing barriers to student success and ensuring students have the support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.
CCRI Partners with United Way to Open 211 Satellite Office on Warwick Campus
Warwick, RI – [April 28, 2025] – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) has partnered with United Way of Rhode Island to establish a satellite 211 office on CCRI’s Warwick campus, expanding access to essential community resources for students. This collaboration underscores CCRI’s ongoing commitment to removing barriers to student success and ensuring students have the support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.
United Way Accelerates $1.5 Million in Grant Payments to Support Rhode Island Nonprofits Amid Funding Uncertainty
Recognizing the urgency of the financial strain facing local nonprofits, United Way of Rhode Island is taking a major step to provide timely critical support to its funded partners. The organization has released more than $1.5 million in grant payments nearly three months ahead of schedule, delivering early disbursements to 41 nonprofits across the state.
UPCOMING EVENTS
RI Young Professionals Statewide Summer Social
Join us for Rhode Island's re-vamped Young Professional Statewide Summer Social.
Co-hosted by United Way of Rhode Island's Emerging Leaders program, Millennial Rhode Island, and Southern Rhode Island Young Professionals, this is the largest young professionals networking event of the year and your chance to connect with your peers across companies, industries, and sectors.
When and Where?
Whaler's Brewing Co.
1174 Kingstown Road
South Kingstown, RI 02879
Wednesday, July 9th, 5:30pm-7:30pm
https://uwriweb.org/comm/SinglePageRegEvent.jsp?EventKeyHex=3136323132
Day of Action 2025
Day of Action is a worldwide United Way event, offering volunteer opportunities focused on the work of local United Way organizations. In Rhode Island, the Day of Action will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 9 AM - 1 PM to sort, label, and prepare the books for distribution to children in summer learning and afterschool programs.
To register, please click here: https://uwriweb.org/comm/SinglePageRegEvent.jsp?EventKeyHex=3135383931