The Master Gardener Legacy Fund

Supporting Florida Master Gardener Volunteers

The Master Gardener Legacy Fund was created to provide financial support to Master Gardener Volunteer programs throughout Florida. Counties can apply annually to receive grants for new or continuing educational projects. Money will be awarded by the UF/IFAS Florida Statewide Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator and a review committee.

How You Can Help

The bigger we grow the Master Gardener Legacy Fund endowment, the more financial support we will be able to provide to county Master Gardener Volunteer projects across the state.

Much like growing a garden, growing the endowment will lead to beautiful impacts in communities across Florida. It’s also a wonderful way to honor and remember MGV friends and loved ones. Please consider donating online at www.uff.ufl.edu/appeals/MGLegacyFund, writing a check (payable to the UF Foundation), or contact Caylin Hilton, Director of Development at 352.392.5432 or send her an email to learn more about planned giving options.

Planned Giving

A bequest can be a gift of a specific dollar amount, a particular asset (such as real estate, securities, or tangible personal property), or a percentage of your net estate.

Life Insurance – You can name the UF Foundation as a revocable primary beneficiary or as a policy owner on a new or existing life insurance policy. You continue to pay the premiums, but as contributions (equal to the premium) to the MG Legacy Fund.

Retirement Plan – A qualified retirement plan or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) can benefit the MG Legacy Fund. You pay no income tax on the contributed funds or on their growth in value; you only pay income tax when you withdraw the funds.

Stocks and Securities – A gift of appreciated stocks, bonds or mutual funds that have been held more than one year is a popular alternative to donating cash, because you can save on taxes twice: by avoiding capital gain tax and through a charitable income tax deduction.

Real Estate – In a retained life estate gift, donating the remainder interest from your property gives you a tax deduction and lets you avoid capital gains taxes, while you still live in your home. A gift of appreciated property offers maximum tax advantages (the charitable deduction is based on the full fair market value of the property). Appreciated property can be used to create a charitable remainder trust, providing an annual income for life.

Dedicate Your Gift to a Loved One

Gifts to the Master Gardener Legacy Fund can be made in memory or in honor of loved ones. Whether they served as a volunteer, an extension agent, or just love nature, we appreciate all they have done for us and the UF/IFAS Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

See our list of those who were honored by a gift to the Master Gardener Legacy Fund in their name.

How Your Gift Will Help

The Master Gardener Legacy Fund provides financial support to Master Gardener Volunteer programs throughout Florida. Counties can apply annually to receive grants for new or continuing educational projects.

In 2018, the UF/IFAS St. Johns County Master Gardener Volunteer program won the first Legacy Fund grant for their youth garden club. The Broward County MGV program received the 2019 grant for creating a demonstration vegetable garden to show homeowners how to grow veggies in their urban yards and community gardens.

For 2020, two counties were presented with Legacy Fund grants: UF/IFAS Extension Flagler County for their Seed-of-Life garden and UF/IFAS Extension Lake County for their honey bee demonstration garden. Two awards were given again for 2021, to Manatee and Franklin counties.

UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Master Gardener Volunteers were awarded in 2022 for their Discovery Garden signage.

There were two 2023 Legacy Award winners, Walton and Sumter counties. Walton County built a demonstration garden for the new coastal branch office, while Sumter County enhanced their youth garden dedicated to community service.