Planned giving. We can plan on it together.

A planned gift is a gift directed to Brock University, specified according to your wishes through a provision in your will. Planned gifts provide you the opportunity to make a charitable donation that achieves your philanthropic and financial goals, lowers your personal income and estate taxes, and creates a legacy of giving by supporting future generations of Brock students.

What are the benefits?

  • You can direct your support to the area that is most meaning for you – from athletics, capital, equipment, research support or student awards
  • A planned gift can be changed if your personal or financial circumstances change
  • Leaving a planned gift gives you the ability to make a larger gift and leave a legacy
  • There is potential to lessen the tax burden on your estate and reduce tax on capital gains
  • By making a planned gift, you will become a member of Brock’s Major-General Legacy Circle

The Major-General’s Legacy Circle recognizes and honours those friends of Brock University who have made a commitment to the future of this institution by including Brock in their estate plans.

As a member of the Major-General’s Legacy Circle, you will:

  • Be invited to an annual celebration recognizing those who have made a provision for a gift to Brock in their will
  • Be invited to various university events including student performances, lectures and other donor recognition events
  • Be recognized in our annual report and on our donor wall

Please contact us if you have already made plans in your will so that we can ensure to include you in our Major-General’s Legacy Circle and appropriately recognize your support of and commitment to Brock.

Ways to give

Let our estate giving team help you discover what best suits your needs. We also suggest that you contact an advisor to help you with your decision.

The most common and often simplest way to make an estate gift is a charitable bequest – or a gift made through a will. A bequest in a will may specify a certain sum of money, a particular asset, or a portion of the estate, to be donated to Brock University.

With a gift of life insurance, a donor can give a significant future gift using an affordable life insurance policy, while benefiting valuable tax benefits. Giving life insurance is perfect for donors who do not have the financial resources to give a large gift during their lifetime but would like to leave a sizeable gift in their legacy.

By leaving a gift of securities in your will, you will benefit from generous tax incentives for gifts of publicly traded securities as there are no capital gains taxes on gifts of publicly traded securities to public charities. To benefit from this tax incentive, the ownership of the securities themselves would be transferred to Brock University rather than selling the securities and donating the proceeds.

Remaining funds in a donor’s RRSP and RRIF can be gifted to Brock by naming the University as the beneficiary of the plan. Upon your passing, the University will receive the proceeds and your estate will receive the charitable tax receipt. This provides a tax-smart and effective way to transform assets into support.

From The Brock News

Philanthropist and Brock University graduate Art Bicknell (BSc '71) with scholarship recipient Vincenzo Coia (BSc '11).

Bicknell’s support will be part of his legacy

As a student, Bicknell remembers a much different University than stands today. He appreciates that the continued growth around campus and the evolving learning and research wouldn’t take place without donor support.

Philanthropists Stephanie and Gerry Mitchell.

$2.7m gift expands student opportunities for experiential learning and access

A groundbreaking act of generosity will benefit future generations of Brock University students with expanded work opportunities during their studies, greater access for underrepresented groups and deeper research for career and experiential education.

Brock alumna Linda Crabtree and husband G. Ronald Book pose for a photo in a lush, green garden.

Trailblazer of campus accessibility giving back to Brock for Leave a Legacy Month

Brock alumna Linda Crabtree and husband G. Ronald Book have designated a bequest to Brock University to establish a bursary in Linda’s name.

Planning next steps

To learn more about leaving a gift in your will or explore other planned giving options, please contact Jackie Nguyen, Major Gifts Officer. You can reach Jackie via email at jnguyen@brocku.ca or by phone at (289) 968-8576.

If you’ve already included us in your will or estate plans, kindly inform us. Your notification will assist us in future planning and enable us to acknowledge your generosity in our Major-General’s Legacy Circle.