Donate

Make A Donation

You love nature, and when you make a donation to The Conservation Foundation you are putting that love into action. Every dollar supports our work to ensure future generations have access to and appreciation for our region’s natural resources. You’ll get back what you’ve given as nearby nature brings greater health and happiness to your life and your relationships.

When you make a donation to The Conservation Foundation, you become a member for one year. 

If you would like to mail in your contribution, please do so to our headquarters at McDonald Farm:

10S404 Knoch Knolls Road, Naperville, IL 60565

Our FEIN Number is 23-7221206.

Budget Friendly Monthly Giving

Become a Renewable Resource!

The Conservation Foundation is working in your neighborhood to help people nurture and connect with nature. We believe in dirty fingernails and muddy shoes, and we live to see eyes of all ages grow wide with wonder when experiencing the natural world.  

Make supporting our work a little gentler on your home budget by joining the Renewable Resources Society as a monthly recurring donor!

  • Set up your automatic monthly contribution here, and forget about it! No checks to send in or due dates to remember. We’ll automatically bill your card and send a statement in December summarizing your gifts for that calendar year. 
  • Receive all of the benefits of membership in The Conservation Foundation, including a New Member Welcome Packet, email updates on important environmental events and issues on the region, and The Heron magazine, printed three times a year. 
  • Since it’s all done electronically and we don’t have to generate and mail reminders, you can feel great about helping to save significant natural and human resources. 
  • Accomplish more by giving a smaller amount more often. It’s a lot easier to find $20 a month than to come up with $240 all at once, and having a steady donation stream allows us to act quickly when an urgent conservation opportunity arises.

Gift &

Estate Planning

Perennial Circle is a group of donors who have chosen to make a profound impact on the future of The Conservation Foundation through a planned gift. Gifts of life insurance, annuities or remembering The Conservation Foundation in your will enable you to achieve your financial and estate goals and leave a legacy of land for future generations. These gifts often come with some beneficial tax incentives as well.

Types of Planned Gifts

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Begin Your Legacy With Us

To help you get started on your plans and legacy, you can use FreeWill, an online tool that guides you through the process of creating a legally valid will or trust. It’s easy to use, accessible online and can be completed in 20 minutes. You can use this resource on its own, use it to document your wishes before finalizing your plans with an attorney.

Have you already included a gift in your will or trust? Please fill out this form to let us know! We would love to thank you for your generosity.

Non-Probate Assets

Do you have an IRA, 401(k), life-insurance policy, or any other assets not included in your will? If so, these are called non-probate assets and you must plan your beneficiaries for them separately. Use this online tool to make your plans and designate us as a beneficiary of one or more of these assets.

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Bequest in Your Will of Cash, Property or Estate Residual

A bequest costs you nothing today, and gives The Conservation Foundation the promise of a strong future.

Charitable Gift Annuity or a Charitable Remainder Unitrust

Donate a capital sum to The Conservation Foundation (or to a trust) and receive regular annual payments back. Benefits include attractive interest rates which are locked for life, and excellent potential for tax exemptions.

A Deferred Gift Annuity

Receive deductions when you give property or cash to The Conservation Foundation, and receive income after a specified deferred date. Benefits include tax reductions for you today, and guaranteed income later.

Make The Conservation Foundation Your Retirement Plan Beneficiary

This option allows you to leave less-taxed assets to your family, while eliminating income tax on your retirement plan assets.

Appreciated Securities

Gifts of appreciated securities allow you to receive gift credit and an immediate income tax deduction for the fair market value of the securities, and you pay no capital gains tax.

A Life Insurance Policy (New or Existing Paid-Up Policies)

This option creates a long-term gift to The Conservation Foundation that won’t draw funds from your estate, and may increase your ability to make a significant gift.

Charitable Lead Trust

A charitable lead trust reduces your beneficiaries’ taxable income by first donating a portion of the trust’s income to The Conservation Foundation, and then transferring the remainder to your heirs after a specified period of time.

Real Estate


Real estate which is gifted avoids being taxed for capital gains, and offers you an income tax deduction.

Employer Matching

Did you know that more than 26 million people work for companies with employee matching gift programs? You might too! Learn more about your employer’s matching gift programs by entering the company’s name in the below search box.

Matching Gift and Volunteer Grant information provided by
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Sponsorship &

Corporate Support

Our corporate partners are critical to the success of The Conservation Foundation. Many of the activities of the Foundation wouldn’t be possible without corporate partners to support our on-the-ground activities.

Corporate sponsorship with The Conservation Foundation allows us to advertise your company and reinforce your reputation as a good corporate citizen with our membership. Our sponsorships offer the reach of local marketing exposure and benefit from the positive image of supporting our mission. You receive exposure and advertising during The Conservation Foundation’s special events, campaign materials, and marketing programs throughout the year.

If you would like more information regarding corporate sponsorships, please contact Abby Beck at the Advancement Office at (630) 428-4500 x 135.

Memorial & Tribute Gifts

Honor the loved ones who bring light and color to your life by making a memorial or tribute gift to The Conservation Foundation in their name. Celebrate milestones and memories through a gift that will bring more beauty to our landscapes and more nature to our lives.

More Ways

You can give

Here are some other ways you can support The Conservation Foundation’s mission in your neighborhood:

Volunteer: Your time and passion are as valuable as your money! Learn about becoming one of our valued volunteers.

Become a Renewable Resource: Join our society of monthly recurring donors, the Renewable Resources Society! It’s easier on your budget and your brain, requires fewer natural and human resources, and gives The Conservation Foundation a steady revenue stream to call on when there is an important conservation opportunity.

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