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Spring 2025
FINANCIAL AND ESTATE PLANNING OPTIONS FOR FRIENDS OF INTERVARSITY
Students at a manuscript Bible study at UNC-Chapel Hill
Anyone Can Leave a Legacy
When we hear the word “legacy,” it’s easy to picture great wealth, grand estates, or significant financial contributions. But the truth is, everyone leaves a legacy. This goes well beyond possessions to include the lasting impact you make on the lives of others—lessons imparted, time spent with loved ones, causes supported, and values upheld.
Your generosity toward InterVarsity makes an eternal difference in the lives of countless students and faculty. We are deeply grateful for your thoughtful support of our mission to invite the future leaders of tomorrow to follow Jesus today and for generations to come.
In this issue of Faithful Generosity, we explore the profound meaning of leaving a personal legacy and the steps you can take now to care for your loved ones while fulfilling your philanthropic goals.
How is God calling you to shape your legacy? What story do you want your life to tell?
If you would like to learn more about how to leave a gift that glorifies God and blesses others, we are here to serve you. Together, we can build a legacy of faith, hope, and love of Jesus that will shine for future generations
InterVarsity Estate & Gift Planning Team
"One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts." Psalm 145:4
InterVarsity Ministry House provides an open door to students across the street from the University of Utah
Strong Results, Simple Solutions
Legacy-shaping gift ideas that benefit you and InterVarsity
Shaping your legacy provides a significant and meaningful opportunity to impact future generations of students and faculty—but that doesn’t mean it needs to be complex. There are simple ways to provide for loved ones and charitable organizations. Let’s look at some examples.
Gifts in a Will or Revocable Living Trust
A gift to InterVarsity in your will or living trust has no impact on your current finances and can be designated in the way that works best for you:
- a specific asset or amount
- a percentage of your estate
- what remains of your estate after all debts, taxes, and other gifts have been distributed
You can make it even more meaningful by giving in honor or in memory of someone important to you or directing your gift to a specific campus, region, or ministry. And remember—if your legacy goals change, you can always adjust your gift.
Charitable Beneficiary Designations
A simple beneficiary designation on a life insurance policy or retirement account can also shape your legacy. The person or charity you name will someday receive the policy death benefit or the funds in the qualified retirement account. There can be tax disadvantages to leaving retirement assets to family members, so many people provide for loved ones through their estate assets and leave retirement assets to charity.
Possibilities and Percentages
With either of these options, giving is not an “all or nothing” proposition. You can leave a portion to your heirs and designate a percentage to InterVarsity.
Example: Norah designates that each of her three sons will receive 25% of the total value of her estate, with the remaining 25% going to InterVarsity. Whether her estate value increases or decreases over the years, the proportions will remain the same.*
Example: Hal's brother (his only living relative) is the sole beneficiary of all his assets under his will and the $100,000 death benefit on his life insurance policy. When Hal wants to make a legacy gift to InterVarsity, he changes his life insurance beneficiary designation so that 50% goes to his brother and 50% goes to InterVarsity.*
*All examples are for illustrative purposes only.
InterVarsity Black Campus Ministry students at UNC-Chapel Hill
No will? Now’s the time to act!
If you don’t yet have a will or living trust, it’s important to see your attorney and put one in place to ensure that your property is distributed in accordance with your wishes. If you pass away without a will or living trust, the court will appoint someone to distribute your property, essentially granting a stranger the right to shape your legacy.
BOOK OFFER: REVIVING MISSION
We are pleased to offer you the book, Reviving Mission: Awakening to the Everyday Movement of God, by Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty. Reviving Mission sees signs of a new season of God bringing people into renewal and revival. It offers a powerful guide to seeing God’s movement right where you are. Encounter His presence, empower others, and create rhythms of renewal in your life. Revival isn’t distant—be awakened to God’s invitation.
Building a Legacy:
A Commitment to Future Generations
Make a lasting impact through InterVarsity Legacy Funds. Your donation grows through strategic investments, with annual earnings providing ongoing support. Whether you contribute now, through a beneficiary designation or your estate, you’ll help sustain your favorite campus, region, or focused ministry—empowering students and faculty for generations.
Legacy Funds impact InterVarsity today and shape its future. They:
- played a vital role at North Carolina State in helping Black Campus Ministries flourish post-pandemic. They also enabled hiring a key student leader—someone who felt called to join staff but lacked traditional funding—ensuring the ministry's lasting impact.
- ensured continuous staff leadership at Davidson College, allowing a new Campus Staff Minister to start sooner and increase her hours. Thanks to this support, the chapter is growing and thriving.
- secured long-term funding for staff in South Dakota, turning a $15k investment into $30k in annual support. They also launched a new staff residency with a coach at the University of Sioux Falls, with two students committing to join for 2026. Thanks to this support, the region is in a stronger financial ministry position.
- enabled 15 Northern Minnesota students to attend Ambition, InterVarsity’s planting conference, where they sought God’s vision for campus ministry. One student, "inspired to lead other students toward Christ," has already launched a small group. She reflected, “I see myself as a leader in many areas of my life—I hold roles and positions in different spaces. But I’m starting to sense that God is calling me to be a leader as a Christian.” This investment is shaping the next generation of campus ministers and faithful alumni.
Join us in building a legacy that lasts! Contact us today to learn more about creating your legacy with InterVarsity.
"I started a legacy fund to offer future students the same life-changing support I received at NC State's InterVarsity chapter. The mentors and friends were a blessing, giving me a home away from home during four challenging academic years." - E. Carroll Joyner, IV Alum 1952-1956
Shape Your Legacy, Increase Your Impact
Every act of kindness, every moment of generosity, and every prayer you’ve whispered has sown seeds of faith in the lives of others. You can continue to sow those seeds long after you’re gone, nurturing ministries and missions that reflect the love of Christ. Your legacy gift is more than a donation—it’s a testament to a life of faith, an inspiration to others, and a choice that glorifies God.
Provisions for Loved Ones
By taking steps to provide for the people you care about, you ensure a lasting legacy of care. The thoughtful disposition of your property might ensure security for a dependent child or sibling, determine how property will be managed and distributed over an heir’s lifetime, or pass treasured heirlooms to family or friends.
Support for Meaningful Missions
Personal philanthropy speaks to the mind and heart. Your support for InterVarsity:
1. allows us to continue to reach college students at a formational time in their lives.
2. encourages others to follow your example.
3. blesses students and faculty on campuses across the nation for years to come.
Legacy Planning Priorities
Whatever your priorities, the gift options explained here are simple, adjustable ways to make an important future difference for loved ones and charity.
We’re here to support you. Reach out today and ask for our free brochure, Plan Now, Give Later: Flexible Gifts That Make a Difference. This valuable resource is designed to help you and your advisors explore meaningful options for creating or enhancing a lasting legacy.
Urbana 25: Registration is open NOW!
Urbana 25 is happening December 28-31 in sunny Phoenix, AZ, and registration is now open! Help us spread the word by sharing your Urbana experience on the official website with the young people and youth pastors in your life. Your encouragement could lead students to take their next step toward joining in God's global mission. Learn more at urbana.org.
For more information on the topics in this newsletter, please contact:
Estate & Gift Planning
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA
P.O. Box 7895
Madison, WI 53707-7895
608.443.3478
giftplanning@intervarsity.org
give.intervarsity.org/gift-planning
