Greenbelt’s success in land conservation through the decades has been possible because of countless individuals doing whatever they could to save land in the region. The generosity of contributors at every level of means allows our land conservation and stewardship work to progress.

If you have ever wished you could do more to help save land, a Charitable Gift Annuity is a creative way to make a substantial difference to land conservation, at a level you might not otherwise have thought possible.

A Charitable Gift Annuity is a simple contract between you and Essex County Greenbelt whereby you make a significant irrevocable gift to Greenbelt and receive income for the rest of your life, and that of your spouse. A Charitable Gift Annuity is typically funded with cash or securities; the minimum contribution to fund a gift annuity is $10,000. A charitable income tax deduction and an annual income stream help to replace a portion of the asset you have gifted to Greenbelt. The gift is set aside in our endowment funds, and is managed for maximum income and appreciation. At the end of the term, the remainder, or what is left over, is then released to Greenbelt, to help us conserve more land. Charitable Gift Annuities are available to members aged 65 and older.

Explore a Charitable Gift Annuity with our new
GiftCalcs Calculator!

The Benefits of a Charitable Gift

• A Charitable Gift Annuity can make it possible to leave a lasting legacy to Greenbelt and make a significant difference in conserving our open space heritage.


• A Charitable Gift Annuity is a very cost-effective way of making the “gift of a lifetime” to Greenbelt at a level that might not otherwise be financially feasible.


• A Charitable Gift Annuity may even increase your income stream, particularly if the asset gifted is stock paying dividends at a low rate of return.


• A Charitable Gift Annuity may reduce federal and state estate taxes.


• A Charitable Gift Annuity is one of the most simple types of life income gifts that one can make.


• Establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity admits you to the Greenbelt Legacy Society.