Planned Giving

Make a charitable gift through your financial or estate plan.

Planned giving allows you to make a significant charitable gift during your lifetime or after your death as part of your broader financial or estate plan.

For many donors, a planned gift makes it possible to give more than they could through annual income alone. Your gift can benefit specific nonprofits, charitable causes, or community needs while reflecting the people, places, and values that matter most to you.

At CFM, we work with you and your professional advisors to help document your charitable intentions clearly and ensure your gift is carried out according to your wishes.

Ways to Give Through Planned Giving

Planned gifts can be structured in different ways depending on your financial goals, family priorities, and charitable intentions. Our team will work with you to determine the best planned giving option.

Include CFM or a charitable fund in your will or trust to support the causes and communities you care about in the future.

Name CFM as a beneficiary of a retirement account, investment account, bank account, or life insurance policy.

Certain charitable trusts can provide income, tax benefits, and long-term charitable impact while helping support your estate planning goals.

If you are 70½ or older, you may be able to make a qualified charitable distribution directly from your IRA while reducing taxable income.

You give your property to our organization but retain the right to use the property during your life.

Join the Mississippi Legacy Circle

Donors who include CFM in their estate plans become part of the Mississippi Legacy Circle, a group of forward-thinking individuals and families committed to supporting Mississippi communities for generations to come.

Legacy Circle members share a belief that charitable giving can continue creating opportunities long after their lifetime and that investing in communities today can help shape a stronger future for Mississippi.

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Legacy Circle Members Receive:

Recognition in Foundation publications and annual reports

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Invitations to special events

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Opportunities to connect with other philanthropic leaders

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The satisfaction of knowing their giving will continue making a difference in the future

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Legacy Circle Members Spotlight

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Legacy Circle Members Spotlight

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John and Lucy Shackelford

For John and Lucy Shackelford, downtown Jackson was woven into the story of their life together. During their courtship, they spent time walking Capitol Street, window-shopping, and imagining the future they would build together.

  • John, who built his career in the lumber industry, believed deeply in the future of Jackson and saw the Community Foundation for Mississippi as a trusted community partner positioned to carry that vision forward. After Lucy’s passing in 2015, the Shackelfords left half of their remaining estate — a gift valued at $8.8 million — to CFM.

    Today, the John F. and Lucy Shackelford Fund continues investing in projects that strengthen and revitalize downtown Jackson, including the Keith Haring Fitness Court, the Museum Trail, Margaret Ann Crigler Park, improvements and lighting along Capitol Street, and the revitalization of the Russell C. Davis Planetarium.

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Peggy Huff Harris

In 2006, Peggy Huff Harris came to the CFM with a vision for how she wanted her charitable giving to continue supporting the causes closest to her heart while also honoring the memory of her son.

  • Working alongside her advisors and the Foundation, she established the Thomas G. Ramey and Peggy Huff Harris Charitable Fund through a planned gift. Since then, the endowed fund has continued supporting organizations and initiatives that matter deeply to her family, from helping address food insecurity to strengthening public broadcasting and community services across Mississippi.

    Her legacy reflects the lasting impact thoughtful charitable planning can have for both nonprofits and future generations.

Illustration of a man in a tuxedo and bow tie smiling, with a woman with dark hair and earrings, both in a formal setting.

Genevieve Falk

Genevieve Falk believed deeply in the power of the arts to enrich communities and bring people together. Through a planned gift to CFM, she created the Meyer and Genevieve Falk Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts to support organizations that have long shaped Jackson’s cultural life.

  • Her bequest benefits Ballet Mississippi, the Mississippi Museum of Art, Mississippi Opera Association, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, New Stage Theatre, and future arts organizations aligned with her philanthropic vision.

    For Genevieve’s family, the gift reflected a long-standing commitment to caring for community through philanthropy.

  • John and Lucy Shackelford illustration

    John and Lucy Shackelford

    For John and Lucy Shackelford, downtown Jackson was woven into the story of their life together. During their courtship, they spent time walking Capitol Street, window-shopping, and imagining the future they would build together.

    John, who built his career in the lumber industry, believed deeply in the future of Jackson and saw the Community Foundation for Mississippi as a trusted community partner positioned to carry that vision forward. After Lucy’s passing in 2015, the Shackelfords left half of their remaining estate — a gift valued at $8.8 million — to CFM.

    Today, the John F. and Lucy Shackelford Fund continues investing in projects that strengthen and revitalize downtown Jackson, including the Keith Haring Fitness Court, the Museum Trail, Margaret Ann Crigler Park, improvements and lighting along Capitol Street, and the revitalization of the Russell C. Davis Planetarium.

  • Peggy Huff Harris illustration

    Peggy Huff Harris

    In 2006, Peggy Huff Harris came to the CFM with a vision for how she wanted her charitable giving to continue supporting the causes closest to her heart while also honoring the memory of her son.

    Working alongside her advisors and the Foundation, she established the Thomas G. Ramey and Peggy Huff Harris Charitable Fund through a planned gift. Since then, the endowed fund has continued supporting organizations and initiatives that matter deeply to her family, from helping address food insecurity to strengthening public broadcasting and community services across Mississippi.

    Her legacy reflects the lasting impact thoughtful charitable planning can have for both nonprofits and future generations.

  • Genevieve Falk illustration

    Genevieve Falk

    Genevieve Falk believed deeply in the power of the arts to enrich communities and bring people together. Through a planned gift to CFM, she created the Meyer and Genevieve Falk Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts to support organizations that have long shaped Jackson’s cultural life.

    Her bequest benefits Ballet Mississippi, the Mississippi Museum of Art, Mississippi Opera Association, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, New Stage Theatre, and future arts organizations aligned with her philanthropic vision.

    For Genevieve’s family, the gift reflected a long-standing commitment to caring for community through philanthropy.

Planned Giving FAQs

Planning ahead can feel like a big step. These questions can help you start the conversation.

A legacy gift can provide continuing support for the nonprofits, churches, schools or causes that matter most to you. This could include the arts, youth programs, human services, healthcare, the environment, animal welfare, education and more.

Share what is important to you, and CFM can help create a plan that reflects your wishes.

Any time you are creating or updating your will or estate plan, it is a good time to think about the charitable legacy you want to leave.

Your financial or legal advisor can provide guidance related to your estate, beneficiaries, income goals, taxes and other considerations. You can also contact CFM to talk through your charitable goals and giving options.

The process is simple. You can begin by completing a non-binding letter of intent, which helps CFM understand your commitment and document your wishes.

From there, you can work with your professional advisors and CFM to name the Foundation as a beneficiary. You may also choose to establish a fund during your lifetime, allowing you to see the impact of your giving now while creating a home for your future planned gift.

Letter of Intent >

Ready to Build Your Legacy?

Our team is here to answer questions, meet with you and your family, and work alongside your financial planner or advisors to help create a legacy plan that reflects your priorities.

CONTACT CFM