Planned Giving

Join our Monarch Society and help inspire a passion for animals and commitment to caring for nature in the next generation. Learn how to include the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens in your estate plans, plan your bequest, and create a lasting memorial in your name.

The Monarch Society

The Monarch Society was established to recognize and honor individuals who have included the San Francisco Zoological Society in their estate plans. A gift to the San Francisco Zoo’s planned giving fund enables our state-of-the-art animal care and wellness, education outreach and conservation programs to continue for generations to come.

Membership Eligibility:

Membership in the Monarch Society is extended when you arrange any of the following:

  •  Include a gift to the San Francisco Zoological Society in your will or living trust;
  •  Designate the San Francisco Zoological Society as the beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy;
  • Create a life income trust with the San Francisco Zoological Society as a beneficiary; and
  •  Gift a gift of real property to the San Francisco Zoological Society with retained life use.

Your Gift Will:

  • Ensure that assets which might otherwise be lost to estate and income taxation provide legacy in perpetuity to the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens;
  • Create a lasting memorial to your values and interests;
  • Substantially reduce or eliminate gift and estate tax burdens;
  • Reduce or avoid capital gains tax;
  • Provide a legacy of nature education and wildlife conservation for future generations.

Recognition:

In addition to the satisfaction that comes with knowing you are helping the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens remain an important Bay Area community resource, benefits of membership in the Monarch Society include:

  • Recognition as a Monarch Society member on the Zoo’s Donor Recognition Board in Friend & Taube Family Entry Village and in the Annual Report; and
  • Invitations to exclusive Zoo events, including the annual Zoofest Gala.

Let’s Talk

For more information and to let us know that you’ve included the Zoo in your estate plans, please contact us at [email protected]. Our staff will be pleased to assist you and your legal counsel in developing the best structures to meet your bequest goals.

Ready to Write Your Legacy?

Report a gift in your estate plan or let us know about a gift you want to make to our organization! Reporting your gift helps us make sure that we follow your wishes and allows us to say thank you for including us in your legacy plans. You are always free to change your gift in the future, if you wish.