SUPPORT THE BUSHNELL - ELEVATE THE SPIRIT

In the course of its history, The Bushnell has often been referred to as “a life-giving spirit,” and we take seriously our role as both a place to celebrate and experience the very best in the performing arts, and a cultural beacon for our community.

While this has been a time of extreme challenges and uncertainty, it has also been a time of tremendous compassion and care, as we unite in forging a path to days when our stages are enlivened once again with spectacular events and performances.

Now, more than ever, the generosity of our donors is needed, as we continue our work to Elevate the Spirit of our community. Your gift, enables us to present world-class, Broadway productions and ensures our ability to reach thousands of children in Greater Hartford through arts education. Your support is an inspiration to us as we continue to carry out the tenets of The Bushnell’s mission: “to be a center for the benefit of the public in educational and cultural activities…”

GIVING IN TIMES OF COVID-19

CARES Act Impact on Charitable Giving for 2020

• If you do not itemize your deductions, the CARES Act allows you to deduct up to $300 above your standard Federal itemized deductions for cash gifts to public charities during 2020.

• If you do itemize your taxes, the CARES Act raises the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limit for cash contributions to public charities from 60% to 100% for 2020 for Federal income tax purposes.

• If you exceed the 2020 AGI limitation, you may carry the deduction forward for up to five years.

• Under the CARES Act, required minimum distributions (RMD's) from IRAs and qualified retirement plans for most taxpayers are waived for 2020. However, if you still choose to give by making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your retirement plan, you will still avoid paying income tax on any gift made directly to charity.

• The limitation for charitable gifts by corporations has been raised from 10% to 25% of Federal taxable income.

For more information on how the CARES Act impacts your giving or to create a legacy gift for The Bushnell that works the best for you and your family, we recommend that you speak with your legal, financial, and tax advisors.

Other Strategies for Giving During This Time

• If you have a Donor Advised Fund, this is a perfect time to make a gift from your DAF where you have already placed funds with the specific intent of making future charitable contributions.

• For stock gifts, our account at Merrill Lynch is named Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall, account number 814-04F31 and DTC number 8862. You can submit this information to your broker for electronic transfer.

• If your employer has a Matching Gifts Program, check the guidelines to see if you might double your gift to The Bushnell and other organizations you support.  Some employers, like Stanley Black & Decker, a generous sponsor of The Bushnell, are doubling their matching dollars for employee giving during this time.

• Consider including a gift to The Bushnell in your will, estate plan or by beneficiary designation. Many people are reviewing their legacy plans at this time and may take heart in knowing that your future giving will help The Bushnell in meaningful ways, as challenges and opportunities we can't even imagine today present themselves in the future. Learn more about our Bushnell Legacy Society or contact Ellen Nattila at enattila@bushnell.org.

• For additional information on making your gift, please visit our Individual Giving FAQ page.