MVA frequently assists donors who wish to plan long term support for the park. The process of making donations through an estate is fairly straight forward. Many people leave the bulk of their property through wills and living trusts. In order to name Mesa Verde Association as a beneficiary, the donor simply states our nonprofit's full legal name, address and tax ID number (below), and the nature of the gift, (for example, cash or property). It's even simpler for a donor to name an organization as the beneficiary of property such as a bank account, life insurance policy, or retirement plan. The bank or other company usually provides a form for the donor to use.

Mesa Verde Association
34840 Highway 160
Mancos, CO 81328
970-529-4445
Tax ID Number: 84-0469675

Many donors will specify particular purposes toward which the gift must be put (called a "restricted gift").  However, MVMA has seen over the years that this approach can be problematic for the organization and the park. Restricted gifts for particular purposes can present a difficulty when their intended purpose is no longer relevant, the project to be funded is completed or priorities and needs of the park change. Hopefully many years will pass before the gift is actualized and binding the organization and the park to something that may no longer be important won't honor either the park’s needs or the donor's intentions. Rather, we suggest that donors tie a gift to broadly defined purposes, such as “for educational purposes,” or “for ruin stabilization,”  or “for wildlife management,” but ameliorate it with a sentence along the lines of, "If the gift cannot be used for these intended purposes, it may be put toward such purposes as the board of directors decides."

We offer recognition opportunities to donors who would like it (though many are content to go without it). A published recognition or a plaque or inscription with the deceased's name is popular. Other forms of remembrance are also effective and can be crafted to your wishes. 

Please contact MVA at admin@mesaverde.org or call 970-529-4445 if you would like to discuss a specific purpose for your bequest or with any other questions.

Your legacy will make all the difference to preserving the culture and heritage of Mesa Verde National Park for generations to come.