Qualified Charitable Donations - Appalachian Trail Conservancy

IRA & Qualified Charitable Donations

Give from your IRA to turn your hard-earned retirement savings into lasting stewardship for the Appalachian Trail, simply and tax-efficiently.

If you’re 70 ½ or older, you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from your IRA to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). A QCD can lower your taxable income, and if you are 73 or older, it can also count toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) while helping to protect, manage, and celebrate the Appalachian Trail’s 2,000+ miles and surrounding landscapes.

Why give from your IRA?

Tax-smart: A QCD is generally excluded from taxable income, which can be especially helpful if you don’t itemize deductions.
RMD-friendly: If you’re 73+, your QCD can satisfy part or all of your RMD.
Simple and efficient: Your IRA custodian sends funds directly to ATC, minimizing paperwork.
Immediate impact: Your gift strengthens conservation, sustainable trail design, Ridgerunner education, and visitor stewardship, right now, when the Trail needs it.

ATC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 52-6046689
Mailing Address: Appalachian Trail Conservancy, PO Box 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

How to make an IRA gift in 3 steps

Contact your IRA custodian and request a Qualified Charitable Distribution to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (EIN 52-6046689).
Ask that the check be issued and mailed directly to ATC (address above), and request your name and contact information be included with the grant so we can properly acknowledge your gift.
Tell us it’s on the way at philanthropy@appalachiantrail.org or 304-885-0460 so we can watch for it and confirm receipt.

Timing tips: Year-end gifts can take time to process. Please initiate your QCD as early as possible; many donors start in November or earlier to ensure completion by December 31.

Key details

Eligibility: QCDs are available from IRAs (traditional and, in some cases, Roth—consult your advisor).
Annual limit: You may give up to the IRS annual QCD limit each year. (Limits are indexed for inflation; your advisor or custodian can confirm the current amount.)
Tax receipt: Your IRA custodian records the QCD for tax purposes; ATC will send a gift acknowledgment.

This information is educational and not tax or legal advice. Please consult your advisor to determine how a QCD applies to your situation.

Help us credit your gift properly

DAF and IRA administrators sometimes omit donor contact details. A quick email to philanthropy@appalachiantrail.org with your name, gift amount, custodian, and designation (e.g., “where most needed,” program name, or tribute information) ensures we acknowledge your generosity and keep you connected to your impact.

Include ATC as an IRA beneficiary

A simple, powerful legacy: name the Appalachian Trail Conservancy as a beneficiary of your IRA. If you’ve done so, or plan to, please let us know by completing our non-binding Legacy Confirmation Form. Your confirmation acts as a trusted promise that helps ATC plan confidently and welcome you into our Legacy Society.