Support Our Work

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park is only as strong as its members make it. Your support in the forms of annual membership dues and other contributions is essential to ensure the protection and preservation of the Park for future generations. There are many ways that you can support our work. For example you could:
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Become a member of the Friends (or renew your membership)

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Provide a gift membership to someone you care about

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Become a special sponsor of a Friends project

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Contribute to our periodic special appeals

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Include the Friends in your will Consider other planned giving options

 

 

Become a Member!

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park has more than 3000 members representing the Virgin islands, all 50 states and a dozen or more foreign countries. Annual membership dues start at $30 for individuals, $50 for families and $100 for businesses. Your dues are essential for helping the Friends further the protection of the natural resources and the preservation of the cultural resources of Virgin Islands National Park while promoting the responsible enjoyment of this unique national treasure. Friends of Virgin Islands National Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and contributions, including your membership dues, are tax deductible.

Membership dues have helped us:

bulletAssist the Park acquire critical in-holdings
bulletSupport numerous projects and programs within the Park to help further our mission  Learn more
bulletSupport long term planning efforts in the Park
bulletAdvocate on behalf of the Park before Congress and the Territorial Government, within the National Park Service and among the general public
bulletHelp make the Park a model of natural resource protection and cultural preservation

As a member of the Friends you have the satisfaction of taking an active role in preserving and protecting this fabulous Park for future generations. As additional benefits, you receive:

bulletFriends Tidings, our thrice yearly newsletter keeping you abreast of the latest news and developments about Virgin Islands National Park and the Friends
bulletDiscounts and preferential booking for our very popular Seminar Series
bulletSpecial rates at Maho Bay Camps (certain conditions apply) and our other Affinity Partners
bulletDiscounts in the Friends of the Park Store
bulletInvitations to Friends events and functions

If you are already a member, why not take out a gift membership for someone you care about who also loves Virgin Islands National Park and St. John?

Join the Friends
Renew your Membership
Give a Gift Membership

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Sponsor a project

The Friends funds, supports and implements projects and activities that further the protection of natural resources, preservation of cultural resources and enhancement of environmental awareness.

We invite members to review our current Projects and Support Needs and consider becoming a special sponsor of one of these projects. This gives you a unique opportunity to become more personally involved in an aspect of the Friends work and really make a difference. An exciting new opportunity is the museum at Cinnamon Bay. Please see the proposal for a museum at Cinnamon Bay and consider making a donation.

Friends is also seeking funding for the Accessible Trails Project.

Please contact us to find out more about becoming a project sponsor.

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Donate to the Friends

Periodically the Friends appeals to its members to support our work with a special contribution. In the past, our members have generously contributed to appeals for cultural preservation projects at Annaberg, Hassel Island restoration, environmental education and archeology. Making a donation is simple and safe with PayPal.

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Planned giving

In all honesty, not many of us like to think ahead about our final days or our final words. In fact, half of all Americans pass on without a written estate plan. Yet this is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy that speaks to what we are about and what we hope for those we leave behind.

Planned giving provides the tools for each of us to make a meaningful final statement about what we love, cherish and hold dear. Whether honoring a loved one or a favorite charity, our planned gifts provide support that continues long after the reading of a last will and testament. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

Below are some of the most common planned giving arrangements. This information is general in nature and we strongly suggest that you consult the appropriate estate planning professionals to draw up an estate plan that is specific to your interests and needs.

Testamentary gifts to the Friends, or other charities, can take many forms, either through a new will, or through a "codicil", an amendment to your existing will. There are several different types of charitable bequests that you may select:

bulletCash Bequest: Friends of VI National Park receives a specified dollar amount
bullet Specific Bequest or Devise of Property: Friends of VI National Park receives specified assets, such as securities, an interest in real estate (such as land, residence, or vacation home), or tangible personal property (such as art work, jewelry, or rare books)
bullet Residuary Bequest or Devise: Friends of VI National Park receives all, or a percentage, of the remainder of your estate after specific legacies, debts, taxes, and estate expenses have been paid
bullet Contingent Bequest or Devise: Friends of VI National Park receives a gift only if certain conditions are met. There are a wide variety of conditions that you could place on such a bequest. For example, if you outlive other named beneficiaries, then all or part of your estate would benefit Friends of VI National Park

For your consideration and that of your estate advisor, see examples of language that you may add to your will or a codicil to include Friends of Virgin Islands National Park

Other Planned Giving Options
Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Lead Trusts are popular planned gifts that can complement, or be an alternative to, an outright bequest. They offer significant tax advantages and ensure important benefits to the Friends.

bulletCharitable remainder trusts: Assets are put into this type of trust and the donor (or other designated beneficiary) receives income for a period of years or a lifetime. At the death of the surviving beneficiary the principal in the trust goes to the Friends.
bullet Charitable lead trusts: Assets are put into this type of trust and the Friends receive income for a period of years or a lifetime. At the end of the designated period the principal reverts to the donor or other beneficiary.
bullet Donation of appreciated assets: When appreciated assets (such as securities, real estate, etc) are donated to the Friends the donor receives the tax advantages for its full assessed value without the capital gains obligations.

Remembering the Friends in your will

Wills and Bequests are the most common planned gifts. These enable you to direct the distribution of your assets, provide for your heirs in a manner you choose, possibly eliminate or reduce certain taxes or other costs, and designate a portion of your assets as a gift to your favorite charity.

If Virgin Islands National Park and St. John has been important in your life and you would like to ensure its protection and preservation for future generations, please consider a planned gift to the Friends. This will truly be a gift that keeps on giving.

Please contact the Friends for more information concerning planned giving options.

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