Leave a legacy of impact
By including GiveDirectly in your will or trust, you can send life-changing cash to families in poverty.
Make a future gift that lifts families out of poverty.
Start your legacyAmina with her family in Mozambique 🇲🇿
Your future gift has a lasting impact for families most in need
Your legacy will have a long-term impact for the people you're reaching, even many years after they receive cash — allowing them to build better homes, start small businesses, send their children to school, and invest in their future.
Many planned gifts go to institutions that will invest them indefinitely (only ~5% of university endowments are spent each year). Yours will help families in poverty meet their basic needs and invest in their future.
Include GiveDirectly in your will or trust
It takes just 20 minutes to create or update your will.
Here's why donors are giving directly in their will
"I hope to see the next century and I hope that in 2100, we have ended global poverty. But just in case humanity has not, I wanted to leave a significant bequest to GiveDirectly. My children and grandchildren are not any more deserving of my money than other people around the world. I want my legacy to reflect my life: giving what I can to reduce unnecessary suffering and promote sentient dignity."
"As a young person, writing my will was an opportunity to choose the impact I would most like to have, whether near or far in the future. Of all the charitable organizations I could have written in, I chose GiveDirectly because it treats its beneficiaries with a unique and profound respect. I want my passing to bring agency, choice, and dignity to the people who need it most. As a side effect, I can live with a clear purpose, having made that choice."
Live your values through your legacy
People like Dan Hirsch show what a legacy can truly mean. Dan lived simply and frugally with intention, and chose to leave a substantial part of his life savings to GiveDirectly, directly changing the lives of thousands of families living in poverty.
"By the terms of his will, the wealth he had accumulated through a lifetime of willed poverty will go to the poor... May his memory be a blessing, most especially for all who sacrifice private comfort for the public good and all who when they speak truth to power, do so modestly and with meticulous attention to all the facts."
Photo of Dan Hirsch by Lisa Bunin
Ways to leave a legacy gift
Your legacy gift will reach people in need, and you'll also receive an estate tax charitable deduction and reduce your family's tax burden.
Make a bequest in your will
A gift in your will lets you leave a fixed amount or a share of your estate to GiveDirectly, and it costs you nothing during your lifetime.
Ways to set up a will
You can create a will at no cost through FreeWill. It takes about 20 minutes to create a legally valid will. During the process, you'll be asked to enter details about your planned gift.
You can also work directly with a lawyer on adding language to your will. We recommend keeping your gift unrestricted as our programs may change over time.
What language should I include in my will?
See below for suggested language that will ensure your gift is carried out as you intended. We recommend keeping your gift unrestricted as our programs may change over time.
"I [name], of [city, state ZIP], bequeath the sum of [Number] percent of my estate to GiveDirectly, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation with a business address of 33 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003 and a tax identification number 27-1661997 for its unrestricted use and purpose."
Details for UK donors
UK donors can leave a gift to GiveDirectly through their will. Please contact us and we'll help you with the details.
Designate GiveDirectly as a beneficiary
Joint bank accounts, 401(k)s, IRAs, and life insurance policies are non-probate assets, meaning they let you directly designate who receives them after your death, separate from your will.
How to update your beneficiaries
- Obtain a change of beneficiary form by contacting your account administrator or downloading it directly from your provider's website.
- Name GiveDirectly, along with the percentage or amount you'd like GiveDirectly to receive, on the beneficiary form.
Legal name: GiveDirectly, Inc.
Federal tax ID number: 27-1661997
Address: 33 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003
Non-cash assets: If you're interested in donating real estate or other non-cash assets, please email info@givedirectly.org.
Juliano, 68, in Khanje, Malawi 🇲🇼
You can help people like Juliano leave their own legacy.
"I lost my father when I was still a small boy. He was a caring man, the kind of father who would do whatever it takes to make sure his family never went hungry. Sometimes I sit and think, 'If he had lived a bit longer, maybe my life would have taken a different path. Maybe I would have gone further with my education.'
Now I am 68 years old - I got married and have eight children. But there has always been one thing that made me feel like I failed somehow. I never managed to build a tombstone for my father.
So when I received money from GiveDirectly, I made up my mind. I kept $116 aside just for my father's tombstone.
It feels like I will finally be able to do something I have carried in my heart for many years. It gives me peace just thinking about it. And I find myself hoping that one day, when I am gone, someone will also remember me in that way."
See the impact your legacy will leave
Tell us about the gift you've planned and we'll send you a personalized impact report, like this sample, showing how gifts like yours reach families directly.
- A personalized report that you can share with your family and loved ones
- Real recipient stories from the programs you will support
- See research and data about the impact your gift will have
Our team will be in touch shortly with your impact report.
Your legacy. Their future.
A planned gift to families in need is a way to make sure your impact reaches the people that history has most often left behind.
Create your will with FreeWillFrequently asked questions
Still have questions? Our team is here to help. Get in touch and we'll be glad to walk you through the process for your legacy gift.
info@givedirectly.orgDo I need a lawyer to leave a bequest?
No - if you live in the U.S., you can create a will for free through FreeWill in about 20 minutes. During the process, you can create a bequest to GiveDirectly. You can also work with a lawyer to add the appropriate language to your will.
How do I designate GiveDirectly as a beneficiary?
You can contact your account administrator to obtain a change of beneficiary form, or download it directly from your provider's website if available.
Will I get an impact report on my gift?
Yes! If you submit the form on this page, we'll send you an impact report with stories and impact stats about the families your gift will reach.
Note: None of this information is legal or tax advice, and it should not be treated as such.
We recommend that you consult a qualified estate planning attorney with any questions you may have about your estate or any tax consequences of charitable giving.