Gifts in Wills (Bequests)

© Chantelle Jackson/AWC
Beaked Echidna | Australian Wildlife Conservancy Brad Leue/AWC

Leaving a legacy to AWC

Are you interested in leaving a bequest to AWC? Request our Info Pack and we can send you some more information about our bequest program.

Or have you already included us in your Will? Let us know below so we can thank you and welcome you to the Copley Circle!

Why create a lasting legacy with AWC?

By leaving a gift to Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) in your Will, you will be playing a vital role in helping to protect Australia’s wildlife and the habitats for future generations of Australians. In fact, your gift could spell the difference between survival and extinction for some of Australia’s most endangered species.

Your gift will have a lasting impact and will be applied to priority programs aimed at halting and reversing the tide of extinctions in Australia. With 87 per cent of AWC’s total expenditure invested in conservation and 80 per cent of our staff based in the field, you can be confident your contribution will be deployed where it can make the biggest difference to Australia’s wildlife – in the field. Complete our Bequest Form to download your copy of our Bequest Information Pack and learn more about including AWC in your Will.

How do I include Australian wildlife in my Will?

You can choose to designate a bequest to either AWC Australia or AWC USA. Both will provide significant conservation outcomes for Australia’s wildlife and the landscapes they call home.

However, AWC USA was specifically established to accommodate our US-based supporters, and you may find greater tax benefit by giving a gift in your Will to a US-based charity.

The organisational details needed for a bequest are below.

Australian entity:
Registered name: Australian Wildlife Conservancy
ABN: 36 068 572 556

US entity:
Registered name: Australian Wildlife Conservancy – USA
EIN: 20-5920916

Disclaimer: we are not tax professionals and invite you to seek your own advice on estate tax benefits from a qualified solicitor or financial advisor, specifically one versed in current US tax and estate laws.

How will my gift help?

There are many ways your bequest will help protect Australia’s threatened wildlife and habitats. AWC will apply your gift to priority actions aimed at preventing extinctions and restoring wildlife populations – such as endangered animal reintroduction and rewilding programs; or to controlling key threats to wildlife – like fire, feral animals and weeds; or to strategic scientific research and monitoring. As we cannot predict future priorities and needs, we ask that you allow AWC to direct your gift to the area of greatest need at the time.

Join The Copley Circle – legacies for wildlife

The Copley Circle bequest program is a way for us to recognise you for including AWC in your Will. It also honours the remarkable legacy of Martin Copley, AM, AWC’s Founder and Chairman for nearly 15 years. Martin pioneered many key conservation strategies and helped inspire the growth of environmental philanthropy in Australia.

How can I join The Copley Circle?

By filling out our confidential Bequest Form and ticking YES, confirming that you have included AWC in your Will, you will automatically become a member of The Copley Circle and enjoy the benefits that membership of this select group entails, including:

  • Invitations to some very special events at AWC’s remote sanctuaries;
  • The chance to meet AWC’s dedicated team of field ecologists and land managers;
  • Invitations to AWC’s city-based events; and
  • The opportunity to receive special reports and updates from the field.

Joining The Copley Circle not only provides more opportunities for you to engage with AWC on a more personal level during your lifetime, it also helps AWC continue to deploy an effective strategy – practical land management and world-class science – to protect and restore Australia’s threatened wildlife and their habitats for future generations.

If you have any questions relating to The Copley Circle or leaving a gift in Will to AWC please contact our Bequest officer, Carrie Alexander on 0427 568 408 or carrie.alexander@australianwildlife.org

Complete our confidential Bequest Form today if you are considering including AWC in your Will (or if you have already included us). We can then thank you and welcome you to the Copley Circle.

Martin Copley © AWC

“Our children and grandchildren should inherit the same diverse ecology that we enjoyed ourselves and I’d like to make sure that we can pass it on to them as intact as possible.”

Martin Copley AM (1940-2014) | AWC Founder

You can request an AWC Gift in Will pack using our confidential Bequest Form. Our Bequest Officer will send you more information about how to leave a gift to AWC in your Will, AWC’s Gift in Wills Instruction Sheet and information about The Copley Circle.

Alternatively, you can reach out to our Bequest Officer directly for more information:

Carrie Alexander

P: 0427 568 408

E: carrie.alexander@australianwildlife.org

We recommend you seek the advice of a solicitor or Public Trustee when making your Will. The information on this website or contained in our information pack is not intended to replace or substitute the advice of a qualified solicitor.

Please seek the advice of a qualified solicitor or trustee when making your Will as the correct wording for leaving a gift is very important. Your solicitor will provide you with more details about different types of gifts and what that may mean for your family.

The following steps may help guide you:

Step 1

Before seeking the services of a solicitor there are a few things you should think about and questions to ask yourself, including:

  • Who will benefit from my estate?
  • Talk your intentions over with your family so there are no surprises for them.
  • Who will look after my estate when I am gone? This person is called an executor.
  • Are there specific gifts I would like to leave in my Will, such as personal jewellery, furniture items, artwork or family memorabilia?
  • Fill out a Wills instruction sheet before you meet with solicitor.

Step 2 

If you need to find a solicitor, simply contact your local Law Institute or Association in your State or Territory as they can refer you to a solicitor in your area. 

Step 3 

Make an appointment to see a solicitor, ensure you have all the necessary information at your fingertips to complete your Will.  It will help if you take our handy check list with you. 

Step 4 

Please let us know of your intentions by sending an extract of your Will to our Bequest Officer Carrie Alexander at carrie.alexander@australianwildlife.org.  We would like to thank you and welcome you to The Copley CircleWe would also like to tell you about the benefits your gift will bring, discuss your wishes with you and keep you informed of our latest achievements. By telling us of your intentions you will be helping us to plan for the future. Any information you provide will be treated with the utmost discretion.

You may have already made your Will and feel that it is satisfactory. In this case, you may simply like to add a Codicil (an amendment to your Will) setting out your instructions for a bequest to AWC. This is the simplest way to include AWC in your current Will. You will need to ensure it is signed and witnessed by a solicitor or Public Trustee.

Yes.

Australian entity: Australian Wildlife Conservancy Fund is entered on the Register of Environmental Organisations. Donations are tax deductible under sections 30–15, 30–55 and subdivision 30-E of the Income Tax Act 1997. This means that bequests to Australian Wildlife Conservancy Fund are free from all tax (including Capital Gains Tax).

US entity: Australian Wildlife Conservancy – USA is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN#20-5920916). Your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of US law.

A percentage of my estate

The best form of bequest for most people is allocating a proportion of their estate to AWC. This allows you to decide the share of your estate that you believe is right. You don’t need to know exactly how much your estate will be worth as the gift will grow along with the growth of your estate.

A residual gift

You can bequest the balance – or residue – of your estate to Australian Wildlife Conservancy after your family and friends have been looked after. This kind of gift automatically adjusts to the growth in the value of your estate.

A pecuniary gift for a specific amount of money

Leaving a specific amount of money is a simple way of leaving a gift in your Will because you know exactly how much Australian Wildlife Conservancy will receive, regardless of any change in the value of your estate.

Property, possessions, shares or insurance

You can leave a specific gift of property such as an insurance policy, shares, art works, land, jewellery or any other item of value.

Making a gift of land

AWC welcomes gifts of real estate. If you are intending to leave us a gift of this nature, we encourage you to please contact us, so we can explore with you whether we will be able to retain or sell your land in the event it is given to us.

The Copley Circle Newsletter

Learn more about the Copley Circle community in our August 2022 newsletter.Copley Circle SpreadRead now

© Braydon Moloney/AWC