Make a Difference Today. Create a Legacy for Tomorrow.
Your generosity helps Lower Columbia College students pursue their education, overcome unexpected challenges, and build brighter futures. Whether you choose to give today or include the LCC Foundation in your estate plans, your support makes a lasting difference.
Explore giving options that support students through scholarships, emergency grants, and vital student services while offering potential tax benefits.
Sheila Timm, Executive Director of the Foundation
Wertheimer Society
The Wertheimer Society was established to recognize and honor individuals who have generously provided or plan to provide gifts to the Lower Columbia College Foundation through bequests, trusts, and other life income gifts.
If you have named Lower Columbia College Foundation in your will or have otherwise included the institution in your estate plans, you are already a member. If you have not notified us of your bequest, please contact us regarding your decision and sign a Declaration of Intent. The Declaration of Intent is non-binding and creates no legal obligation to you or your estate.
Tax-Smart Ways to Give
With the 2026 tax rules in full effect, utilizing these strategic methods is a highly efficient way to give. Make your gift by December 31, 2026, to maximize your 2026 tax benefits and open doors of opportunity for LCC students. To ensure your stock transfer or IRA distribution counts for the current tax year, transactions should be initiated by mid-December. Please consult your tax advisor for guidance on your specific financial situation. Questions? We’re here to help.
If you are age 70½ or older, you may be eligible to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from your IRA to the Lower Columbia College Foundation.
For 2026, eligible individuals may give up to $111,000 through QCDs. A qualifying gift is excluded from your taxable income and may satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution, if one applies. You do not need to itemize deductions to benefit, although a QCD cannot also be claimed as a charitable income tax deduction.
How to give: Ask your IRA administrator to issue payment directly to the Lower Columbia College Foundation. Please request that your name be included with the payment so we can identify and acknowledge your gift.
Lower Columbia College Foundation
1600 Maple Street
Longview, WA 98632
Turn appreciated investments into opportunities for students. Donating publicly traded stock held for more than one year directly to the LCC Foundation generally allows you to avoid capital gains tax on the donated appreciation. You may also qualify for a charitable deduction based on the stock’s fair market value, subject to applicable tax rules and limits.
How to give: Contact Sheila Timm for transfer instructions, then ask your financial advisor or broker to arrange the transfer.
- Brokerage firm: SEI Private Trust
- Account name: Lower Columbia College Foundation
- Account and DTC numbers: Available upon request
Please notify the Foundation before your transfer so we can identify your gift and acknowledge your generosity.
Put your donor-advised fund to work for LCC students by recommending a grant to the Lower Columbia College Foundation.
How to give: Log in to your donor-advised fund account and search for:
- Organization: Lower Columbia College Foundation
- EIN/Tax ID: 91-0975957
Follow your provider’s instructions to recommend a grant. Please include your name if you would like us to acknowledge your support.
Bequests to the LCC Foundation are as easy to make as including the following verbiage in your will, or in a codicil to your will:
I do hereby give to Lower Columbia College Foundation in Longview, Washington, a Washington state non-profit organization [501(c)(3)], (the sum of $_____); or (all my right, title, and interest into the following described property: _____ ); or ( _____% of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate), such bequest to be used in the manner as determined appropriate by Lower Columbia College Foundation as it, in its sole discretion, shall determine.
The preceding clause is a suggested example only. Always consult your attorney for proper legal advice. If you wish to make a bequest that is restricted to a specific purpose, please contact our office for examples of appropriate wording.
Let’s Explore Your Giving Options
We would be happy to answer questions, provide transfer instructions, or discuss how your gift can support the students and programs most meaningful to you.
Sheila Timm, Executive Director of the Foundation
(360) 442-2132
stimm@lowercolumbia.edu
This information is provided for general educational purposes. Please consult your tax, financial, or legal advisor about the giving options appropriate for your circumstances.