Legacy is often shaped in quiet, intentional ways. It lives in the values we hold, the people we protect, and the care we choose to extend beyond our own lifetime. In our community, legacy is rarely about recognition, it’s about ensuring the people and causes we love are supported long after the moment we’re in has passed.
For many, legacy giving is part of a broader approach to generosity — one that spans both their lifetime and beyond. People may choose to support Pride Foundation through annual or recurring gifts while they’re alive, allowing them to see the impact of their giving and stay connected to the work as it unfolds, while also making plans to ensure that care continues into the future. There is no single right way to give — only a shared intention to show up for our communities in ways that are meaningful and sustainable.
For Pride Foundation, this kind of long-term generosity helps ensure that LGBTQ+ communities across the Northwest are not only supported today, but resourced, protected, and thriving for generations to come.
Why Estate Planning Matters — Especially for LGBTQ+ People
Estate planning is a powerful way to express your values and care for your partner, family, and community. For LGBTQ+ people in particular, thoughtful planning can be especially important: our lives, families, and relationships aren’t always fully recognized or protected under the law, and without clear plans in place, personal wishes may go unfulfilled.
With proper estate planning, you can:
- Ensure your wishes are honored
- Care for loved ones and chosen family
- Potentially reduce estate taxes
- Create meaningful, lasting change for the communities you care about
What It Means to Leave a Legacy with Pride Foundation
Including Pride Foundation in your estate plans means joining a thoughtful and generous community who believe in a future of full equality, dignity, and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people and our families.
Legacy giving — also called planned giving — simply means designating Pride Foundation as a beneficiary in a will, trust, or other financial plan. These gifts don’t require immediate action or sacrifice, and they can take many forms. What they share is intention: a desire to ensure that LGBTQ+ communities continue to have access to opportunity, safety, and support well into the future.
Through planned giving, Pride Foundation is able to:
- Invest in grassroots LGBTQ+ organizations across the Northwest
- Expand scholarships and leadership opportunities for LGBTQ+ students
- Support advocacy and community education in shifting political and cultural landscapes
- Remain a steady, reliable presence for future generations
Together, these investments help ensure our community has the stability it needs to respond, adapt, and endure.
“Eric and I have been volunteers and supporters of Pride Foundation for the last 25+ years and have seen the tremendous impact it has had empowering communities and fighting for LGBTQ+ equality across the five-state region. As much as we might like otherwise, we know we won’t be around forever! We can think of no better way to leave a lasting legacy than to include a bequest in our estate plan to Pride Foundation that can be leveraged to support the critical work it does so well.”
— Ben Bakkenta and Eric Snow, Pride Foundation Visionaries
Ways to Include Pride Foundation in Your Estate Plans
There are many ways to leave a legacy through Pride Foundation, and each one is as personal as the individual making it. Common options include:
- Naming Pride Foundation as a beneficiary in your will
- Designating Pride Foundation as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, IRA, 401(k), or 403(b)
- Naming Pride Foundation as the beneficiary of a charitable remainder trust
If you’ve already included Pride Foundation in your estate plans, you can let us know by completing a confidential bequest intention form. Sharing this information allows us to honor your commitment and welcome you into our community of visionaries.
The Visionaries: A Community Rooted in Care
Those who include Pride Foundation in their estate plans are recognized as members of our Legacy Society, The Visionaries. Visionaries are part of a community grounded in shared values and long-term commitment to LGBTQ+ communities.
As a Visionary, you will receive:
- Annual acknowledgment in Pride Foundation’s Gratitude Report
- Invitations to visionary donor events we may host
- The knowledge that your care and foresight will help transform our region for years to come
More than anything, being a Visionary reflects a belief in a better tomorrow — a future where every one of us can thrive as our full selves — and a willingness to help make that future possible.
Getting Started
Planned giving begins with reflection or conversation with loved ones, advisors, and trusted community members. If you’re considering estate planning or would like to learn more about legacy giving, we invite you to contact Helen Stillman, Assistant Director of Community Engagement, at 206.736.6032 or via email at helen@pridefoundation.org.