Make a Planned Gift
Join the James Dunn Legacy Circle
All who make an estate gift to BJC automatically become members of the James Dunn Legacy Circle. By including BJC in your estate plans, you contribute to a future of faith freedom for generations to come.
A planned gift through an estate, retirement account, or other means provides sustained support, allowing BJC to respond swiftly and effectively to ongoing and emerging threats.
With the help of an adviser, you can include or modify language in your will specifying a gift to BJC as part of your estate plan.
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A bequest to BJC in this manner allows you to:
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- Make larger gifts than would be possible during your lifetime.
- Retain control over your assets with the flexibility to modify your bequest if your circumstances change.
- Lessen the burden of estate taxes on your family.
- Know your gift will continue to ensure religious liberty even after you are gone. All bequests over $5,000 go into BJC’s endowment, generating income in perpetuity.
Who is James Dunn?
James M. Dunn (1932-2015) was executive director of BJC from 1981-1999, and he is well-known for his stalwart defense of religious liberty, contributions throughout Baptist life, pithy turns of phrase, and ubiquitous bow tie. Dunn led BJC through one of the most difficult periods in its history—the departure of one of its founding member bodies.
BJC chose to name our planned giving program after Dunn in order to recognize his important role in our history. In addition, Dunn and his wife, Marilyn, created an estate plan that bequest a generous gift to BJC in their will.
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“I choose to leave the BJC in our estate plan because the separation of church and state, as explained by the BJC, is an essential corollary of the deeply held theology of Baptists in our dedication to soul freedom, which speaks not only to the competency of the individual before God but to the belief that all humanity is created in the image of God. Universal human rights, then, become the natural outgrowth of seminal soul freedom.
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“Those who accept and foster these beliefs reflect that intentionality in making a planned gift to the BJC. This affirms the uniqueness of the BJC among religious freedom advocates. The BJC alone supports goals, purposes, and actions which are deeply theologically rooted.”
-James M. Dunn
Connect with Us
If you have included BJC in your estate plans or would like more information about naming us as a beneficiary of a will or retirement plan, click here to fill out the simple form or contact the development office at 202-544-4226 or [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions About Planned Giving
Why consider a planned gift?
Planned giving helps us consider what and when to give, as well as how to structure philanthropic contributions to meet our personal financial goals.
What are the different ways to give a planned gift?
Will or Living Trust: You can name BJC in your will or living trust to receive a certain percentage or fixed amount when you pass away. Language for your will could be as follows:
- Percentage: I leave 1% of my estate to BJC.
- Fixed Amount: I leave $50,000 of my estate to BJC.
- Contingent: If my spouse survives me, then I leave my entire estate to my spouse. If my spouse does not survive me, then I leave my estate to BJC.
Beneficiary Designations: You can name BJC as a beneficiary of all or a percentage of
- Your Retirement accounts
- Life insurance policies
- Bank or brokerage accounts
Donor Advised Succession Plans: If you have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), you can name BJC as a beneficiary for your DAF to be distributed after your death.
What if I change my mind about my estate plan?
You can change your will at any time. If you have previously provided a will to BJC and change it, please send us the updated will.
What do I put in my will if I choose to give BJC a portion of my estate?
We suggest the following language for a gift in your will:
“I give to the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. a District of Columbia nonprofit corporation that is recognized as exempt from tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, with its offices at 500 New Jersey Ave, N.W., Washington D.C., 20001 [all (or ____ percent) of my residuary estate] or [the sum of $_______] to be used for its general purposes.”
