Except for modest fees paid by individual scouts, 100% of our funding is private donations. There are several ways you can help ensure that Scouting experiences remain accessible for our region’s youth.

• Make a contribution today and become a Friend of Scouting. 
• Honor or memorialize a loved one with a special donation to Prairielands Council. 
• Contribute to our endowment, ensuring resources for Scouting for generations to come. Contact Scout Executive Jared White to learn more. 
• Contribute appreciated securities, often a tax-wise way to give. 
• If you are 70 ½ years of age or older, make a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA. 
• Include a bequest to Prairielands Council in your will or trust. 
• Name Prairielands Council as a beneficiary of your IRA or other qualified retirement plan account.

For donors sending checks or for Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs, please mail those to:

Prairielands Council, Scouting America
3301 Farber Drive
Champaign, IL  61822

Gifts of Securities

If you have shares of stock or mutual funds that have appreciated in value, consider donating some of them to Prairielands Council.  You can put the full value of those securities to work serving our communities’ youth and avoid paying tax on the capital gains.  If you’ve owned the shares for longer than one year, you may also be able to deduct the full fair market value from your taxable income. 

Speak with your financial advisor to see whether this might be a good option for you, and call Jared White at 217-351-0214 for transfer instructions and to learn more.

Qualified Charitable IRA Distributions

Donors aged 70 ½ or older may make a gift to Prairielands Council directly from their IRAs without claiming it as taxable income – and it counts toward their required minimum distribution (RMD)!  In addition to the minimum age, there are a few important requirements.

• The distribution must go directly from the IRA account to Prairielands Council.
• Taxpayers are limited to a total of $108,000 in qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) in 2025, and a total of $111,000 in 2026.
• These gifts do not qualify for a tax deduction, but unlike other distributions from an IRA, QCDs are not subject to income tax in the first place.
• QCDs must come from IRAs.  Other qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b) accounts do not qualify, so you would need to make a tax-free transfer of funds from those accounts to an IRA first, then make the distribution to Prairielands Council.

We encourage you to speak with your professional financial advisor to determine whether a qualified charitable IRA distribution is right for you.

Bequests

A gift to Prairielands Council through a provision in your will or trust is a simple, flexible way to help ensure that character development and values-based leadership training are preserved for future generations of our region’s youth.  We welcome the opportunity to speak with you about how such a gift will make a difference.

A bequest may be for a specific amount or specific assets, a percentage of your estate or trust, or for a portion of the residue after specific bequests are fulfilled.  We encourage you to consult with your attorney and financial advisor about the provision that best meets your objectives.  When you do, please share the information below.

Legal name of organization:  Prairielands Council #117 Boy Scouts of America

Federal Tax ID Number:          37-0661186

Address:                                  3301 Farber Drive

                                                Champaign, IL 61826 

Suggested bequest language:

I leave [$xxx/xx%/residue] to Prairielands Council #117 Boy Scouts of America, a not-for-profit corporation (Tax ID 37-0661186) located in the State of Illinois, for its general purposes. 

Retirement Fund Beneficiary Designation

Naming Prairielands Council as a beneficiary of your retirement plan account, such as an IRA or 401(k), can be an extremely savvy way to help serve our region’s young people for generations to come.  Why? Because any funds from these accounts going to heirs will likely be subject to income tax, as well as estate tax if applicable.  As a tax-exempt charity, Prairielands Council will not pay tax on those funds, preserving their entire value.

Including Prairielands Council as a beneficiary of your qualified retirement plan account usually requires only a beneficiary designation form available from the financial firm administering the account.  Please use the following information, and of course, discuss this first with your professional estate and financial advisors.

Legal name of organization:  Prairielands Council #117 Boy Scouts of AmericaFederal Tax ID Number:          37-0661186
Address:              3301 Farber Drive, Champaign, IL  61822

More Information

For more information about the endowment programs of the Prairielands Council, please contact:

Jared White
Scout Executive/CEO
217.531.0214

jared.white@scouting.org