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Leave a Legacy

Leave a Legacy

You don’t have to make a large gift during your lifetime to leave a lasting legacy.

Empower the next generation of students and strengthen our community's future by supporting scholarships and core programs through your estate plans.

Planned gifts offer many immediate and long-term benefits, like current income tax deductions, reduced estate taxes, and the satisfaction of making a significant and enduring contribution. A named gift can even serve as a permanent memorial to a loved one.

Class of 1975 Scholarship

three nurses from 1975

The Class of 1975 Scholarship Fund was established through The Research Foundation with a $25,000 donation from Rose Marie McColpin and support from other 1975 classmates.

Rose Marie McColpin’s lifelong devotion to nursing is rooted in a childhood experience that left a lasting impression on her heart. From the moment she was a young girl, Rose Marie dreamed of becoming a nurse. It was an experience at the age of 12 that solidified her calling. She faced a health scare that could have led to leukemia, requiring her to undergo a bone marrow procedure. During that challenging time, the compassion of the nurses who cared for her left a deep mark. “I still remember the nurses holding my hand,” Rose Marie shared. “That was my calling.”

With a career that spanned 43 years, Rose Marie worked tirelessly to embody the same compassion and care that had so profoundly impacted her as a child. Working in the operating room, she always made sure to treat each patient with the same love and respect she would give a family member. Her dedication to her patients was unwavering, even through the most heartbreaking moments.

As a nursing student at Research School of Nursing, Rose Marie faced challenges but never lost sight of her goal. At 23, she was older than many of her classmates, and she had to work harder to keep up. “It didn’t come easy to me,” she said. “I put everything into it, stayed up late nights. Only through many prayers did I accomplish my goal of nursing.” But the struggle paid off, and she graduated with a sense of camaraderie. While she didn’t have the traditional college experience, Rose Marie found friendship with her classmates. She shared study sessions, made lifelong friends, and, to this day, remains close with many from her cohort.

Inspired by her own experiences and her desire to support the future of nursing, Rose Marie established the Class of 1975 Scholarship Fund at The Research Foundation. Her goal is simple: to ensure that the next generation of nurses receives the training and support they need to care for others with the same compassion that shaped her and her classmates’ careers. Through the scholarship, Rose Marie wants students to remember that being a nurse is about more than earning accolades—it’s about being present, being kind, and persevering through challenges. “I want scholarship recipients to remember that the patient comes first.” To her, nursing is not just a profession— it’s a calling to serve others with heart and soul. And with the Class of 1975 Scholarship Fund, she is ensuring that future nurses will have the opportunity to do the same.

headshot of Julie Nauser

Bequests

A gift by will allows you to make a significant contribution that was not affordable during your lifetime. The simplest gift is a bequest in your will. Most bequests leave a specific amount or percentage of the donor’s estate to charity with no restrictions on how the money is to be used. Because the full value of the bequest is deductible, heirs generally escape gift and estate taxes.

"I decided to include The Research Foundation in my estate plan for several reasons. As a faculty member at Research College of Nursing, I have seen countless students benefit from scholarships supporting their educational journey. Personally, I have benefited from the financial support provided to faculty in pursuit of doctoral education. The vision of The Research Foundation – to partner for a healthy community – resonates with me as a nurse and member of the Kansas City community." -Julie Nauser, PhD, RN, CNE

More Legacy Giving

  • Stock

    By making a gift of appreciated stock (held more than one year), you can avoid or delay the capital gains tax. You may deduct the current fair market value of the stock on your tax return no matter what was originally paid for the stock. Your broker will need to the following information: NFS LLC, DTC # 0226, For the Benefit of The Research Foundation, Account # 087-594210.

  • Life Insurance

    A new or existing life insurance policy can be assigned to The Research Foundation with premium payments made as annual gifts. The result is a major gift at an affordable cost.

  • Real Estate and Personal Property

    Property may be used to fund a planned giving vehicle, or may be given outright to The Research Foundation.

  • Trusts

    A Charitable Remainder Trust can provide lifetime income to you.

  • Gift Annuities

    By making an annuity gift now, you can receive a lifetime income for yourself, a spouse, or anyone else you designate in exchange for a gift of cash, stock, or securities to The Research Foundation. At the time of your death, the gift remainder will support us.

  • IRA Charitable Rollover

    The IRA Charitable Rollover is a unique giving strategy that allows donors aged 73 or older to make tax-free charitable contributions directly from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to qualified nonprofit organizations, like The Research Foundation.

  • Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)

    DAFs allow you to make one gift into your fund (just one receipt at tax time) and then grant support to any 501 (c) public charities you wish. Your fund can be invested and grow tax-free. DAFs are also a great way to involve your other family members in charitable giving.

  • Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCDs) & Required Minimum Distribution (RMDs)

    A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) can be a great way to reduce required minimum distributions (RMDs) and optimize the tax benefits of giving. People who hold certain types of investment accounts are required to take minimum distributions each year beginning at age 73, even if they don’t need or want the funds. For retirees who've accumulated significant savings in their tax-deferred accounts, this can have serious tax consequences. That's because the higher the balance in your tax-deferred accounts, the higher your RMDs—and potentially your tax bracket. If charitable giving is part of your financial plan, a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) can further your philanthropic goals and help reduce the tax hit from your RMD. QCDs allow individuals age 70½ and older to make tax-free donations, up to an annual limit (currently $111,000) directly from an IRA or other qualified account to a qualified charity or multiple charities, potentially satisfying all or part of their annual RMDs. As a result, donors may avoid being pushed into higher income tax brackets. A QCD doesn't offer a tax deduction, but the QCD amount isn't included in your taxable income either. In some cases, the tax benefits of a QCD could outweigh the charitable deduction you would have received from donating cash or other assets to an eligible charity. Taking your full RMD and then donating cash, could result in a higher tax bill than if you were to give through a QCD. Qualified Charitable Distributions may offer a prime opportunity to enhance your charitable giving and maximize your tax savings. To determine if making contributions through a Qualified Charitable Distribution is right for you, please consult your financial advisor or contact The Research Foundation at 816-276-4218 or info@theresearchfoundationkc.org.

Legal documents must state the beneficiary as The Research Foundation, 2316 E. Meyer Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64132. Tax ID# 43-1349021

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