Donations to the Annual Operating Fund help support the daily operations of The Brenton Arboretum. These operations include the maintenance of the landscape and buildings, staffing, paying utilities and insurance, creating and implementing educational programs, and providing free field trips for school children

The Brenton Arboretum offers several ways to honor a loved one or commemorate special occasions. To learn more about Memorials and Tributes please visit this link:

The Brenton Arboretum regularly pursues various capital improvement projects throughout the property. Examples include trail paving, bridge construction, large scale restoration projects, etc. To donate to a specific project please indicate in a letter accompanying your gift which project you wish to fund. When donating online please select the specific project you wish to fund. If you don’t see the project you’re looking for, use the Annual Fund Donation option and indicate any special projects in the “notes” section of your transaction. This will ensure that your gift is earmarked and utilized correctly.

Mail checks to:

A donation to The Brenton Arboretum’s endowment lasts forever. To learn more about how to give to our endowment follow the link below.

The Brenton Arboretum is honored when donors choose to include the institution in their estate planning. Unless otherwise specified by the donor, bequests are deposited into the Arboretum’s Permanent Endowment. This will ensure the lasting impact of the donor’s generosity. To include The Brenton Arboretum in your estate plan, please use our legal name: “Brenton Arboretum, Inc.” and note that our EIN# is 31-1578089.

To learn more about bequests and planned giving, read “How To Include Charities in Your Will to Leave a Legacy” from Forbes magazine:

The Brenton Arboretum can easily accept gifts of stock in the form of a “pass through” grant. This enables donors to give stock without having to liquidate it first, thereby avoiding capital gains tax liability.

To make a donation of this nature please follow these steps:

1. Discuss the transaction plan with your accountant to ensure your financial and giving goals will be met.
2. Contact Arboretum Executive Director, Melissa Burdick, to discuss the donation and any specific intents you have for the use of the funds.
   • melissa@thebrentonarboretum.org
   • 515-992-4211 ext 3
3. Melissa will contact the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines – the entity that will receive the stock and disburse the resulting donation funds to the Arboretum – to let them know to expect an incoming stock transfer.
4. Let your broker know that you’d like to make a transfer to the following:
   • Charles Schwab
   • DTC 0164, Code 40
   • Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
   • Account 3067-5865
5. Once the transaction is complete you’ll receive a gift acknowledgement from The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.

Donors frequently give to the Arboretum via private charitable funds. To make a gift of this nature please request your fund manager send the grant to:

The Brenton Arboretum welcomes and encourages corporate sponsorships. To inquire about sponsorship opportunities please contact our Executive Director, Melissa Burdick:

Information for Corporate Giving Managers:

• EIN#: 31-1578089
• Legal entity name: Brenton Arboretum, Inc.
• Doing business as: The Brenton Arboretum
• W9: Available on request

For Employees:

Many employers offer matching donations for charitable gifts employees make. This is an often overlooked opportunity, but a great way to double the impact of your personal giving. Each company has it’s own process for requesting matching gifts; contact your employer’s Human Resources or Accounts Payable department to find out if you company offers this benefit.

You might also find your employer via this online search engine:

For Employers:

To coordinate a charitable matching gift employers may need to know:

• EIN#: 31-1578089
• Legal Name: Brenton Arboretum, Inc.
• Operating As: The Brenton Arboretum
• W9: available on request
• For more questions or information contact us at 515-992-4211

If you’re a business interested in starting a charitable matching gift program, you can learn more about workplace giving at this link: