Donate
Make a Gift Today!
Donate today and support the many ways the Brick Store Museum promotes learning, community and engagement to local communities and beyond. Individual and business support makes the Museum a local lens on global perspectives. Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, we carry out world-class exhibitions, preserve thousands of artifacts and archives, host interactive activities, and provide valuable educational programming year-round.
A gift of any size makes a huge difference. Show your love of local history, art, and cultures in Kennebunk with a gift to the Brick Store Museum.
Further Giving Opportunities
Outside of donating to the Museum’s annual operating fund, there are many ways to support the Museum. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your gift, please contact Cynthia Walker, Executive Director, at cwalker@brickstoremuseum.org or (207)985-4802.
Stock, Securities & Advised Funds
Gifts of appreciated stocks and securities are gratefully received; please contact the Museum at the information above to receive further information on this method of giving and for specific information for your advisor.
If you are supporting the Museum through a Donor-Advised Fund: Thank you for your support! Often, DAFs do not send complete information on who is donating, so please contact the Museum at the address above to let us know to expect your donation. Please contact us if you need assistance or information to get started.
Legacy Giving
Legacy giving (also called planned giving) can be a powerful and meaningful way to leave a philanthropic legacy that helps ensure the Museum’s future and sustains the Museum’s mission.
A gift is “planned” when a donor purposefully decides to incorporate a charitable gift into his or her financial or estate plan. Donors who include the Brick Store Museum in their estate plan are members of the 1936 Society.
To learn more about Legacy Giving, click here.
In-Kind Goods & Services
The Brick Store Museum is grateful for donations of in-kind goods or professional services. In-kind donations have included refreshments for events, holiday decorations, carpentry, computers, and more. Please reach out to the Museum if you would like to discuss a donation, or consider the Museum’s AmazonWishlist for everyday items that help us deliver our mission year-round.
Corporate Matching Gifts
Does your employer offer a matching gift program? Corporate matching gifts are donations that your employer makes on your behalf to match your charitable contributions. Many employers match the funds you donate, doubling the impact of your gift. Employers most often match dollar-for-dollar, even for retired employees. Check with your human resources department for further information.
Corporate Partnership
Businesses small and large partner with the Museum to celebrate our shared communities and constituents while lifting each other’s work and sharing local investments. Click here to read more about types of Corporate Partnerships are offered here at the Museum.
Membership
Museum Membership is the backbone of the Museum. Members not only receive benefits in return for their support, but they ensure that the Museum can continue its work year-round while enjoying the Museum’s programs, exhibitions and outreach. Learn more about Membership.
Volunteer
At a federal rate of $33 per hour, volunteer work is valued at nearly $250,000 annually at the Museum. That’s huge! Volunteer opportunities start with tour guides and docents, and stretch to hands-on learning programs, administration, collections, and more. Learn more about volunteering here.
Gifts to the Collection
One of the most important ways the Museum builds its collections is through the generosity of private collectors and owners. If you are interested in donating works of art, artifacts, or archives to benefit future generations, click through to our Collections Donation page.
More about Charitable Contributions:
Increase Your Tax Benefits through Charitable Contributions:
- Did you know that charitable contributions, such as those made to the Brick Store Museum are tax deductible?
- Did you also know that they are only tax deductible if you itemize deductions on your income tax return?
- Finally, did you know that only 13% of tax payers itemize their deductions? That is because when the standard deduction ($30,700 for married seniors) is higher than your combined itemized deductions, it of course wouldn’t make sense to itemize! Said differently, 87% of donors do not receive any tax benefit when they contribute cash/checks to charitable organizations.
There are two common ways to increase tax benefits, even if you are someone who does not itemize:
- Donating appreciated stock/securities. Whether you write a check for $500 or donate $500 of Apple stock, if you itemize deductions, you are able to deduct $500. If you do not itemize, you do not get the deduction. By donating stock, you have the added benefit of avoiding capital gains tax. Say those shares were bought for $100. If you were to sell them, you would pay tax on the $400 of growth. By gifting the shares to a charitable organization, taxes are never paid on that gain. This is the case regardless of whether or not you receive a tax deduction.
- Making gifts directly from your IRA/retirement. At age 73, the IRS forces you to make withdrawals from your IRAs and pay tax on the amount. The only way to avoid tax on these dollars is to give them directly to charitable organizations. This is called a qualified charitable distribution, and you are allowed to do this up to $100,000 annually. If you are one of the 87% of people who do not itemize, and your required minimum distribution (as calculated by the IRS) is $1,000, and you contribute $500 to a charitable organization by writing a personal check, you will pay income tax on $1,000 and receive no tax deduction. If you take advantage of the qualified charitable distribution rules you could send $500 to the charitable organization directly from your IRA/retirement account and then your IRA required minimum distribution is only $500 and thus you will only be taxed on $500. Ultimately, you and the charitable organization end up with the same dollars, except now you saved taxes on $500 of income.
The Brick Store Museum is charged with preserving and sharing the stories of our human experiences in the Kennebunks and its surrounding communities for future generations. As a private non-profit organization, we likewise receive no federal, state, or town funding.
Thank you for your support of the arts and humanities in your community.