Planned Giving

For many of us, caving has been one of the joys of our life, and we want cavers who come after us to enjoy the same opportunities that we have had to visit and discover and study caves.  We care deeply about cave conservation, cave science, cave exploration, and caving culture. 

For 80 years, much of the success of the National Speleological Society has been the product of forward thinkers who shared a vision for American caving.  They have helped make caving safe, fun, interesting, and educational for generations to come.  Won’t you join cavers like these who have recently given significantly to the NSS, or who provided for the NSS in their estate plans?

2013    William Hulstrunk               $ 100,000 (endowment)
2014    William Papke                      $   67,000 (endowment)
2015    David Morehouse               $   50,000 (research)
2016    Anonymous                        $ 450,000 (unrestricted)
2016    Roger Sperka                     $ 500,000+ (unrestricted)
2017    Gale and Ray Beach           $ 1.4 million (education)
2019    Ken Laidlaw                        $ 100,000 (rescue training)
2019    Bill Mixon                            $   50,000 (endowment)
2017-2020   Roswell Jones            $   90,000+ (endowment)
2021    James Patera                     $   60,000 (cave acquisition)

To provide for the NSS in your will, or to make the NSS the beneficiary of an IRA or insurance policy, give your attorney, IRA custodian, tax advisor, or insurance agent this information:  the National Speleological Society, Inc., EIN 54-6026867, is an Alabama nonprofit corporation and an I.R.C. 501(c)(3) exempt public charity, headquartered at 6001 Pulaski Pike, Huntsville AL 35810, and a website at caves.org.

To give appreciated securities, contact the NSS fundraising committee for brokerage account information:  fundraising@caves.org

Gifts may be unrestricted, or they may be designated for any of several temporarily or permanently restricted funds that the NSS has established.  They include:

• The NSS Permanent Endowment Fund *
• The Ralph Stone Research Fund
• The Sara Corrie Fund (U.S. exploration)
• The International Exploration Fund
• The NSS Cave Preserves Fund

For more information about these and other funds, or to discuss the possibility of making a substantial gift to establish a new restricted fund, please contact the NSS fundraising committee:  fundraising@caves.org

* The NSS Permanent Endowment Fund is managed by the Society’s supporting organization, the National Speleological Foundation, for the exclusive benefit of the NSS.  (The Foundation has also managed the NSS Life Member endowment since 1964).  The Foundation pays the NSS 4% of the value of the NSS Permanent Endowment Fund each year.  It uses a 3-year rolling average value to “smooth out” ups and downs in the markets.  Gifts to the NSS Permanent Endowment Fund should be made to the National Speleological Foundation, Inc., EIN 23-7282767, a District of Columbia nonprofit corporation and I.R.C. 501(c)(3) exempt public charity, with a website at speleofoundation.org.

Please Note!  The NSS and NSF cannot offer you legal, tax, insurance, or investing advice.