Join & Give - Save the Dunes

Your gift protects the

Indiana Dunes

Become a Member

Save the Dunes members are the heartbeat of our organization whose generosity has funded decades of projects to preserve the Indiana dunes, Lake Michigan and the surrounding natural areas. Your gift will help us continue to protect the dunes and support the national park now and for future generations.

Your Membership Dollars at Work

Membership provides critical funding for our work in land preservation and habitat restoration and to improve public access to the dunes as we connect people and the surrounding communities to Indiana’s most precious natural resource. Membership also supports our advocacy efforts and gives us legal standing in court to defend the Indiana dunes and Lake Michigan from a variety of threats.

Our secure online form makes it easy to become a member. For those who prefer to join by mail, please contact Office Manager, Amber Seiler, at amber@savedunes.org or 219-879-3564 ext. 121. Checks may be mailed to Save the Dunes at 444 Barker Rd. Michigan City, IN, 46360.

All gifts are 100% tax deductible.

MEMBERSHIP

Individual $40

Household $60

The Dunes Club (New!)

Pollinator Protector $100

Wetland Warrior $250

Dune Defender $500

Coastal Champion $1,000

Save the Dunes strives to be an inclusive organization. Individuals who wish to be members of Save the Dunes but cannot afford to pay the full member dues are encouraged to apply to our membership assistance program. Please contact office@savedunes.org to learn more and apply today.

Leave a legacy

Making a planned gift is a way to create a lasting legacy of protection for the dunes, and could provide tax benefits for you today.

Planned Giving Options

Make a stock contribution

A donation of appreciated stock will reduce your tax burden while making a significant gift for conservation. Donating appreciated securities provides dual tax benefits. When you transfer stock to Save the Dunes, you receive an income-tax deduction of the fair market value of the stock, and you’ll avoid paying capital gains on the securities you donate.

Name Save the Dunes as a beneficiary

Naming Save the Dunes as a beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement plan can be one of the easiest ways to make a significant gift. Donating a portion of these plans could allow your loved ones to avoid income and estate taxes on the donated amount. You may choose a percentage or designated amount to leave for each beneficiary or name Save the Dunes as a contingent beneficiary.

Receive income through a charitable gift annuity

Receive income for life while benefiting nature with a charitable gift annuity. Make a gift of cash or appreciated stock to establish your annuity, and you’ll receive a tax deduction now for a portion of your payment and a fixed payment every year for the rest of your life. The remainder will support the mission of Save the Dunes.

Donate personal property

Making a gift of your personal property (from land to artwork to vehicles) will provide a significant gift while allowing you to enjoy immediate tax benefits. Save the Dunes may elect to hold the property or sell it at some point in the future and use the proceeds for its programs. It is important that you contact Save the Dunes to make certain we can care for your property before initiating your gift.

DID YOU KNOW?

Estate giving provides flexibility

Making a gift through your will or trust allows you to provide a future gift to Save the Dunes while retaining control of your assets during your lifetime.

There is no upper limit on the estate tax deductions that can be taken for charitable bequests, and you can maximize your tax benefits by donating your most-taxed assets while passing those with lesser tax demands to your loved ones.

Our Tax ID is 35-1915468.

Already included Save the Dunes in your estate plans? Thank you! Please let us know.

Volunteering

To maximize regional effectiveness, we encourage you to volunteer directly with the Indiana Dunes National Park or Indiana Dunes State Park.

The Indiana Dunes are made up of sand grains that are mainly composed of the mineral quartz.

Quartz is the same mineral that is in glass, and the sand grains create an interesting sound when you walk on it, called “singing sands.”There are few other places in the world that have singing sands, including Dubai and Japan.