Frequently Asked Questions

See suggested language for a bequest. Make sure you include “for the purposes of the Lab of Ornithology” in all bequest designations.
    

Tax ID # 15-0532082
    
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology shares this tax ID # as a unit of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University.
    

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850
    

It’s easy to make gifts of securities or a cash transfer to Cornell University to benefit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. When making transfers of this nature, be sure to indicate “to benefit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology” to ensure your gift is properly credited.
    
For securities transfers, please complete this online form, noting “Cornell Lab of Ornithology” in the field labeled “Cornell Designation,” or contact Jennifer Saville, Office of Trusts, Estates, and Gift Planning, at 1-800-481-1865 or jms36@cornell.edu.
    
For cash transfers, please contact Cornell’s Office of Trusts, Estates, and Gift Planning at 1-800-481-1865.
    
For both securities and cash transfers, please also contact us to let us know of your gift so that we may follow up with the university.
    

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology does not appear on sites such as Charity Navigator and GuideStar because we are not incorporated separately from Cornell University. As a unit of the university, we share Cornell’s tax ID # 15-0532082. Cornell, and by extension the Lab of Ornithology, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
    
The Friends of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a separate entity and functions much like a “friends of the library” organization. It was established to accept large, usually restricted, gifts, the income from which is used to benefit the Lab of Ornithology. It is better to direct your gift to Cornell Lab of Ornithology so that the funds come directly to the Lab.
    

Yes. By notifying the Lab of Ornithology, you may earn gift credit and receive an invitation to join the honorary Sapsucker Woods Society. The Lab also benefits by learning of assets that may be available to it in the future. We can also ensure that everything is in order so that your gift will come to the Cornell Lab and be used in the way you intend.
    

• You may designate a planned gift for a specific program or project at the Lab of Ornithology. Please contact us if you’d like to restrict your gift—doing so will enable us to make sure your gift will be appropriately applied.
• Unrestricted gifts to the Lab of Ornithology are valuable because they allow flexibility in putting funds to their best and timely use.

    

• The full contribution to a life-income arrangement (charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, or pooled life-income fund) is recorded as a charitable gift.
• Advised bequests and tentative designations are credited as gift intentions.
• Irrevocable trusts or bequests may be credited as cash gifts.

    

Liz Kinast, 607-254-2471 or Bramble Klipple, 607-254-1105