National Cave and Karst Research Institute

Carlsbad, New Mexico | Conduct, support, facilitate, and promote programs in cave and karst research, education, environmental management, and data acquisition and sharing.

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Giving to the Future of NCKRI

Thank you for your interest in supporting the National Cave and Karst Research Institute and being an important part of our future. Private gifts support our important mission by enhancing programs, promoting excellence in staff, and building research projects. The following pages offer information on giving to help you find the options that work best for you.

Thank you for your generosity and for making NCKRI a priority in your charitable giving.

Ways to Give

  • Give Online. This is the simplest way for you to give. Donate online today using a credit card on our secure online contribution form.
  • Give by telephone. Call our office at +1 575-887-5518 with a credit card and we’ll be happy to help you make your gift over the phone.
  • Give through the mail. Write a check and mail it to us at National Cave and Karst Research Institute, Attn: Operations Director, 400-1 Cascades Avenue, Carlsbad, NM USA 88220-6215.
  • Give without giving! If you shop with Amazon.com, register NCKRI as your favorite charitable organization at smile.amazon.com. There is no cost or any fees for you, and 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be sent to NCKRI!

Options for Giving

All gifts to the National Cave and Karst Research Institute are appreciated greatly. Unless otherwise specified, they are placed in our general fund for use as needed. If you wish to dedicate your gift to a specific program or purpose (for example, education, management, research, facilities, etc.) please let us know. We’ll be happy to make that possible. Our Adopt-A-Bat Program and the Barry F. Beck Sinkhole Conference Student Scholarship are two of our specific fundraising efforts. Options for making these or general gifts are described below.

Annual Giving

Through Annual Giving at NCKRI, donors and friends support the areas of greatest need, including scholarships, equipment, facilities, maintenance and improvements, research, and exhibit development. The annual fund is the cornerstone of our fundraising program: student scholarships, graduate fellowships, cultural events, travel grants, guest lectures, cave and karst research.

As important as these annual funds are, equally important are the spirit and generosity in which they are given. Through gifts to the Annual Giving program, our supporters demonstrate their regard for the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, its mission, and their desire to support that mission. Thank you for your support! Your gift has never been more important!

Give an Annual Gift

Corporate Gifts and Foundation Gifts

The National Cave and Karst Research Institute works with corporations and foundations to develop proposals that meet the priorities of both the Institute and the donor. The Institute’s staff works together to present funding opportunities that are creative and innovative. Our goal is to build productive and long lasting relationships with our corporate and foundation donors.

Our primary objective is to present proposals that reflect the Institute’s funding priorities and listen to the donor to meet their needs. Private contributions directly support NCKRI’s mission. The generosity of our private donors creates opportunities for the Institute that would not otherwise be possible. Corporate and foundation gifts are important partnerships and a source of funding critical to the NCKRI mission.

Matching Gift Programs

Many employers offer matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. This is a fantastic benefit to increase the impact of your gift. Be sure to check with your Human Resources Department to see if your company has a matching gift program. We also recognize those companies that have matching gift programs and appreciate their generosity to support their employees’ philanthropic efforts.

Endowments and Planned Giving

NCKRI ‘s Legacy Cavers is a group of donors that have chosen to make a planned or deferred gift through their estate planning that will have an everlasting impact on the organization. Planned or deferred gifts include: bequests through a will, charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, charitable lead trust, and a gift of life insurance, real estate or other assets.

Gifts such as this help NCKRI and provide the donor with additional income, convert low-income assets to higher-income assets, avoid long-term capital gains tax, reduce your estate taxes, and generate income tax dedications. NCKRI’s staff will work with you in arranging proper forms of recognition that reflect your personal gift’s purpose and your preferences. Your gift may also be given anonymously. The National Cave and Karst Research Institute has not retained any professional solicitor and 100% of each contribution is received directly by NCKRI. For more information on legacy giving, please call +1 575-887-5518.

Scholarships

Scholarships change lives. Scholarship support is one of the most important ways to impact the lives of students. There are several ways to support student scholarships at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute: NCKRI’s Annual Giving program, making a gift to an existing scholarship fund, creating a new scholarship fund. We’d love to talk to you about your ideas! Give us a call at +1 575-887-5518.

Donor Bill of Rights

Based on the standards and ethics of fundraisers and philanthropy professionals, this statement guides our advancement work at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute.

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the not-for-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:

  • To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
  • To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
  • To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.
  • To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
  • To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
  • To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
  • To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization, or hired solicitors.
  • To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
  • Feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

The text of this statement in its entirety was developed and adopted in 1993 by the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).