Bequests & wills

Whether you’re 18 or 108, everyone should have a will in place.  One of the most popular and easiest planned gifts is the bequest. Many donors choose to make their ultimate gift through their will. If you already have a will, it is not necessary to rewrite your entire will to make a bequest to the Mojave Desert Land Trust. You can simply instruct your attorney to prepare a codicil (an amendment) to your current will.  

A bequest can also specify how the gift is to be used, such as: for general purposes, for educational outreach, for land acquisitions, for the Mojave Desert Seed Bank, or for plant conservation.

“For us, the desert holds so many wonders: the panoramic sweeping landscapes, fiery red sunsets, an incredible diversity of wildlife and native plants, and a silence that feels like home deep within our bones. So, we are grateful for MDLT, who’s incredible conservation and educational work we believe is vital in helping to protect our deserts. We are honored to have our donation contribute to MDLT’s ongoing mission so that future generations may have the opportunity to wander into the vast beauty of these desert lands.”
— Sohan Youngelson and Marcella Bottero

For more information on joining the Desert Stars, or to let us know MDLT is already included in your estate plan, please contact Philanthropy Officer Kellie Flint: kellie@mdlt.org or by phone at 760-366-5440 x229.

We are the California Desert Land Conservancy doing business as (dba) Mojave Desert Land Trust. MDLT's Tax ID/EIN : 72-1603033

At right (or below, if you’re on mobile) are several examples of bequests and their appropriate language. We cannot provide you with legal advice and these examples are provided for educational purposes only, to demonstrate how simple it is to designate the Mojave Desert Land Trust as a beneficiary in your will. Please consult with a qualified attorney as to the best way to accurately and effectively document your testamentary wishes. Thank you for considering a gift to the Mojave Desert Land Trust.

  • “I give ___________dollars to The California Desert Land Conservancy dba the Mojave Desert Land Trust, a California nonprofit corporation, whose address is 60124 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, California.”

  • “I give ____________% of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to The California Desert Land Conservancy dba the Mojave Desert Land Trust, a California nonprofit corporation, whose address is 60124 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, California.”

  • “If ____________(name) is not living on the ninetieth day after the day of my death, I give all the rest of the property I own at my death to The California Desert Land Conservancy dba the Mojave Desert Land Trust, a California nonprofit corporation, whose address is 60124 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, California.”

  • Consider adding this sentence: “This bequest should be used at the discretion of the Executive Director(s) and President of the Board.”

  • Consider adding the sentence: “The purpose of this bequest is to ____________. Should it not be possible to use this bequest as devised, they may be expended at the discretion of the Executive Director(s) and President of the Board.”