Make-A-Will Month by Dawn Boeck, Development and Communications Manager, Pollinator Partnership
Bumble bee on coneflower by Andy Grinstead, Pollinator Partnership
Published August 27th, 2025
August is Make-A-Will Month, a time to create a plan that will ensure you make your mark on all that you care about. Writing or updating your will is one of the most impactful ways to ensure your values live on for generations. Through our Keystone Society planned giving program, you can make pollinator conservation a permanent part of your story.
Why Your Will Matters
Making a will provides peace of mind, knowing that your wishes will be honored and your loved ones provided for. Yet studies show that more than half of adults in the United States do not have a will. Without one, decisions about your assets are left to state law, rather than your personal values.
A will is more than a legal document—it’s a reflection of what you care about most. By including a charitable gift in your estate planning, you can ensure that your passion for protecting pollinators continues to flourish well into the future.
What Is the Keystone Society?
Pollinator Partnership’s Keystone Society recognizes individuals who have included our organization in their estate planning. These dedicated supporters understand that pollinators—bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other vital species—are keystone players in our ecosystems. For those who care deeply about the environment, including Pollinator Partnership in your estate planning is a powerful legacy.
Benefits of Joining the Keystone Society
Membership in the Keystone Society is our way of honoring those who make this extraordinary commitment to the future of pollinators. When you include Pollinator Partnership in your estate plans, you:
- Create a legacy – Your gift ensures that pollinator habitats will continue to be protected, restored, and celebrated for generations to come.
- Support vital programs – From scientific research to education and on-the-ground conservation, your planned gift sustains programs that directly impact pollinator health.
- Inspire others – By publicly joining the Keystone Society (or remaining anonymous if you prefer), you encourage others to think about how they, too, can leave a positive impact.
- Retain flexibility – Planned gifts can be structured in ways that meet your financial and family needs while still supporting a cause you cherish.
- Gain peace of mind – Knowing that your values will continue to shape the world after your lifetime is one of the greatest comforts a will can provide.
Fun fact: will-making and estate planning bolsters environmental and community health. Clear estate plans help limit the number of abandoned homes in a given community and can even reduce the amount of construction and demolition waste from abandoned homes.
Ways to Give Through Your Will
There are several ways to include Pollinator Partnership in your estate plan, and each has unique benefits. The most common options include:
- Bequests – A simple and flexible option, you can designate a specific amount, percentage, or remainder of your estate to Pollinator Partnership.
- Beneficiary designations – You can name Pollinator Partnership as a beneficiary on retirement accounts, life insurance policies, or other financial assets.
- Other planned gifts – Charitable trusts and other arrangements may provide additional benefits for you and your loved ones while still supporting pollinators.
Whatever form your gift takes, your membership in the Keystone Society ensures that your legacy will help sustain the species that sustain us all.
Your Legacy in Action
Pollinator Partnership’s work reaches across North America, from restoring landscapes with native plants to supporting farmers with pollinator-friendly practices, to educating communities about the importance of biodiversity. These efforts are possible because of people like you—individuals who believe in building a healthier, more resilient planet. Imagine knowing that long after you are gone, bees are still buzzing, monarchs are still migrating, and pollinator habitats are thriving because of your commitment. That’s the power of joining the Keystone Society.
How to Take the Next Step
If you already have a will, adding Pollinator Partnership as a beneficiary is a simple update. If you’ve already included Pollinator Partnership in your estate planning, please complete and return our Bequest Intention Form. If you don’t yet have a will, Make-A-Will Month is the perfect opportunity to get started.
This Make-A-Will Month, take a step that will last far beyond your lifetime. By joining Pollinator Partnership’s Keystone Society, you are planting the seeds of a future where pollinators thrive, food systems remain resilient, and biodiversity continues to enrich our world.
Your legacy can be the gift of life for pollinators. Will you join us?
You are urged to seek the advice of your attorney, tax advisor, and/or financial planner who will assist you in creating a charitable gift that applies to your situation.