PROTECT MARINE MAMMALS.
SUPPORT SCIENCE THAT MATTERS.
Your donation helps advance global research, support early-career scientists, and protect marine mammals and their habitats.
Pilot whale © George Karbus Photography / Getty Images
SUPPORT SMM
Every donation to the Society for Marine Mammalogy advances global marine mammal science, supports the next generation of researchers, and strengthens international collaboration to better understand and protect marine species worldwide. Your support contributes to meaningful, science-based conservation with transparency, accountability, and lasting impact.
🐋 Make a Donation as a One-time, Monthly, or Major Donor:
Choose a one-time, monthly, or major gift to support research, education, and capacity-building initiatives across the global marine mammal community. Every contribution helps drive scientific discovery and informed conservation.
🤝 Sponsor the SMM Biennial Conference
Support marine mammal science on a global stage by sponsoring the SMM Biennial Conference—gain meaningful visibility while helping bring together researchers, students, and conservation leaders from around the world.
🌎 Leave a Legacy Gift for the SMM:
Create a lasting impact by including the Society for Marine Mammalogy in your estate planning. A legacy gift helps ensure continued support for marine mammal research and conservation for generations to come.
Including the Society for Marine Mammalogy in your planned giving is easy and your plan can be as varied and unique as the marine mammals that inspire you. Legacy giving isn’t just for the wealthy. Whether $500 or $50 million, every legacy gift makes a difference and helps ensure that the SMM will be supporting scientists around the world who are dedicated to studying and protecting what’s most important to you.
Already have a will or trust?
It’s easy to add the Society for Marine Mammalogy as a beneficiary. If you have already included the Society for Marine Mammalogy in your will or trust or plan to add us, please notify us via email at president@marinemammalscience.org.
What will your legacy be? Add the Society for Marine Mammalogy to Your Will
- Protecting the world’s most endangered marine mammal species
- Supporting marine mammal scientists in places that need your help the most
- Creating the next generation of marine mammal scientists to continue the work
Our success is a direct result of donations from people like you.
📈 Tax-Efficient Ways to Support
There are multiple ways to donate to the Society for Marine Mammalogy. Giving cash is certainly one option but there are alternative ways to give that can be more tax efficient. Two common and easy ways to give include: giving appreciated securities from non-retirement accounts and making charitable distributions from retirement accounts.
When you donate stock to charity, your gift is tax deductible for the fair market value of the stock on the date of the gift. Donating stock does not create a capital gains tax liability for you or for the charity. Whereas selling stock and then giving the cash recognizes realized gains and it taxable to you. Instead, donating appreciated stock avoids the tax on the gains.For instance, if you own $10,000 worth of ABC stock that you bought several years ago for $2,000 and you donate the stock, you will not have to pay capital gains stock on the $8,000 gain.
For more information, please consult your financial advisor, contact us, or reach out directly to our financial advisor, Harfst and Associates, at 541-488-2634 or info@harfst.com.
A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is another excellent tax-efficient way to make charitable gifts. Provided you are age 70½ or older, you can make a distribution directly to a charity up to $100,000 per year from your IRA. A QCD can be used towards satisfying your annual Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), too. Instead of the tax benefit coming to you as a tax-deductible gift similar to when you give cash, the QCD from you IRA is not counted towards your taxable income. The amount of your QCD is completely excluded from your taxable income. A QCD is popular with retirees who normally make charitable donations.
For instance, if your RMD is $ 20,000 and you make a $ 15,000 QCD, your taxable IRA income is only the remaining $5,000 to satisfy your RMD. Or, if your RMD is $ 30,000 and you satisfy your RMD by giving a total of $ 30,000 in one or more QCDs, you will have no taxable income from your IRA. In this instance, you get to make the charitable contribution, satisfy your RMD and have no taxable income.
For more information, please consult your financial advisor, contact us, or reach out directly to our financial advisor, Harfst and Associates, at 541-488-2634 or info@harfst.com.
🎁 How to Make a Tax-Deductible Stock Gift
You can make a tax-deductible stock gift to the Society for Marine Mammalogy by transferring shares directly from your brokerage account to the Society’s account, which may allow you to support marine mammal conservation while potentially reducing your taxable income.
Below you will find the information necessary to transfer your shares into our account as a tax-deductible gift. Please notify our account manager, Danette Harfst, or the Secretary of the Society (secretary@marinemammalscience.org) when you’ve made a stock gift so we can properly acknowledge your generosity!
Broker Information for the Society for Marine Mammalogy (provide this to your broker to complete the stock transfer):
Investment Firm: Harfst and Associates, Inc.
Account Name: The Society for Marine Mammalogy
Account Number: 85262236
DTC Clearing Number: 0164
DTC Code: 40
Account Manager: Danette Harfst
Phone Number: 541-488-2634
Address: 1970 Ashland Street, Ashland, OR 97520
E-mail: danette@harfst.com
YOUR GIFT MAKES AN IMPACT BY SUPPORTING
Cutting-Edge Research
Support our extensive awards, grants, and scholarships programs that fund marine mammal research projects around the globe, advancing knowledge of their biology, behavior, and conservation needs.
Early-Career Scientists
Support professional development programs that provide fellowships, mentorship, workshops, and training opportunities, helping to nurture and equip the next generation of marine mammal researchers.
Global Collaboration
Enable international partnerships, conferences, and workshops that bring together scientists, policymakers, and communities.
GUIDE TO GIVING
The Society for Marine Mammalogy and the SMM Conservation Fund warmly welcome your support. Below is some guidance to help you plan your contribution.
If you would like to make a donation, please contact the SMM Treasurer to discuss your interest. You can specify whether your gift should go to the SMM Conservation Fund, the SMM General Fund, or a particular award or scholarship within the General Fund. If you are considering a legacy gift—donations made through your estate—please inform the Treasurer so that your wishes are honored and funds can be directed appropriately. The Society is committed to ensuring your contributions are used effectively to support marine mammal research, education, and conservation. Options for legacy giving may include designated beneficiaries, wills, and trusts, depending on your country of residence.
For donors in the United States, contributions to the Society may offer tax benefits. The Society for Marine Mammalogy is registered as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID (EIN) is 94-2842655. Please consult a tax advisor to determine the best giving option for your situation.
Additional information on charitable contributions is available from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Click HERE