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1,200 ACRES

The amount of farmland Lancaster County loses each year.

120,000 RESIDENTS

The estimated county population increase over the next 20 years.

4,000 ACRES

The acreage that will be preserved with your support.

50 FARMS

The number of farms waiting to be preserved.

You Made this Possible!

It was almost three years ago that Lancaster Farmland Trust decided to embark on its first-ever capital campaign. With 50 farms on our waiting list – and more farmers calling every day – we knew we had to do something to pick up the pace of preservation and honor the promise we made to farm families waiting to preserve their land. If we were successful, 50 more farms totaling 4,000 acres of beautiful, productive farmland would be preserved forever.

So, we launched our “Honoring the Promise” campaign – to preserve all of the farms on our waiting list and to ensure the long-term stewardship of the land we’ve protected. We set the campaign goal at $7.5 million and we are thrilled to report that – with the generous support of our community – we have surpassed this original goal and have now more than $8 million! What a wonderful testament to our passionate community and their collective effort to protect the land we love.

We have been busy putting your dollars to work by preserving farms on our waiting list. With the funds raised from the campaign, we have permanently protected 32 farms, with 18 in the queue. We are grateful to the families who decide to preserve their land. Our work would not be possible without their commitment to protecting land for future generations

“Honoring the Promise” Campaign Video

From the Campaign Leadership

Lancaster County is blessed with the most productive farmland in the country. Our rich agricultural heritage has shaped our community and enhanced our quality of life. Today, our farms support our economy, improve our environment, and provide our families with fresh, local foods. It is important that we preserve our farmland so that future generations can continue to enjoy the many benefits our farms provide.

We are pleased to serve as the Honorary Co-Chairs of Lancaster Farmland Trust’s “Honoring the Promise” campaign. As long-time supporters of the Trust, we are committed to its mission to preserve and steward our precious farmland, and we understand the importance and urgency of preserving our farmland now – before it is too late.

The “Honoring the Promise” campaign will make it possible for the Trust to preserve an additional 4,000 acres of farmland and will provide long-term financial security to sustain the organization and ensure that the farms that have been preserved remain protected forever.

Your support of this campaign is important to the future of our community. We hope you will join us in “Honoring the Promise.”

Honorary Co-Chair

Beverly Steinman

Honorary Co-Chair

Barry Shaw

Steering Committee

  • Ted Bowers
  • Dave Breniser
  • John Cox
  • Carol Falk
  • Dennis Grimm
  • Don Hess
  • Jeff Kirk
  • Bob Krasne
  • Caroline Morton
  • Larry Shirk
  • Bob Shoemaker
  • Bill and Phyllis Whitesell

 

Executive Director

  • Karen Martynick

Ways to Give

The Honoring the Promise Campaign will provide the philanthropic support necessary to protect and steward 4,000 acres of rich, productive farmland. Lancaster Farmland Trust will accept outright gifts of cash, deferred gifts and blended gifts (a combination of both outright and deferred). Because Lancaster Farmland Trust is a 501 (c)(3) organization, your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

If you have any questions about making a contribution to Lancaster Farmland Trust, please contact Amanda Hickle at 717-687-8484.

Outright gifts of cash, securities and/or real estate

Your contribution of an outright gift of cash, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and/or real estate can help Lancaster Farmland Trust in ‘Honoring the Promise’ to protect our farmland from development. You can choose to make a one-time gift or make a pledge to be fulfilled in the manner you designate up to three years. Gifts can also be made by qualifying donors from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and recommendations for campaign support can be made from Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) on an annual basis.

Estate (or Planned) Gifts

In addition to outright gifts, you may also choose to leave a legacy of protected land through an estate gift to Lancaster Farmland Trust. There are a number of options for creating a gift through your estate including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, outright bequests and gifts of life insurance.

In this campaign, new or increased estate gifts created by donors who are age 70 or older (or will be by the end of this campaign – estimated to be 12/31/21 – will be counted at face value toward both the campaign goal and for recognition purposes. For donors under the age of 70, credit will be given for the present value of the gift. For revocable planned gifts such as new bequests or beneficiary designations, donors will be asked to sign a binding campaign commitment form and provide copies of the applicable section of their will/beneficiary form.

Any donor that commits to an estate gift through this campaign will be welcomed into the Amos Funk Legacy Society, a committed group of individuals who are leaving their legacy by designating Lancaster Farmland Trust as the beneficiary – in part or whole – of their estate.

Blended Gifts

You may find that a blended gift offers you the opportunity to increase the impact of your contribution to Lancaster Farmland Trust’s Honoring the Promise Campaign. A combination of outright and planned giving can offer you the flexibility to increase the impact of your contribution.

Frequently asked questions

What is the goal of the “Honoring the Promise” campaign?

The goal of the campaign is $7.5 million. The funds raised will preserve the 50 farms on the Trust’s waiting list – protecting an additional 4,000 acres – and provide for the long-term stewardship of the farms already preserved.

Why is the campaign important for our community?

The preservation of our beautiful, productive farmland supports our economy and enhances our quality of life. Each year, 1,200 acres of farmland are lost to development. With more than 120,000 new residents expected in the county over the next 20 years, the pressure on our farmland will increase dramatically. We have the opportunity to shape what our community will look like in the future and to leave a legacy for future generations, but we must act now before it’s too late.

When will you begin to preserve farms?

As soon as we receive your gift. Once we have your commitment, we will be able to let the farm families on our waiting list that we can move forward with the preservation of their farm. The process takes approximately six months to complete.

How long do I have to fulfill a pledge?

Donors may make their gift all at once or divide their gift over a maximum of four years. Donors to the campaign will be asked to sign a “Letter of Commitment” that outlines their intentions.

Are gifts to the campaign tax-deductible?

Yes. The IRS recognizes Lancaster Farmland Trust as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Gifts made to the Trust are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Please contact your financial advisor for information about how your contribution can provide you with the maximum tax benefit.

Will you accept a planned gift as part of my pledge?

As outlined in the Ways to Give insert, planned giving is an important component of the Honoring the Promise campaign. Donors may choose to expand the impact of their current gift by adding the Trust to their estate plans or increasing an existing planned gift. New or increased estate gifts will be acknowledged as part of the campaign. New planned giving donors will be welcomed as a member of the Trust’s Amos Funk Legacy Society.

I have other questions, who may I contact?

If you have questions about the campaign or would like additional information, please contact Amanda Hickle, Director of Development and Communications at Lancaster Farmland Trust. Amanda can be reached at 717-687-8484 or ahickle@lancasterfarmlandtrust.org.

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