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Summer 2026

This campaign will directly result in community impact, with immediate local benefit as well as regional and national scalability. By reaching the campaign targets, Brushwood Center will increase our program reach, particularly in Lake County, while simultaneously strengthening our financial base and renovating our existing building. Recognizing that the issues our community faces around health, equity, and the environment are relevant across the nation, Brushwood Center’s programs and partnerships are also models for intersectional and sustainable solutions to these pressing challenges that we plan to share more broadly through national coalitions and movements.

Brushwood Center’s renovation processes are overseen by members of our Finance Committee well-versed in property management and construction projects. This Committee has selected our architects, Bill Sturm and Chris Wollmuth, as well as the landscape architects, Antunez Design, due to their extensive experience designing sustainable buildings and grounds. Additionally, they have generously donated much of their time providing pro bono services throughout the campaign planning process. Working with this team, our general contractor and sub-contractors are being selected through a bidding and interview process.

Yes, we will be collecting donations for ACTIVATE through December 2026.

Match gifts of $2,500 or more will be acknowledged on a donor sign at Brushwood. Gifts of $5,000 or more will be commemorated on the Joyful Impact Plaque.

There are many ways you can participate in the campaign and considerable flexibility in making your pledge. Payments can be staggered over the pledge payment period and may be of differing amounts per pledge payment to accommodate your projected cash flow. 

Other payment options include:

· Appreciated securities:  Gifts of appreciated securities enable you to avoid paying capital gains taxes and, if itemizing, still benefit from the charitable tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock donated.

· Distributions from IRA: Donors who are 70 ½ may make a distribution of an amount up to $100,000 per year directly from their IRA to Brushwood Center.  Such donations count toward an individual’s Required Minimum Distribution, and are not counted as income for federal taxes.

· Donor Advised Funds: Donors may request checks to be sent to Brushwood from a Donor Advised Fund to support a gift to the campaign. EIN #: 36-3715155

Brushwood Center would be honored to learn that you have included the organization in your estate plans or otherwise named us as a beneficiary of a future gift.  Such gifts are vital in helping to ensure the long term sustainability of our organization and our work.  However, as the goals of the campaign are to secure resources that can be expended to support program expansion and facility renovation over the next several years, planned gifts will not be included in the campaign totals.  Planned gift donors will be recognized separately through our planned giving program.

Gifts may be pledged over a three-year or five-year period.  Donors should discuss the optimal time period in order to make a maximum gift with Mirja Spooner Haffner, Brushwood Center’s Director of Development, at mspoonerhaffner@brushwoodcenter.org.

Yes.  Brushwood Center welcomes gifts of materials, furnishings and equipment that will be needed in renovating and upgrading our building and landscape. Such gifts should be discussed with Mirja Spooner Haffner, Brushwood Center’s Director of Development, at mspoonerhaffner@brushwoodcenter.org, in advance to ensure that the proposed gifts-in-kind are appropriate.