Give
Help us redefine possible for our community by contributing today!
Select a preset amount, choose your impact or make a monthly pledge to further our mission.
Every dollar fuels our mission.
Your donation, no matter the size, allows us to grow our services and reach. Our community of supporters makes up for 45% of our annual budget! This level of support is a powerful testament to the impact of our programs Thank you for helping to further our mission.
Make a one-time OR recurring donation.
If you would prefer to make your donation by check, please make it out to Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center and send to 1390 N. McDowell Blvd., Ste. G331, Petaluma, CA 94954
The following chart will help you determine the type of gift that is right for you and your individual circumstances.
Planned Giving
Your Gift, Your Legacy
Planned Gifts have allowed Giant Steps to expand programming, build infrastructure, establish reserve funds, and much more.
Giant Steps has advisors with expertise in all aspects of planned giving who are available to educate donors and their advisors on the possible methods of supporting Giant Steps’ mission through planned giving.
Types of Planned Giving
Bequests
A charitable bequest is the simplest and most common form of a planned gift. A bequest is accomplished by indicating your intent to support Giant Steps in your Last Will and Testament or your Living Trust. You can gift a particular asset (shares of stocks), a specific dollar amount, or a percentage of your assets. Many donors leave their gift unrestricted so that the Giant Steps team can direct it to the area of greatest need. Others have specified a specific area of interest: youth programming, equine care, etc. Giant Steps can share with you a variety of naming opportunities to support you in your planning.
Beneficiary Donations
Another simple method of making a planned gift is to name Giant Steps as the beneficiary of an asset you own. This would be appropriate for assets that are not under the control of your will or trust. Examples of these so-called “will substitutes” are bank accounts, retirement plans, annuities, insurance policies, stock and savings bonds. All that is necessary to designate Giant Steps as the beneficiary of all or some of the account is to fill out the beneficiary designation form that can be obtained from the custodian of the particular account.
Charitable Gift Annuities
A Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) is a very popular way to make a significant gift to Giant Steps while also gaining many personal financial benefits. A CGA is an irrevocable gift that provides lifetime fixed income. It also provides a significant charitable income-tax deduction to the donor in the year in which the gift is made based on the age of the donor. Please contact the office to request information on CGA’s.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A more sophisticated and powerful type of planned gift is a charitable remainder trust (CRT). CRT’s permit donors to make significant gifts while at the same time: (1) earning fixed or variable income for life or a term of years, (2) avoiding capital gain taxes on the sale of highly appreciated assets (securities and real estate), (3) receiving a generous charitable income tax deduction at the time of the gift and (4) removing an asset from their taxable state. Since CRTs are trusts, the establishment of one requires the services of a knowledgeable attorney and the involvement of your personal professional advisors.
Retained Life-Estate Gift
A retained life-estate gift is usually a property that is irrevocably deeded to Giant Steps, but the donor retains the right to live in it for the rest of his or her life. It is wonderful gift option for seniors who have no heirs yet want to get their “estate in order,” and want to make a significant gift to Giant Steps during their lifetime. When the donor makes the gift, s/he receives a charitable income tax deduction based on the remainder value of the property. While living on the property, the donor is responsible for the maintenance, insurance, taxes and other ongoing expenses as if s/he still owned the property. In addition to primary residences, farms and vacation homes are often used to establish a charitable life-estate agreement.
Outright Gifts
There are many ways to support Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center in its mission of enriching lives through the power of horses, team and community. Below are a few options to make an impact and help further our mission. Please feel free to email Libby Porzig with any questions or call: 707-769-8900
Monetary Contributions
An outright gift is the simplest form of giving, and may be made in the form of cash, check, or credit card. If you would like to restrict your gift to a specific area, please indicate that with your gift. Otherwise, we will direct it to the area of greatest need. To donate by check, please make it out to “Giant Steps” and mail to 1390 N. McDowell Blvd Suite G #331, Petaluma, CA 94954.
Life Insurance
Donors may make Giant Steps the owner and beneficiary of life insurance policies. An existing policy yields a current charitable income tax deduction approximately equal to the cash surrender value. A paid-up policy yields a charitable tax deduction approximately equal to the policy’s replacement value the exact figure is available from the issuing company. Whether it’s a new policy or an existing contract, donors continue to pay the premiums and take a charitable deduction for each additional premium payment.
Please note that the above is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal or tax/financial advice. Donors should consult their lawyer and personal financial advisor prior to making such a gift.
Stocks & Securities
An outright gift of securities to Giant Steps can offer a donor significant tax savings if the securities have appreciated, and have been held for over one year. To realize tax advantages, the securities must be donated directly to Giant Steps, rather than being sold with the proceeds donated. Please contact info@giantstepsriding.org to learn more!
Donor Advised Funds (DAF) Gifts
Donors may also opt to make charitable gifts through their personal Donor Advised Fund (DAF), which would be administered by a financial services company or community foundation. The donor receives credit for a charitable deduction when the DAF is funded, not when the gift is made to Giant Steps. If you are planning to make a distribution to Giant Steps through your DAF, please let us know so that we can properly honor your gift. Not all DAF gifts share the name of the donors.
Personal Property
Gifts of personal property such as a riding equipment, art, jewelry, etc. may be donated to the Giant Steps. Giant Steps may keep the donation for use by the organization, sell it, or include it in an auction. The charitable tax deduction for gifts of personal property is typically determined by the donor. The IRS requires additional documentation including qualified appraisals for certain gifts of tangible property. For example, gifts of personal property valued over $5,000 require a qualified appraisal.
Matching Gifts
Many companies match employees’ charitable contributions through a formalized matching gifts program. Donors are encouraged to contact their employers directly to see if gifts can be matched.
IRA Charitable Rollover
The SECURE Act passed in December 2019 increased the age at which an individual must begin taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from a retirement account such as an IRA. Under the IRA Charitable Rollover Act, donors may distribute up to $100,000 per year to qualified charities directly from their IRA. This Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) satisfies an individual’s RMD but is excluded from taxable income in the year of the distribution. Please note that since these types of distributions are not subject to income tax there is no charitable income tax deduction permitted. Before making this type of transaction, please consult with your tax advisor to determine if a QCD makes sense for you and your specific tax situation. If it does, please call the office to receive information on the best way to make this gift: 707-769-8900.
Donate A Horse
Our horses are at the heart of all our programs. If you have a horse you would like to donate, please review the following criteria and process for Giant Steps to accept a horse for a trial period.
Contact our Program Director with any questions.
Criteria for Horses Entering the Giant Steps Program on Trial
Age 7 – 18 years old (preferred variety of positive life experience)
Soundness – in all gaits
Temperament – low flight response, trainable, good natured
Size – between 14 -16.2 hh
Training preferred – English, Western, Vaulting, Dressage
Low maintenance – feeding, health care, handling, shoeing,
Good with other horses
Likes people
Able to cope with change
Giant Steps Procedure for Horses Entering the Program on Trial
Horses must meet the criteria listed for new horses and owner must thoroughly complete the New Horse Initial Screening and the first two pages of the Horse Assessment – both are available below to download.. The Program Director will determine if the characteristics of the horse match the current program needs (Giant Steps keeps a diverse herd to accommodate the specific needs of our participant population).
If the horse is within a 50 mile radius of the program site, horses are observed being groomed, tacked, lead and ridden, by the Program Director, Head Instructor and designated program staff. This is either done at the Giant Steps program location or where the horse is currently boarded.
If beyond a 50 mile radius, the owner submits a video of the horse being groomed, tacked, lead and ridden both ways of the ring in all gaits.
If the horse meets the criteria and there is space available, then arrangements will be made for the owner to deliver the horse to Giant Steps for a 60-90 day trial period.
Prior to the delivery of the horse, the owner and the Giant Steps Program Director will sign the “Horse Trial Period Agreement” (for donations) or “Horse Lease Agreement” (for leased equines).
The horse will be in the care and custody of the Giant Steps program staff for the purposes of evaluation and training as outlined in the Horse Trial Agreement. Please note, the owner of the horse is responsible for the cost of board as well as basic veterinary and farrier care while the horse is in his/her trial period.
All horse donations over the value of $5000 need to be submitted with 2 appraisals provided by the donor, prior to the trial period.
The horse will be accepted as a donation to the program once it has completed the trial period successfully as approved by the Program Director. The owner and the Program Director will sign the “Horse Donation Acceptance Agreement”. If the horse is not deemed suitable for the program at any time during the trial agreement the owner of the horse will be notified and is responsible for transportation of the horse off of Giant Steps property.
Please complete and email the following two forms to Julie@giantstepsriding.org.
Wish List
We are in constant need of items for our horses, our lessons, our students and more. Even the smallest item makes a huge difference. Please consider purchasing and donating items from our Wish List below:
Click the links below to browse our wish lists on Amazon, Dover Saddlery, and Valley Vet Supply.
Thank you so much for your support!
Horse & Lesson Equipment and Supplies–Ongoing Needs
Amazon.com gift cards· anti-cast surcingle (2) bandaging supplies: vet wrap, gauze rolls, elastikon, cotton rolls, gauze pads (various sizes)
Equioxx
Prascend
Gift cards to feed stores (Rivertown Feed and Novato Horse & Pet Supply)
Triple Crown Senior
Elk Grove Stable Mix Original
Pure Green 24 Helmet disinfectant spray
Rainbow reins
Bar Ale rice bran pellets
Stirrup bands
Riding gloves (various sizes)
Riding helmets, new, ASTM-SEI certified: 3 XS, 6 SM, 6 MED, 6 LG, 3 XL
Shipping helmets
Vaulting surcingle (several)
Horse & Lesson Equipment–One Time
Bemer blanket
Office Supplies–Ongoing Needs
Forever stamps
Ground coffee (the darker the better, and caffeinated!)
Kleenex
Lamination sheets (9×11.5″ and 11.5×17,5″)
Mailing labels (Avery 5160 or comparable, Avery 5164 or comparable)
Paper towels
Post-its
Postcard stamps
Printer Ink (HP85A, black)
Standard letter copy paper (8.5×11″)
Trash bags (13 gallon)
Toilet paper
Facility Maintenance
10’ fiberglass step ladder
Black flexitubs (8 qt, 10qt and 12 qt)
Cart/wagon
Garden gloves (various sizes)
Hose, 100 feet (3)
Large leaf rakes (4)
Lawnmower
Metal pitchforks
Legacy Givers
In choosing to make a legacy gift to Giant Steps, these individuals have ensured Giant Steps’ future. Their generosity has allowed us to establish a reserve fund, expand our youth programming, care for our horses, and generally move Giant Steps forward in significant ways. Each of these individuals had a unique story of now they found Giant Steps. One found us through a website search, another knew the founders, still another invested in us at the urging of his daughters, in honor of his late wife. Each has had an extraordinary impact.
Daniel Barkan – Unrestricted
Circle Oak Ranch Trust – Unrestricted
John P. Collins – Pope/Justice Fund for Equine Care
Raymond O. Dobson – Children’s Programming
In Loving Memory of Nanette and Ralph Lewis – Unrestricted