Planned Giving

Eighty years ago, Mayor La Guardia stepped up to save the New York City Center building from the wrecking ball. Today, The Fiorello La Guardia Society is a group of individuals who have recognized City Center in their long-term financial plans.

By joining the La Guardia Society, you'll ensure that City Center’s stage presents dynamic performances for years to come, building a bridge from this generation of performing arts lovers to the next.

Leave a Lasting Legacy

Founded in 2007 under the patronage of Anne Strickland Squadron, the La Guardia Society acknowledges those donors who secure City Center’s future through deferred giving options such as bequests, life insurance, retirement plans, and real estate. As a member of the La Guardia Society, you’ll not only leave a lasting legacy, but you’ll also enjoy important reductions in current personal income and estate taxes.

If you have already included City Center in your long-term financial plans and wish to make your commitment known to us, we can thank you now for your future support with special events and programs throughout the year.

To learn more about Planned Giving, please contact Joe Valone at 212.763.1296 or jvalone@nycitycenter.org.

“City Center has been the place to be for 80 years—and it should stay that way for 80 more! Whether it's Encores! or Fall for Dance, everything that happens on this incredible stage can only happen with all of our support.”
—Rosanne Leshner, Fiorello La Guardia Society member. In loving memory, Marty Leshner 1938 – 2023.

How to Designate a Gift

You may designate a specific sum for New York City Center or a percentage of your residuary estate after provisions for others are fulfilled. Gifts can be made to New York City Center to benefit current annual programs.

Including New York City Center in a completed will can be as simple as adding a codicil, or addendum, with sample text such as the following:

“I give and bequeath to New York City Center, Inc., 130 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019 for its general purposes, the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) / One Hundred (100) Shares of common stock of XYZ Corp. / Fifteen (15) Percent of my remaining estate.”

Please include New York City Center’s Federal Identification Number: 13-2867442.

Reduce Your Taxable Income: Use Your IRA to Make Charitable Contributions

Taxpayers who are 70½ are eligible to make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) of up to $100,000 from their IRAs to not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organizations such as New York City Center. The amount donated is excluded from taxable income, unlike regular withdrawals from an IRA. QCDs don’t require that you itemize, which due to recent tax law changes, offers you the option to take advantage of the higher standard deduction and still use a QCD for charitable giving. For those who are 72 and above, QCDs from an IRA will qualify toward satisfying the required minimum distributions (RMDs) for a given year.

So, if you are of the right age and don’t want the added income in your tax return, consider giving it directly to a charity. Making an IRA rollover is a great option for those with significant assets in their IRA account, as well as those who choose not to itemize. Only IRA funds are eligible, other retirement accounts—401(k) or 403(b)—are not. Contact your financial advisor for more information.

To learn more about Planned Giving, please contact Joe Valone at 212.763.1296 or jvalone@nycitycenter.org.