Donate a gift
Honorary Gifts, Memorial Dedications & Planned Giving
Honorary Gifts and Memorial Dedications
Dedicated Trees
Dedicated Benches
Planned Giving
Gertrude Wister Society
Planned Gifts and Bequest
Honorary Gifts and Memorial Dedications
Dedicated Trees
Planting trees in honor of special events and people has a long and rich tradition at Swarthmore College and the Scott Arboretum. The staff of the Arboretum is pleased to work with individuals interested in giving a dedicated tree to continue this tradition. This information may be helpful in your consideration and planning:
- A $1,000 minimum donation to the Arboretum is requested to establish a dedicated tree. This covers the cost of acquiring the tree, planting it, labeling it, and provides funds for future maintenance expenses.
- Trees and sites are to be selected from the Arboretum’s wish list to insure that sites free of utilities are selected and desirable species are obtained.
- Your donation will be acknowledged by receipt from the Arboretum for tax purposes. Donations for dedicated trees are deductible as allowed by law.
- Dedicated trees are identified with black engraved labels which convey the tree’s scientific and common names. These labels are 5″ x 7″. Text of your choosing may be up to 4 lines, 45 characters per line (including spaces). One line may have larger letters with a maximum of 32 characters.
- Trees acquired for dedication are typically 5-l0 feet tall; size will depend on the type of tree selected and its availability.
- If a dedicated tree dies within 2 years of being planted, it will be replaced with no additional donation. Efforts will be made to replace it in kind; however, if that type of tree is unavailable, a substitution will be made. After 2 years, if a dedicated tree dies, an additional donation will be requested to replace the tree.
- Dedications are for the life of the tree.
- Some species are best planted only in the spring. The planting of dedicated trees will be planned based on the best planting time. To arrange a fall planting please contact the Scott staff by July; for a spring planting please inquire by March.
- The College reserves the right to transplant or, if necessary, remove dedicated trees if required for future building efforts. The Arboretum staff will attempt to contact you to inform you about necessary changes.
- There are opportunities for more substantial giving to the Arboretum. Please contact the Scott Arboretum director if you’re interested in larger garden projects and naming opportunities.
- Dedicated trees are acknowledged in the year given in our annual report.
- Dedication information is maintained and accessible to the public in our plant records system.



Dedicated Benches
Honorary Gifts and Memorial Dedications

Dedicated Trees
Planting trees in honor of special events and people has a long and rich tradition at Swarthmore College and the Scott Arboretum. The staff of the Arboretum is pleased to work with individuals interested in giving a dedicated tree to continue this tradition. This information may be helpful in your consideration and planning:
- A $1,000 minimum donation to the Arboretum is requested to establish a dedicated tree. This covers the cost of acquiring the tree, planting it, labeling it, and provides funds for future maintenance expenses.
- Trees and sites are to be selected from the Arboretum’s wish list to insure that sites free of utilities are selected and desirable species are obtained.
- Your donation will be acknowledged by receipt from the Arboretum for tax purposes. Donations for dedicated trees are deductible as allowed by law.
- Dedicated trees are identified with black engraved labels which convey the tree’s scientific and common names. These labels are 5″ x 7″. Text of your choosing may be up to 4 lines, 45 characters per line (including spaces). One line may have larger letters with a maximum of 32 characters.
- Trees acquired for dedication are typically 5-l0 feet tall; size will depend on the type of tree selected and its availability.
- If a dedicated tree dies within 2 years of being planted, it will be replaced with no additional donation. Efforts will be made to replace it in kind; however, if that type of tree is unavailable, a substitution will be made. After 2 years, if a dedicated tree dies, an additional donation will be requested to replace the tree.
- Dedications are for the life of the tree.
- Some species are best planted only in the spring. The planting of dedicated trees will be planned based on the best planting time. To arrange a fall planting please contact the Scott staff by July; for a spring planting please inquire by March.
- The College reserves the right to transplant or, if necessary, remove dedicated trees if required for future building efforts. The Arboretum staff will attempt to contact you to inform you about necessary changes.
- There are opportunities for more substantial giving to the Arboretum. Please contact the Scott Arboretum director if you’re interested in larger garden projects and naming opportunities.
- Dedicated trees are acknowledged in the year given in our annual report.
- Dedication information is maintained and accessible to the public in our plant records system.

Dedicated Benches
The Gertrude Wister Society

The Gertrude Wister Society

Planned Gifts & Bequests

How to make a Bequest
You may make an unrestricted bequest to allow the gift to be applied where the need is greatest. You may also earmark a bequest for a specific cause, such as permanent endowment funds for a specific garden or special project. Funds of $25,000 or greater may be named and managed as separate funds; gifts of less than $25,000 specified as endowment will be added to existing permanently restricted Arboretum endowment funds. If you are considering restricting your gift, we encourage you to discuss your ideas and the language you use before you finalize the gift documents to ensure your aims are realized and we can accept the designations.
For gifts to be permanently restricted, this must be done by the donor at the time the gift is made.
It is important to give your attorney our full name and address, as well as specifying that the gift is to go to the distinct mission of the Arboretum. An example of appropriate language follows:
“I bequeath the sum of $__ (or __% of my residuary estate) to the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College located at 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, for its distinct mission as determined by the Director of the Scott Arboretum.”
If you have already made a bequest to the Scott Arboretum or would like additional information, please contact Caitlin Anello, Member and Donor Programs Manager, at 610-328-8017 or via email at scott@swarthmore.edu.
You may make an unrestricted bequest to allow the gift to be applied where the need is greatest. You may also earmark a bequest for a specific cause, such as permanent endowment funds for a specific garden or special project. Funds of $25,000 or greater may be named and managed as separate funds; gifts of less than $25,000 specified as endowment will be added to existing permanently restricted Arboretum endowment funds. If you are considering restricting your gift, we encourage you to discuss your ideas and the language you use before you finalize the gift documents to ensure your aims are realized and we can accept the designations.
For gifts to be permanently restricted, this must be done by the donor at the time the gift is made.
It is important to give your attorney our full name and address, as well as specifying that the gift is to go to the distinct mission of the Arboretum. An example of appropriate language follows:
“I bequeath the sum of $__ (or __% of my residuary estate) to the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College located at 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, for its distinct mission as determined by the Director of the Scott Arboretum.”
If you have already made a bequest to the Scott Arboretum or would like additional information, please contact Caitlin Anello, Member and Donor Programs Manager, at 610-328-8017 or via email at scott@swarthmore.edu.