Join & Support

Make a Gift

The Shakers cared for the poor and used their resources and profit for social good. Today Canterbury Shaker Village uses its resources to educate people of all ages and from all walks of life by interpreting over 200 years of Shaker life through its exhibits, buildings, gardens, programs, and tours. Canterbury Shaker Village is a unique resource for learning about Shaker architectural intent and early Shaker community planning and design, as well as the many periods of Shaker life.

Admissions and auxiliary income alone are not enough to preserve and restore this national treasure. In addition to membership, monetary gifts allow the Village to expand on its programs, restore buildings, and add to the visitor experience by enhancing its interpretive programs. Canterbury Shaker Village accepts gifts in the form of cash, checks, credit cards, and stock.  There are several ways in which you can join us preserving and sustaining Canterbury Shaker Village.

Annual Fund

Your gift to Canterbury Shaker Village will aid us fulfilling our Mission to preserve and protect the Shaker legacy. A gift to the Annual Fund is an unrestricted gift contributing to the current operating support of the Village and provides the Director and Board of Trustees the ability to direct the funds to the areas where the support is needed most. By making your gift to the Annual Fund, we are able to meet our most urgent needs and fill the gap between admissions, store revenue, and educational program income. Unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund offset operating expenses, including all aspects of education internally and externally, staff salaries, archive collection and preservation, as well as building restoration and improvements.

Gifts to Endowment

Gifts to the endowment provide permanent, ongoing support for the Village. Your gift is invested with other endowed funds, to provide annual income to the Village for a purpose that you designate, such as restoration, collections, and capital expenses, as well as general educational and program development. This is truly a gift that keeps on giving!

Throughout the Village's history, generous members and friends have made permanent gifts to the Village that provide ongoing support. These gifts are invested by the Village to provide annual income for purposes designated by the donor or for general educational purposes. Many individuals and families have made contributions to endow a building, program, or position due to their love and appreciation of the history and preservation of the Shakers legacy. Others have endowed gifts to support staff salaries and program development in honor of a staff member or Shaker member who made a difference to them. Still others have made unrestricted gifts to the endowment, which provides annual support to the Village each year for general needs. Gifts to the endowment may be made outright in a single gift or paid over a number of years. Gifts that provide income to you for life, such as a charitable gift annuity or trust, can be an excellent way to make a larger endowment gift than you thought possible.

Gifts of Stock

Transferring stock to Canterbury Shaker Village is easy, and gifts of appreciated securities, including stocks, bonds and mutual funds, may be a particularly attractive way to support the Village.

A gift of appreciated, long-term marketable securities (owned for more than one year) will generally provide an income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the securities, while avoiding the capital gains tax that would otherwise be due on a sale. Securities may be transferred through your broker or by delivery of the securities to Canterbury Shaker Village. If the securities are Depository Trust Company (DTC) eligible, they may be transferred electronically to our asset manager. To make a gift of appreciated securities, please contact Mary Cobb at TD Wealth Management, P.O. Box 477, Concord, NH 03302. Call toll free at 1-800-871-8101 or direct dial at 603-226-5785

Planned Giving

Planned gifts can be beneficial for both the donor and the institution, in some cases providing interim income for the donor, while at the same time providing a future gift that the Village can look forward to in its future planning and vision. Including Canterbury Shaker Village in your will is a meaningful way to remember the Village and ensure its future prosperity. Estate planning and charitable giving through your estate can also provide estate tax savings. For information about gifts, including trusts, gift annuities and bequests, contact Ellen Koenig, Director of Development, at 603-783-9077 ext. 283.