It’s the final day of my 12 Days of Charitable Giving for 2017. Readers have suggested deserving charities over the past few weeks, and I’ve been posting one a day for – well, 12 days (I’m clever that way). Today’s charity is Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (Bigelow) is located in coastal Maine, on the Damariscotta River estuary. Founded as a private, non-profit research institution in 1974, Bigelow was named for Henry Bryant Bigelow. Dr. Bigelow went on many expeditions in the Gulf of Maine, where he collected water samples and data on phytoplankton, fish populations, and hydrography, established a new paradigm of intensive, ecologically-based oceanographic research in the United States, and made the region one of the most thoroughly studied bodies of water, for its size, in the world. His approach to oceanography stressed the interdependence of the biological, chemical, and physical sciences. This perspective is the cornerstone of Bigelow’s programs.
Today, Bigelow’s mission is to investigate the microbial drivers of global ocean processes through basic and applied research, education, and enterprise. What Bigelow scientists learn is crucial to the conservation and responsible use of the ocean and the many valuable services it provides.
Research topics at Bigelow include:
- Aquaculture
- Changing Arctic
- Gulf of Maine and Beyond
- Human Health
- Ocean Acidification
- Microbial Mysteries
Bigelow supports the work of over 70 scientists and staff. The Laboratory also maintains a library open to the public both in East Boothbay and at McKown Point in West Boothbay Harbor, Maine, in collaboration with the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
So how can you help?
To make a one-time, monthly, or annual donation by credit card, head over to the organization’s donor page on its website.
To pay by check, make your check payable to Bigelow Laboratory and mail to:
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Attn: Advancement Office
PO Box 380
East Boothbay, ME 04544-0380
Bigelow also encourages the use of a Charitable IRA Rollover to support their efforts. Now a permanent tax break, the law allows taxpayers over age 70½ to make gifts of up to $100,000 from their IRA accounts to charities like Bigelow. Without the break, a taxpayer would pay tax on the withdrawal and then claim any charitable deduction. However, with the change in the law (which occurred in 2015), taxpayers who take advantage of a Charitable IRA Rollover don’t pay any tax (income or estate tax) on the transfer. Taxpayers who don’t normally itemize their deductions (and wouldn’t normally claim the charitable deduction) win big here. Taxpayers who itemize also see a benefit – there’s no income tax due on the withdrawal plus there’s the added benefit of the charitable deduction. If you’re interested, talk to your IRA administrator.
As always, you want to make sure that your donation is going to a qualified charitable organization. A search using the IRS’ Exempt Organizations Select Check confirms that Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is on the list.
To find out more about the work of the organization, check out their website, like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out their YouTube channel.
I often suggest checking out third-party sites like Charity Navigator for more information about charitable organizations, including evaluations and access to tax forms and other financials. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is rated four stars on Charity Navigator.
Remember: submissions to the 12 Days of Charitable Giving are made by readers, and in most cases, I can’t personally vouch for the good work that these folks do. So be generous but be smart: Do your homework.
For more on making charitable donations, check out this prior post.
