A bequest to UM is a gift for life. (Tax-free) donations to this worthy cause mean you are contributing to a better future. Even after you are no longer here, UM researchers can continue working towards your ideals. You can choose the theme, research, or project to which your gift will be directed. A donation to UM also ensures that the funds will be safely managed and spent.
A bequest to a charity can only be made through a will drawn up by a notary. A codicil (handwritten declaration) is not sufficient. You have two options available. You can name the Fund as a (co)heir in your will, which is known as an inheritance bequest. The Fund will then receive a percentage of your estate. You decide what percentage that will be. If you prefer not to make the Fund an heir but still want to include it in your will, you can make a legacy. With a legacy, you specify the amount of money you wish to leave. You can combine a legacy or inheritance bequest with a living donation, for example, through a Named Fund.
We are happy to advise you, please get in touch to discuss your options.
Universities are increasingly dependent on (private) donations. Receiving a bequest can instantly accelerate valuable research. Marcel Aries, neurologist-intensivist at Maastricht UMC+, knows this all too well. He established the HersenStrijd Fund to support research into severe acute brain injury. In early 2023, the Fund received a true ‘gift from heaven.’ A private individual included the fund in her will and left a generous sum.
Aries: “Receiving a bequest can trigger a breakthrough in science in one go. It acts as a catalyst for a researcher and opens doors: to research grants that often require financial contributions, collaborations with other researchers, or a unique experience abroad. We were already saving for a second PhD research project; this dream suddenly became a reality. Thanks to the bequest, we can offer our PhD student much creativity and freedom: we are not constrained by the conditions and demands that grant providers often impose. This freedom for creative research is essential in a field like severe acute brain injury: there hasn’t been a new discovery in ICU care for over 25 years. Finally, the great involvement and warm heart of someone who specifically supports your research is, of course, an amazing feeling.”
