Make a Donation, Tribute or Memorial Gift

Your donation to Curtiss Mansion, Inc. (CMI), a Florida-registered, not-for-profit 501(c)-3 organization, helps maintain the quality of our exhibits and programs and supports a wide variety of educational events and other community services, as well as the ongoing restoration of our gardens and outbuildings. Gifts to the Curtiss Mansion are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Make your gift to the Curtiss Mansion today and help us continue to share the extraordinary life, career and spirit of Glenn H. Curtiss.

Planned Giving and Bequests

The Glenn H. Curtiss Mansion relies on private and corporate support to build its collections and meet the cost of its diverse services to the public. Donors may also receive significant tax incentives or financial benefits. Methods of giving differ with respect to what is given, how it is given, and the tax or financial planning benefits of making the gift. Please consult your attorney or tax advisor to learn more.

Bequests

A bequest to Glenn H. Curtiss Mansion is not subject to federal or state inheritance and estate taxes. The value of the bequest is deductible in determining the taxable estate for estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the amount of deduction.

Types of bequests include unrestricted cash bequests, restricted cash bequests, specific bequests of property and residual bequests. A will is essential if you wish to make a bequest to Curtiss Mansion, Inc. and an attorney should be consulted. Our staff will be glad work with you and your attorney.

Donations of Cash

Gifts of cash are the simplest, most common way to make a contribution to Curtiss Mansion. Immediately effective and simple to give, this contribution is deductible up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income. Excess deductions can be carried forward for up to five additional tax years.

Donations of Securities or Real Estate

Gifts of stock, bonds, mutual funds and real estate that have been owned longer than 12 months and have appreciated in value present a great gift opportunity. Benefits include an immediate charitable income tax deduction for the full fair market value up to 30 percent of adjusted gross income. Excess deductions can be carried forward for up to five additional tax years, and capital gains taxes are eliminated on contributed securities or real estate.

Tribute and Memorial Donations

Tributes and memorial donations can be made in honor of a friend or family member. The honored individual (or family) will receive an acknowledgment that a gift has been made in their honor. All Tribute and Memorial Gifts are also acknowledged on our website, in the memorial book or with a plaque for larger donations. Of course, donations may be anonymous, if desired.

The Curtiss Mansion accepts and greatly appreciates donations of items and artifacts connected with Glenn Curtiss and especially with his residence in the Mansion. If you would like to donate an item, please read our mission statement and additional information below to better understand our collection focus.

Our mission is “To restore and operate the home and gardens of Glenn Hammond Curtiss, visionary aviator, inventor and developer, as an interactive technology-based educational center focusing on the inventions and contributions of Curtiss and other unsung American Heroes, and as an architecturally unique, income-generating venue for celebrating life’s milestones.”

Some of the things the Mansion collects would be:

  • Photographs of the Curtiss Family
  • Photographs of the “Miami Springs Villas” period
  • Personal and Business Records and Papers
  • Books and Periodicals
  • Maps
  • Drawings
  • Local and State Government Records
  • Equipment and Accessories related to Mr. Curtiss’ manufacturing or business

If you have a special document or photograph that you really want to keep but would like to share it with the Mansion – we can copy your photographs, documents, maps, etc., (subject to any copyright restrictions) to make them available to researchers and you can keep the original.

To Make a Donation to the Collection – please contact the Glenn H. Curtiss Mansion at 305-869-5180. The Executive Director or a Board Member will speak with you or write to you about your donation. The staff will evaluate all items offered to the Mansion. Please provide as much background information as you can on your item. When the Mansion accepts your donation, we will provide a gift agreement to sign – this transfers ownership of the item to the Curtiss Mansion. For items of significant value, we suggest that you obtain an objective and professional outside appraisal of your gift if you require the documentation for tax purposes. The IRS questions appraisals given by recipient institutions and organizations because of the potential conflict of interest.