Ways to Give

There are many ways you can give to further the Center’s mission to preserve and present significant images of railroading.

Explore giving options that allow you to maximize your impact to the Center while often providing tax advantages.

IRA QCD

Make a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA: donors age 70½ with a required minimum distribution (RMD) can put their retirement assets to work immediately t0ward our preservation mission, tax-free.

Gifts of stock

Appreciated stocks and other securities can be given to support the Center; the full fair market value of these gifts supports our mission.

Donor advised funds

Donors who manage their giving through a charitable investment account can direct a grant toward any of the Center’s priorities.

Legacy society

By making a provision through their will or estate plan, donors can support the Center’s long-term future through the Center for Railroad Photography & Art Endowment.

Monthly giving

Donors looking to provide steady support throughout the year can give monthly, helping to bolster the stability of all of the Center’s programs.

  • For gifts of all kinds to the Center for Railroad Photography & Art, use EIN 39-1917972
  • For legacy or estate gifts to the Center for Railroad Photography & Art Endowment, use EIN 47-7373395
  • For information about donating photographs, paintings, or other railroad artwork, please visit our collections page.

Qualified Charitable Distribution through your IRA

Erie Lackawanna freight train east of New Milford, Pennsylvania, on October 18, 1974. Photograph by John F. Bjorklund, Bjorklund-54-27-23

A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) through your individual retirement account (IRA) is an easy and convenient way to make a gift to the Center for Railroad Photography & Art from one of your major assets, tax-free.

A QCD allows you to transfer IRA funds directly to the Center to satisfy your RMD tax-free. This supports our mission to preserve railroad history while excluding the gift from your taxable income.

To qualify for a QCD, you must be at least 70½ and ensure funds transfer directly from your IRA to the Center by December 31. For 2026, gifts are capped at $111,000 per person and cannot be exchanged for goods or services. Following these steps ensures your contribution counts toward your RMD while remaining tax-free.

Gifts of stock

Many donors who hold appreciated stocks or other securities find it beneficial to give them to charitable organizations like the Center.

To receive the brokerage information and DTC number, in order to transfer securities to the Center, please reach out to Inga Velten, inga [at] railphoto-art.org, 608-251-5785, extension 2; or click below to request more information.

Request Stock Transfer Information
A Canadian National freight train passes Henry House, Alberta, on September 10, 1989. Photograph by John C. Illman, Illman-05-550

Donor-Advised Funds

Milwaukee Road diesel and electric locomotives at Avery, Idaho, on July 11, 1973. Photograph by John F. Bjorklund, Bjorklund-63-27-16

Donors who manage their giving through a donor-advised fund (DAF) can direct grants toward any of the Center’s priorities.

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) allow donors to recommend grants on a schedule that works for you while your assets grow tax-free.

To direct a gift to the Center, simply contact your DAF sponsor or reach out to us at inga [at] railphoto-art.org for our tax ID and mailing details.

Legacy Society and Bequests

By making a provision through their will or estate plan, donors can support the Center’s long-term future through the Center for Railroad Photography & Art Endowment.

To learn more about the Center for Railroad Photography & Art Endowment and how your planned gift today can leave a legacy for future generations, please reach out to Inga Velten, inga [at] railphoto-art.org, 608-251-5785, extension 2; or click below to request more information.

More about our legacy society
Visitors explore the cab of Grand Trunk Western steam locomotive 6322 at Battle Creek, Michigan on November 13, 1960. Photograph by John Gruber, Gruber-02-045-0129

Monthly giving

Denver & Rio Grande Western steam locomotives rest in the roundhouse at Durango, Colorado, in 1960. Photograph by Karl Zimmermann

Just like the ballast provides a steady bed for the tracks, monthly gifts create a reliable foundation for our mission.

Consistent support from monthly givers allows us to maintain essential operations—from climate-controlled archival storage to professional staffing—ensuring that our preservation work remains on solid ground year-round.

SET up monthly gifts

With deep appreciation, the Center for Railroad Photography & Art gratefully acknowledges the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust as underwriter of our fundraising and endowment campaign.

Have questions? Please reach out.

If you need assistance with your donation or have questions about ways to support the Center, please reach out to:

Inga Velten

Director of Development & Operations

(608) 251-5785 ext. 2

inga [at] railphoto-art.org