Help Build a Path to BikePGH’s Future
August is National Make-A-Will Month. Depending on your lifestyle, age, and circumstances, this may feel irrelevant or inaccessible to you, but a will is an important document that can give you some peace and can enable you to make a larger gift to a non-profit than you would feel comfortable giving during your life.
BikePGH is dedicated to advocacy, education, and community work that makes Pittsburgh a safe place to walk and ride. The work we put in today benefits future generations of Pittsburghers by not only giving them infrastructure that prioritizes their safety but maintaining the flywheel of momentum to carry the movement forward in the ways they see fit.
Similarly, making a planned gift through your will gives stability to the movement for safer streets. Making a generous commitment now is a signal to the community that you believe deeply in giving Pittsburgh’s youth a safer route to school, while enabling the educational programs, advocacy work, and community events of the future.
Why does it matter?
- Giving through your will is a way to control and direct your wealth after your death.
- Wills make life (and death) easier for everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status.
- A will gives you control over your belongings and where they end up, while the process often sparks important conversations between loved ones.
- With a will, you can also plan ahead for those who are in your care — for example, you can name a legal guardian for your minor children and choose a caretaker for your pets.
Who should think about it?
Everyone. You can make a will any time and you can amend it anytime. Common milestones that prompt the creation of a will are the birth of a child, a marriage, and the death of a parent.
Why give in my will instead of right now?
We would love it if you give now!
Click here to for our blog about all the different ways you can give to BikePGH. However, the length of your life is impossible to predict, so many people hang on to some wealth for their own safety and medical care.
When you don’t know how much you’ll be leaving behind when you pass, it is common to leave a percentage of your estate to a nonprofit, rather than a fixed dollar amount.
Leaving a gift for a nonprofit in your will costs you nothing during your lifetime, but will ensure that you can make a positive impact on causes close to your heart for years to come.
What happens to my gift?
When you pass, your will ensures that your contribution will make its way to BikePGH. Once BikePGH receives that gift, it will be used to support safer streets and to transform Pittsburgh into a place where biking and walking are commonplace.
If you would like your gift to be used for a specific purpose at BikePGH, please contact Laura SanBoeuf Paris to discuss your wishes – we can discuss ways to make sure the language you use in your will is timeless.
How do I do it?
FreeWill, a free online resource, is an option to help you create your will, name your chosen charitable beneficiaries, direct your insurance policies and 401(k)s and so much more. You may also contact a lawyer to draft your will.
In August 2025, more than 35,000 people made their will using FreeWill’s online software, and combined they left $357 million to charity!
p.s. Already have a will? Congratulations — you’ve taken an important first step! Now that you have a will, it’s important to keep it updated and to inform any name beneficiaries. Estate attorneys recommend reviewing your will every three to five years, or whenever you have a big life event (like getting married, moving states, or having a child).
Questions?
Laura SanBoeuf Paris, CFRE, Bike Pittsburgh’s Development Director is available to work with you or your professional advisor to explore smart ways of giving; you can contact her at 412-325-4334 or laura@bikepgh.org
To direct a gift to Bike Pittsburgh, Inc.:
Legal Name: Bike Pittsburgh, Inc.
Address: 188 43rd Street, Suite 1, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Federal Tax ID Number: 36-4491002
We encourage you to consult with your attorney or financial advisor to determine which giving strategy best fits your situation.
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