Each year, more than 4,000 volunteers across North Carolina contribute over 200,000 volunteer service hours through the NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ program, providing research-based information, educational programming, and outreach that connects people and communities with the benefits of sustainable gardening and empowers North Carolinians to grow healthy plants, landscapes, and ecosystems.
The time, knowledge, and expertise each Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteer brings to the EMG program are priceless. Philanthropic support from friends of the EMG program, individual volunteers, EMG groups, and volunteer associations can help us all do more.
Every contribution makes a difference. Please consider making an individual, tax-deductible donation today OR send in a donation from your local volunteer group or association.
Give to the EMG Endowment!
Donate Online
- Make a gift today!
- You will have the option to:
- Make a one-time gift
- Schedule your gift for a future date
- Become a sustaining supporter with monthly, quarterly or annual contributions via credit card
Mail Your Donation by Check
- Make checks payable to: The North Carolina Agricultural Foundation
- Include a short note stating your gift is for the NC Extension Master Gardener Endowment.
- Customizable letter template: Download Word Doc | Open Google Doc
- Mail your check and letter to: Advancement Services, Gifts & Records Management Campus Box 7474 NC State University Raleigh, NC 27695
Make a Lasting Impact
Looking to leave a legacy? We welcome gifts through:
- Estate plans (wills and trusts)
- Beneficiary designations on retirement or investment accounts
- Stock and appreciated asset donations
- Download our gift planning guide
To explore these options or ask questions about pledges, please contact:
Mandy Queen, mandyqueen@ncsu.edu or 919-515-1139.
Other Ways to Give
Purchasing an EMG license plate is another way you can support the EMG program! When you purchase the specialty plate from NCDMV, $10 of the $20 initial purchase price and annual renewal fee goes directly to the EMG endowment.
ABOUT THE NC EMG ENDOWMENT
In 2007, the North Carolina Friends of the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, NC Agricultural Foundation, Inc., and the NC State College of Agricultural and Life Sciences launched the NC Extension Master Gardener Endowment, a fundraising initiative to ensure the NC State Extension Master Gardener program will continue to grow and serve North Carolinians for many years to come.
The NC Extension Master Gardener Endowment is invested in perpetuity. Only the interest income from the account is spent. Your donation to the endowment increases the annual interest generated and will help achieve the endowment's goals to provide financial stability for the statewide program and support for staff positions, making possible exciting new opportunities for EMG volunteers across North Carolina, such as volunteer scholarships, programming materials, and continuing education classes and workshops.
The generous support of program friends, including individual Master Gardener volunteers and local EMG volunteer groups and associations, has grown the endowment’s market value to $170,000 as of December 31, 2025. Since its establishment in 2007, the endowment has provided just under $22,000 in interest income, which has been invested back into EMG program through: The NC Extension Master Gardener Endowment is housed in and managed by the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc. All contributions are tax-deductible and interest income is utilized solely for the NC Extension Master Gardener program. The "Friends of the NC State Extension Master Gardener Program," an advisory team comprised of Master Gardener volunteers and Extension staff, provides input on the use of the annual interest funds.
- the Search for Excellence program,
- scholarships for volunteers to attend EMG College,
- and statewide continuing education that equips all Extension Master Gardener volunteers with knowledge and skills so they may better respond to home gardening questions and address the sustainable gardening education needs of North Carolinians.
Fundraising efforts for the North Carolina Extension Master Gardener Endowment operate under the auspices of the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3, non-profit, tax id 56-6049304. You will receive an official receipt for your donation.
