Back to Blog

Giving back to the communities we call home is important at any time of year. But there’s something about the holiday season that brings out the generosity in people. There’s a reason it’s called the season of giving, after all!

Whether you’re in the holiday spirit, or just want to perform a good deed, there are a number of individuals and organizations who can benefit from donations of time or money in our community. That fact alone can make it difficult to know where to start when it comes to charitable giving in Kansas City. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Union Station is one of many places who fit that bill.

Union Station has been a Kansas City fixture for over 100 years, and we’ve been fortunate enough to see our impact span across multiple generations. At the same time, we don’t take that good fortune for granted! We know first-hand the difference that dedicated donors and volunteers can make.

Union Station has survived this long thanks in large part to the generosity shown by individuals and businesses throughout the area. Interested in learning more? Read on to learn about the different ways to give back and the positive impact your donations can have.

An Overview of Charitable Giving at Union Station

Union Station is many things: a monument to living history, an architectural wonder, a place for people of all ages to create memories and lifelong learning opportunities, and so much more. That’s been the case for decades, and it’s due in large part to our generous individual and corporate donors.

We mentioned earlier our status as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The main thing to know about that distinction? It essentially means that we rely on the generosity of our community to cover our operating costs and receive no local, state, or federal tax dollars. The amount of funding we get from our generous donors fluctuates on a year-to-year basis, so setting an annual budget for our operating expenses is a must.

In this case, operations encompasses just about everything it takes for Union Station to run successfully on a daily basis.

To put it simply, more donations via charitable givingmeans more money for our operating budget. Having more money in our budget then gives us the capability to make your favorite Union Station attractions even better and to ensure the preservation of this beautiful monument to our city’s history Donating any amount, big or small, is an investment that ensures Union Station can continue to create deeper community connections and lifelong learning opportunities for years to come.

What Else Can Donations Pay For?

Individual and corporate donations specifically can help us in a few particular areas.

The first is in attracting renowned national traveling exhibits at our Bank of America Gallery. Exhibitions such as Auschwitz and Maya provide an invaluable educational experience to thousands of visitors not just within the Kansas City area, but across the country.

Everything involved with these exhibits—from artifacts, photos, design, labor, operations, and more—would not be possible without the generous support of our donors.

Beyond traveling exhibitions, individual and corporate donations allow us to further grow and preserve our current attractions! These financial gifts are particularly important for our educational and entertainment attractions. Whether it’s Science City, The Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, Model Train Gallery, or any of the STEM programs that take place throughout the year to expose all ages to the wonders of STEM learning, charitable giving in Kansas City increases Union Station’s ability to create lifelong learning experiences for everyone!

Now that you know the “why” behind donating to Union Station, next we’ll dive into the different ways you can financially contribute.

Individual Giving at Union Station

Some people may have a misconception that you need to be wealthy or well-off for a donation to make a difference. That’s not the case at all! Union Station and its staff are endlessly grateful for any donations people are willing to make. Every dollar makes a difference!

When it comes to charitable giving at Union Station, there are a few ways to get involved at an individual level. The first and most straightforward of these options is to use our online donation portal to make a one-time or recurring financial gift. This tool allows you to make a donation of any amount to the fund of your choice. Union Station has three funds that users can choose from when donating—our general fund, education fund, or preservation fund.

Our education fund focuses on providing STEM-based educational opportunities to Kansas City children and educators through scholarships and hands-on learning experiences.

The preservation fund, meanwhile, helps Union Station maintain its status as a unique historical landmark through continuing preservation and restoration projects.

Beyond one-time and recurring donations, we also offer a few unique individual giving opportunities, including:

Planned Giving

Planned giving at Union Station gives individuals an opportunity to donate beyond providing a cash gift. Believe it or not, one of the most common ways people participate in this type of giving is by including donations in their will or estate plans!

There are a number of reasons that people do this. For some, it may be as simple as wanting to donate their money or possessions to a good cause after they pass on. Others take immense pride in knowing that their impact will be felt and appreciated for generations after they’re gone.

Regardless of the reason, we greatly appreciate planned estate donations of all types and sizes. We also make the process easy thanks to our partnership with Freewill, which allows prospective donors to create a legal will in 20 minutes or less. Even if you have complex estate planning needs, this tool allows users to create documented requests that they can review with an attorney.

Estate gifts also aren’t the only way for people to participate in planned charitable giving in Kansas City! For those who’d rather see the legacy they helped create first-hand, charitable stock transfers and IRA rollover donations both provide additional avenues to leave a planned gift.

With stock transfers in particular, donors can make a significant impact while actually saving money—as donating appreciated stock allows you to skip on paying income AND capital gains taxes!

Memberships/Giving Circle

Speaking of tax breaks, a tax-deductible membership at Union Station is one of the best ways for individuals and families to support our mission!

Like any good partnership, becoming a Union Station member is a mutually beneficial experience for everyone involved. Starting at $250, your membership contributions will directly help in funding new activities and exhibits that thousands of visitors will enjoy. Simply put, just having a membership makes your membership better!

Oh, and there’s also the individual benefits that you’ll get to enjoy as well, which include:

Free admission to Science City for 12 months
Discounted tickets to exhibits
ASTC Travel Passport Program with discounted admission to 300+ museums
Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium — first visit for free and additional tickets for only $5.
Regnier Extreme Screen — theater popcorn for only $1.
10% discount at Union Station Tenants

And those benefits only become more wide-ranging the more that an individual donates! Starting at $1,000, individual donors can become a part of our Giving Circle—which features 8 different levels that offer varying benefits based on the specific person’s financial contributions.

With that being said, you don’t need to be a Giving Circle member or high-spending donor to know that your contribution makes a difference. The team at Union Station understands that everyone’s financial situation is different. That’s why we accept and greatly appreciate financial gifts of any size. Every dollar counts as we continue our mission of creating an environment where culture, creativity, education, and entertainment thrive.

Corporate Giving at Union Station

Corporate donations play a major role in funding the unique social and educational experiences offered at Union Station. The investments made by our corporate partners have played an invaluable role in helping Union Station expand our capabilities to provide lifelong learning opportunities—while also preserving our status as an inspirational symbol of inclusion and civic pride.

And similar to individual donors, businesses looking to give back to the community have multiple avenues to engage in charitable giving in Kansas City. A couple of examples include:

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities

It’s a common practice across many companies to dedicate a certain portion of their annual budget to corporate philanthropy exclusively. With so many wonderful organizations across the Kansas City area, you really can’t go wrong when it comes to selecting a recipient.

But if you are looking for a partner organization for the upcoming year, look no further than your friends at Union Station! Becoming a sponsor provides a variety of unique opportunities for businesses to make a meaningful impact within their community.

Corporate Sponsorship at Union Station—What To Expect

Much like individual donors, corporate sponsors also provide the essential financial support necessary for creating memorable visitor experiences. Many of the exhibitions we host—along with the educational attractions and outreach programs we offer—were made possible through a combination of individual and corporate donations.

Becoming a sponsor of Union Station doesn’t just help our team, either. Each of our sponsors enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship tailored to meet their individual marketing and philanthropic goals.

For many of these sponsors, the most substantial benefit they receive is a dramatic increase in brand exposure—thanks in large part to Union Station’s wide-ranging, diverse audience and status as a cultural symbol of Kansas City. Other benefits that come with sponsorships and charitable giving in Kansas City include:

Cross-platform marketing and branding
Complimentary access to Union Station attractions and special events for your clients and employees
VIP invitations to programs and special events
Unique employee volunteer opportunities.

Corporate Giving Circle

As you can likely guess, Union Station’s Corporate Giving Circle operates in a similar manner to our Individual Giving Circle. But you’ll notice right away that the donation levels and benefits vary—with a starting price of $2,500 and certain benefits offered in bulk to accommodate larger groups.

Why larger groups? Because the Corporate Giving Circle allows businesses to host or participate in various outings at Union Station with employees, clients, and guests alike!

These outings can include anything from team-building exercises and company retreats to volunteer events and so much more. As a living piece of Kansas City history—featuring a diverse array of unique attractions, retail & restaurant options, and even rentable event spaces—we have something that everyone at every age can enjoy.

You can immediately start enjoying complimentary passes to Science City, the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, and world-class Touring Exhibitions. Also included are special recognitions, tickets to special receptions, complimentary facility rentals, first-to-know sponsorship opportunities, employee discounts and so much more.

Volunteering

Financial gifts are a wonderful way to invest in the future of Union Station, but they certainly aren’t the only way. In fact, one of the best donations a person can make at Union Station is the gift of their time—which you can give through various volunteer opportunities!

For all we’ve said about Union Station’s historical significance, architecture, and attractions, it’s ultimately the people who’ve proven time and again to be its heartbeat. Our volunteers help contribute to create unforgettable experiences for our visitors. Volunteering allows you to see the positive, tangible impacts of your donation almost immediately.

We also have a number of different ways to volunteer your time, depending on what best suits your interests and schedule. Those interested in more frequent volunteer opportunities can become a regular volunteer after signing up and completing orientation. If spending just a few hours per month volunteering an occasional event sounds like a better fit, we’ve got you covered there, too.

Make a Donation Today—Make a Difference Tomorrow!

Union Station has been an iconic Kansas City landmark and source of civic celebration for over 100 years. Charitable giving, whether through financial gifts or volunteer work, helps ensure Union Station can continue to create deeper community connections and lifelong learning opportunities for years to come.

We appreciate any and all contributions made by both individuals and businesses. Donate today by visiting our online donation portal!

Union Station & the Benefits of Charitable Giving in Kansas City