Tocqueville Society

The United Way Tocqueville Society was formed in March of 1984 to deepen individual understanding of, commitment to, and support of United Way's work: advancing the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. The Tocqueville Society recognizes local philanthropic leaders and volunteer champions around the world who have devoted time, talent, and funds to create long-lasting changes by tackling our communities' most serious issues.

Membership in the Tocqueville Society is granted to individuals who contribute at least $10,000.00 annually to a member United Way.  Specifically, the United Way Tocqueville Society aims to:

• Change lives through philanthropic leadership by focusing on the building blocks for a better life: a quality education that leads to a stable job; income that can support a family through retirement, and good health
• Communicate the vital role of personal philanthropic action in creating long-lasting changes by addressing the underlying causes of societal problems
• Enhance local recognition of long-standing service volunteers
• Foster philanthropic action and voluntary community service
• Expand high-level personal giving and United Way Major and Planned Giving programs of a high standard
• Strengthen local leadership development and Major Giving efforts by building upon cross-geographical linkages
• Prominently position the Tocqueville Society name and the United Way brand in an effort to stimulate the exchange of philanthropic ideas while maintaining a positive national quality image

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Membership Levels

The United Way Tocqueville Society was created to acknowledge and honor those individuals whose leadership and commitment to the common good have been uncommon in its generosity. On behalf of the thousands of lives who are touched each year, we thank these visionary leaders for their outstanding annual support.

Three elements which Alexis de Tocqueville admired in American society were liberty, equality and the spirit of neighbor helping neighbor. These same elements are embraced in the French phrase "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité." Tocqueville believed that by achieving these elements of democracy, all people would choose to pursue freedom, knowledge and prosperity, or indépendance, connaissance, and prospérité.

To distinguish Tocqueville Society members who achieve higher levels of giving, special orders of recognition have been created in the spirit of Tocqueville's belief in the power of free will to do good:

La Table Ronde de Millions de Dollars
$1 million plus

Ordre de Prospérité
$750,000 - $999,999

Ordre de Connaissance
$500,000 - $749,999

Ordre d'Indépendance
$250,000 - $499,999

La Société Nationale
$100,000 - $249,999

Ordre de Fraternité
$75,000 - $99,999

Ordre d'Egalité
$50,000 - $74,999

Ordre dé Liberté
$25,000 - $49,999

Membres de la Société
$10,000 - $24,999

United Way Tocqueville Society Legacy Circle

The United Way Tocqueville Legacy Circle was created to honor current Tocqueville Society members who have also made legacy commitments of $200,000 or more. These Tocqueville Society members are visionaries; making lasting gifts to the advance the common good. The legacy commitment may be: (1) a realized deferred gift of $200,000 or more received from a bequest or similar vehicle; (2) an outright gift or documented written pledge of $200,000 or more to the endowment fund of your local United Way; or (3) a written notification of a revocable or irrevocable planned gift arrangement such as a provision in a will, a life insurance policy, or a split interest gift with a face amount or death benefit of $200,000 or more. An L signifies United Way Tocqueville Society Legacy Circle membership in the annually published National Tocqueville Leadership Recognition Book.

Legacy commitments when coupled with annual contributions help change lives today and tomorrow. Legacy commitments will be providing charitable solutions to societal challenges unimaginable today. We honor United Way Tocqueville Society Legacy Circle members for their uncommon generosity and leadership in advancing the common good.