Services for Congregations
Mission Endowment Funds
Your congregation wants to build upon its legacy of generosity for the future — and one way to achieve that includes establishing a mission endowment fund. By creating an ongoing financial resource above and beyond regular offerings, your congregation can expand outreach in the community and around the world.
To learn more, you can order "How to Create a Mission Endowment Fund," which provides a systematic approach with guidelines adaptable to your congregation's unique needs. In addition, the ELCA Foundation has professional gift-planning staff throughout the nation, who can assist your congregation in establishing a mission endowment fund.
Endowment Investing
The Ministry Growth Fund of the ELCA Foundation is a long-term, stable and socially responsible endowment fund that provides distributions to grow ministry, now and well into the future. The fund was designed specifically for congregations, synods, seminaries and other affiliates of the ELCA.
The Ministry Growth Fund allows for the collective long-term investment of funds belonging to the ELCA and its affiliated ministries. Participation in the fund requires an initial investment of $25,000 and subsequent deposits of $2,000 or more. Participants retain ownership of funds, receive quarterly statements and have online access to monthly performance reporting. The Ministry Growth Fund does not charge a fee for withdrawals or for opening or closing an account. However, the Ministry Growth Fund does assess a monthly management fee. For more information, email the ELCA Foundation to receive a Confidential Disclosure Statement.
Guidance for Congregations
The ELCA Foundation can also lead planned-giving presentations and meet with congregational leaders to provide support for stewardship education. Our gift planners have the expertise to assist your congregation or group with planned giving by providing:
mission endowment fund guidance so your congregation or group can be thoughtful stewards of bequests and planned gifts
gift planning education through seminars on wills, estate plans and charitable gift planning
access to the ELCA's Legacy Society for any member with a planned giving commitment to any ELCA ministry, including your congregation
investment options for endowments through the ELCA Endowment Fund Pooled Trust and the Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA.
More Resources and Forms
"[The Ministry Growth Fund] is diversified, making it a very secure investment with a consistent rate of return, all of which provides us the best opportunity to financially support our mission and ministries."
Deacon Dave Heise (retired), Peace Lutheran Church, New Braunfels, Texas
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