Throughout and even beyond your lifetime, a Personal Endowment maintains your connection to the organizations and causes you value. For example, some of the Foundation’s Personal Endowment donors have created decades of annual support for their own congregations, a non-profit housing complex, peace and justice work, and the Mission and Service Fund. You can create an endowment fund to give to the same organizations year after year, or provide instructions each year for the use of the funds. Endowment funds can be established during your lifetime or through a bequest.

Endowments are invested in enterprises that support United Church values and are carefully stewarded so they generate income to support ministries year after year, decade after decade.

A Personal Endowment must have a balance of $50,000 for grant-making to begin. You may accumulate the fund by making several contributions over a period of years, or begin it during your lifetime and complete it through a bequest. During that stage, your fund is known as an “Emerging Fund.” Income is reinvested to help bring the fund to its $50,000 threshold. At that point, the grants are directed to the recipients of your choice.

Once the fund balance has reached $50,000, the Foundation disburses grants from your Personal Endowment each year to your chosen charity or charities. Under normal circumstances, the Board of Directors will distribute 3.5% of the average value of your endowment over the last two years.

There is an annual administration fee of 1% to cover the costs of maintaining and tracking your fund separately. Remaining income is reinvested in your fund.

You may name the fund, or choose anonymity if that is your preference. With your permission, we will acknowledge the fund in our annual report, and other publications from time to time.

If you would like to explore the opportunity to build a Personal Endowment Fund, contact the Foundation at 1-866-340-8223 or by e-mail.

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