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 to their own congregations, to a non-profit housing complex, to peace and justice work, and to the Mission and Service Fund.

A Personal Endowment with The United Church of Canada Foundation continues your generosity to your congregation as well as other causes, projects or institutions of your choice. A signed fund agreement records the institutions you have chosen to receive your grants and your preference for the use of the fund if the original purpose becomes unworkable. Or, you may choose a donor-advised fund, in which you advise the Foundation annually of your preferences for grantmaking.

Each year, the Foundation will distribute grants from your Personal Endowment to your chosen charity or charities. Under normal circumstances, the Board of Directors will distribute 5% of the average value of your endowment over the last two years. As well, 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.

A Personal Endowment must have a balance of $50,000 for grantmaking 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.

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, our annual United Church Observer announcement, and our permanent archival volume, "Lives of Richness," which may also include a brief biography if you wish.

If you would like to explore the opportunity to build a Personal Endowment Fund, contact the Foundation at 1-866-340-8223 or fdn@united-church.ca.

For information about grant recipients, please click here.

To view more ways to give, please click here.