Named Endowment Funds

Establish an endowment fund in your name or memory of a loved one and ensure the support of the ELCA and the ministries you specify for years and years to come.

Minimum gift amount: $25,000

With a named endowment fund, you can:

• Leave a legacy in your name, or memory of a loved one
• Provide ongoing, annual support for the ELCA ministries you specify in perpetuity, with the principal of the gift remaining intact
• Fund the endowment via cash, securities or other giving vehicles
• Receive a tax deduction for each and every gift you contribute to the endowment

Endowment donations are invested. A portion of the annual income from the investment is used to address immediate needs, while the remaining funds are reinvested to ensure indefinite support.

Here’s how it works: A named endowment fund is established through the ELCA Foundation through your work with a regional gift planner. It can be funded with an immediate gift or a multiyear gift commitment, or through your estate plan.

Many families choose to establish a named endowment through a current gift, planning to grow the endowment with additional gifts, memorials, and estate gifts. A named endowment can be named after yourself, a family member, or someone influential in your life whom you want to honor through your perpetual support of ministry. Up to 10 charitable beneficiaries may be listed in a named endowment fund, including qualified 501(c)(3) organizations unrelated to the ELCA. This makes the fund a great tool for providing perpetual support to the ministry, congregation, or local organizations you care about most. All named endowment funds are invested in the ELCA Ministry Growth Fund, ensuring that your funds will be managed according to the ELCA’s socially responsible investing guidelines.