A way for families to establish long-term support for charities

Charitable giving can become a family activity with a family endowment fund from The Fuller Center for Housing administered by Mennonite Foundation. Because such a fund is established for the long term, it can involve multiple generations of family members. And The Fuller Center enjoys long-term support.

Advantages

• Provide long-term support for charities.
• Contribute a variety of assets.
• Create charitable tax deductions.
• Multiple family members participate.

How it works

A family endowment fund is an ongoing account in which contributions are invested for the long term. Only investment income is disbursed. Your endowment fund bears your family name or any other name you choose. Mennonite Foundation adapts its charitable gift fund to accomplish your endowment purposes. Once your fund is established, you and immediate or extended family members can donate a wide variety of assets: cash, farmland, commercial buildings, mutual funds shares and stock, closely-held stock, bonds, and farm commodities, to name a few.

You can also donate deferred gifts, such as a charitable bequest in a will, life insurance proceeds, or the remainders of charitable trusts and gift annuities. Since the Mennonite Foundation is a public foundation, the tax benefits are more generous than if you donated assets to a private foundation. We help you convert non-cash assets to cash, and assist in getting qualified appraisals and documenting the value of your gifts.

You receive immediate charitable tax deductions for donations you make to your family endowment fund. You and your family members help recommend disbursements from the fund to The Fuller Center for Housing and other charities according to guidelines your family and the Mennonite Foundation establish. Our investment managers welcome your counsel on strategy and portfolio choices. All of our investments are guided by our stewardship investing guidelines, which emphasize values such as health, the environment, responsible management practices, and peace and justice. Details are available upon request.

After the end of each year, you receive an income and expense state-ment, a balance sheet, and a portfolio listing. Additional information is avail-able throughout the year by request. Our staff is available to meet with you to review the performance of your fund.Our service fee is set to achieve a break-even operation. A service charge schedule is available upon request.