What would it look like if we chose to unleash our faith?
Join us for the 2009 Passion Awards, one of the largest Christian ministry awards celebrations in the country!
Monday, November 9, 2009
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Pre-event and Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.
Overland Park Convention Center
6000 College Boulevard
Overland Park, Kansas
Early Bird Special
Register by October 15th for $650/table of 10 or $65/individual.
$750/table of 10 or $75/individual after October 15th.
This week Thine Eyes – A Witness to the March for Life is showing their documentary on their website, www.thineeyes.org, for free. Thine Eyes raised support through a donor-advised fund at SCCF, and has produced the movie to raise awareness for this annual pro-life event as well as the media’s intentional failure to publicize it.
Steve Sanborn, the executive producer for the film, posted the video online in response to Pro-life terrorism accusations resulting from the Tiller shooting. He says, “The murder of abortionist George Tiller cannot be condoned. Neither can accusations of Pro-life ‘terrorism’ be condoned. The crime of one unaffiliated man does not speak for the Pro-life Movement. But this documentary does…”
Additional info can be found on Thine Eyes website.
A study titled “The Impact of Giving Together” looked at the effects of giving circles and found:
1. Giving circles influence members to give more.
2. Giving circles influence members to give more strategically.
3. Giving circle members give to a wide array of organizations.
4. Giving circle members are highly engaged in the community.
5. Giving circles increase members’ knowledge about philanthropy, nonprofits and the community.
Since its inception in 2000, Servant Christian has recognized the importance of giving circles and sponsors several. For more information on how you can get involved, send us an email at info@servantchristian.com. You can read the entire article highlighting the study here.
Women Take the Lead in Couples’ Charitable-Giving Decisions
Published May 19 in The Chronicle of Philanthropy
By Paula Wasley
Women are taking an increasingly prominent role in determining their household’s charitable giving, with high-income women in particular more likely to seek financial advice and use sophisticated methods when making donations, according to a new study sponsored by Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund.
An online survey of 1,000 adults who had given $1,000 or more to charity in 2007 — half of whom had donated $5,000 or more — found that more women than men act as their household’s primary decision maker in determining how much to donate to charity and which causes to support.
Among participants in the survey — 80 percent of whom were married — the majority of male respondents named their spouse as the primary influencer in charitable-giving decisions, while women in the study were more likely to name a range in influencers that included family members, friends, and co-workers.
Women in the survey also felt more strongly about involving their children in philanthropy. Nearly half of the women in the study (48 percent) strongly agreed that it was important to them that their children continue their tradition of charitable giving, as compared with 39 percent of men in the study.
Upper Tier
While the average household income for participants in the survey was $136,000, the study particularly looked at the giving habits of the 11 percent of respondents who were women with household incomes of at least $150,000.
The survey found that, in comparison to the other respondents, these high-income women were more likely to make public rather than anonymous gifts to charity, to use more complicated financial structures to make gifts, and to seek the guidance of financial advisors when making charitable contributions.
For example, 7 percent of women in this group said they had made gifts of securities to charity, as compared to 4 percent of all respondents, and 3 percent of men of comparable household incomes.
And 16 percent of high-income women said they had used a donor advised fund, charitable remainder trust, or a private foundation to make contributions, as compared with 9 percent of all donors, and 10 percent of high-income men.
High-income women were also more likely than others in the survey to donate to health and science causes and to make additional gifts to charity in response to increasing needs and difficult economic times, the survey found.
The survey’s findings offer insights into how women are likely to shape the future of philanthropy, says Sarah C. Libbey, Fidelity’s president. “Women have always had a hand in their household’s charitable outreach, but that role is evolving as women increasingly create their own wealth and become beneficiaries of wealth transfers because they live longer,” said Ms. Libbey, in a written statement. “We, and other nonprofit organizations, should pay more attention to this very influential group of donors.”
Researchers also grouped respondents into four distinct donor “profiles” based on their giving patterns and attitudes toward philanthropy.
The “mainstream contributor” — which accounted for 52 percent of those in the study — was less likely than others to increase giving in difficult economic times. And, when cutting back on the percentage of the household income contributed to charity, donors in this category tend to give to the same number of causes as in previous years but decrease the size of their gifts. Donors who fell into this category gave an average of $6,842 to charity in 2008.
Nearly a third of the respondents in the study were identified as “empathetic givers” who were more likely to give more in tough economic times and to respond to a cause when personally touched by illness or tragedy. Respondents in this group gave an average of $7,287 in 2008.
About 15 percent of those surveyed were described as “reactive contributors” who, in comparison to the other groups, give a smaller percentage of their household income to charity and are more likely to reduce their donations in difficult economic times. Total donations from individuals in this group averaged $3,687 in 2008.
Just 4 percent of respondents were identified as “pioneering givers.” Donors in this group gave away the highest percentage of their income to charity, were more likely to give to new and lesser-known causes, and more frequently used credit cards or securities to make donations. Individuals in this group gave an average of $7,347 to charity in 2008.
The National Christian Foundation (NCF) reached a major milestone in giving with the distribution of its two billionth grant dollar since 1982. This record illustrates the exponential growth of the non-profit as it took almost 25 years to reach their first $1 billion grant mark, while the $2 billion grant milestone came in just over three years.
NCF President, David Wills said, “We attribute this growth to God at work in and through believers as they seek to be wise and faithful stewards, even in these difficult economic times. Additionally, our expanding network of over 37 Affiliates around the country has allowed us to work more closely with those whom we are privileged to serve.”
Currently, NCF and its 37 Local Christian Foundation Affiliates are ranked as the nation’s
22nd largest charity.1 Givers make contributions to their donor-advised funds at NCF and then recommend grants to organizations that are making a difference here and around the world.
The $1.5 million grant that made this milestone possible was recommended by “The Green Fund to Reach the Children,” a donor-advised fund of Hobby Lobby, one of America’s fastest growing arts and crafts retail chains. Their grant will go to help needy children.
David Green, C.E.O. of Hobby Lobby says, “At a time when our nation’s charities need help like never before, we are delighted to be a part of this new milestone in the history of American giving. With the help of NCF and their Kansas City affiliate, The Servant Christian Community Foundation, Hobby Lobby is able to give more to the causes that are closest to our hearts, such as needy children.”
1 2008, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Non-Profits Ranked by Revenue
By Frank Brown
Here are ten truths about Giving that I have learned over 37 years of walking with Jesus:
Truth #1 – We are not naturally looking for ways to give. We had attended church for almost 20 years & if I ever put more than $10 in the collection plate I can’t remember it.
Truth #2 – Committing your life to Jesus will change your heart. We did & He did.
Truth #3– Studying the Bible will change your giving. I understood that tithing was expected so we started giving 10% of our income.
Truth #4 – The Lord blesses financially in many ways. Our marriage became stronger so there wasn’t the risk of a divorce. As I progressed in my career as an airline pilot we kept the same lifestyle & invested the excess. I started a business with my son & son-in-law & it became a profitable company.
Truth #5 – I had not thought about giving some of the 90% that was accumulating.
I figured the Lord was blessing us for a reason but didn’t know what He wanted me to do.
Truth #6 – We were paying too much in income taxes. After my kids were married & my wife died I knew had more than I needed. When the tools & options of the Servant Christian Community Foundation were explained to me the light bulb went on. Here was the way I could give from my accumulated assets in addition to just writing a check. Then I could see the reason I was entrusted with so much; it was so I could give to support the Kingdom.
Truth #7 –You can deduct 50% of income. In listening to a Generous Giving talk by Ron Blue this fact inspired me to up my giving.
Truth #8 – Understanding God owns it all changes your view of financial management. After leading several Crown Financial Bible Studies I saw my part differently.
Truth #9 – Seeing all that God is doing worldwide in His Kingdom creates great passion to be involved. I had not been aware before getting involved with the Foundation that so much was happening outside of my church & that there are so many powerful ministries that are limited by lack of funding.
Truth #10 – There is great joy in giving. Contrary to popular belief it really is more fun to give than to accumulate & spend. Deciding which work of the Kingdom to help support is more motivating than trying to figure out how to make more.
Frank E. Brown served as a pilot for TWA for 25 years. He is currently the Chairman of Via Bancourier. He has been active in Christian ministries for 30 years, and serves on the board at SCCF.
On Saturday, January 31, 2009, SCCF Founding Board Member Pat Lloyd Land was called home. While we will undoubtedly miss having Pat here on earth – we rejoice in knowing she is basking in His Glory. Pat was instrumental in getting the Servant Christian Community Foundation launched.
Pat’s personal commitment to living the generous life was evident through her infectious spirit of joy and encouragement. Pat played an invaluable role in God’s Kingdom-building work – through her own acts of generosity but also through her challenge and influence of others to live more generously. As a Board Member of SCCF, Pat exuded Servant Leadership. She will be greatly missed but her legacy will continue on.
You might get a kick out of these. Below is a list of real foundation and organization names our Christian Foundation Grants researchers have encountered in their research. If you know one of the foundations or organizations, send us an email- we’d love to know the stories behind these names.
The List
- Jessica High and Ashley High are Research Assistants at Christian Foundation Grants, a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations.
Our national affiliate, National Christian Foundation, was mentioned in a recent article on www.philanthropy.com, website of The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The article, which focuses on the mixed signals coming from the non profit sector, mentions that NCF projects they will distribute $100 million more in 2008 than 2007. This number references all affiliates, including SCCF.
This is exciting because it is directly opposite of how many in the community foundation world view the donor-advised fund. For many institutions, the DAF is a tool that allows philanthropists to give assets away, while maintaining long term control over those assets. Here at SCCF, however, many view their DAF as a storehouse, used to set aside charitable funds when income is strong. Just as Joseph wisely set aside wealth to distribute in years of difficulty, these are now able to distribute to needy ministries suffering because of the economic downturn.
You can read the entire text of the article by reading the rest of this entry.
