brown on green, A Regular column about finances

The Power of Endowments

Free Will Baptist Foundation has a standard payout rate of 5% on endowments, which means we distribute to designated ministries 5% of the beginning balance for each period, and whatever it earns above 5% stays in the endowment to help it grow. The policy further states we will not go below the original value of the endowment when we issue a payout. When we have several good earnings periods and have accumulated excess earnings, it becomes possible to make a payout even when earnings are negative. Thus, this policy smooths out the payout so there are few (if any) interruptions in payments.

Louis Brautigan was a military man. His wife died before him, and the couple was never blessed with children. Louis came to faith late in life, but the Lord really touched his heart. Because the Lord had blessed him, he wanted to be a blessing to ministry. He established an endowment while he was still alive, leaving his entire estate to this endowment and two others.

Louis Brautigan established these endowments with the Foundation over 20 years ago. The original amount for one endowment was $209,000, and the earnings were to be paid to three ministries: IM, Welch College, and North American Ministries. Since Brautigan established the endowment, the Foundation has distributed $80,000 to each of these three ministries, for a total of $240,000. Because the endowment has continued to grow, the endowment value is now $263,000.

So, the endowment has gone up in value by $54,000 over the last 20 years while, at the same time, paying out to ministry $240,000, more than its original value. What a testimony to Brother Brautigan! Though dead for more than 20 years, he has given $240,000 to three ministries, and the endowment he established is poised to continue making gifts to ministry until Jesus comes back.

All of us can have similar impact on future ministry by tithing on our estates and directing the tithe be placed in an endowment. Every 20 years, the original amount in the endowment will be paid out to ministry, and yet, on average, the future value will be worth more than when the endowment was first established.

This is the power of endowments.

About the Columnist: David Brown is director of Free Will Baptist Foundation. To learn more about the grants program, visit www.fwbgifts.org.