Much of what Free Will Baptist Foundation does is manage money. We manage endowments that produce income for ministries. We manage planned gifts that generate income for individuals during their lifetimes and are converted to endowments or outright gifts upon their death. We also manage money for individuals and ministries. We offer a Charitable Investment Fund for ministries and an Individual Demand Note for individuals.
These last two areas are currently being registered in states across the country, but we have exemptions in some states allowing us to have a limited number of investors while finishing the registration process. Many other states allow ministries to invest in CIF investments without registration. We encourage interested individuals and ministries to give us a call.
Starting January 1, all our rates of return will be above 4%. The Foundation has always offered a competitive rate of return on these types of accounts. Until recent interest rate increases, we offered a better rate than any bank in the country.
It is always great to get a good rate of return, but investing in the Foundation offers other advantages as well. Both funds are designed to offer a net (interest and dividends) income rate, and over the last six years, the Foundation has strategically captured realized capital gains to fund our grant ministry. Since 2017, the Foundation has delivered more than $4.4 million in grants to various Free Will Baptist ministries. Consider these cumulative grant amounts. IM, Inc. has received almost $900,000;, Welch College has received $600,000; Randall House has received $360,000; various youth camps have received over $300,000; local churches and state ministries have received more than $200,000 each; North American Ministries has received more than $180,000; and other Free Will Baptist colleges have received more than $150,000.
We have also been able to partially fund our estate planning ministry. Since 2013, we have helped more than 2,500 Free Will Baptist families set up estate plans, and many are leaving estate gifts to various FWB ministries. So far, we estimate more than $35 million in gifts to ministries because of estate planning.
You can invest in many places today and get good rates of return, but there is only one place you can invest while helping fund gifts to multiple FWB ministries. Investing with the Foundation provides a competitive interest rate, and at the same time, allows the Foundation to fund the grant program and the estate planning ministry that has blessed and will continue to bless ministries in the future.
We are sharing our income to reach the world for Christ. Why don’t you join us today? Call 877-336-7575 for more information.
About the Columnist: David Brown is director of Free Will Baptist Foundation. To learn more,
visit www.fwbgifts.com.
