Collegiate United Methodist Church & Wesley Foundation Endowment Fund

Supporting our church today, tomorrow, and forever.

What is an Endowment Fund?
An endowment fund is a long-term investment in the church.  The gift amount is invested and the interest earned on the investment is available to use for the benefit of the church.  A portion of the interest earnings are also re-invested into the principal to insure the fund will grow to meet the needs of the future.  With an endowment, you can guarantee the support of the church in perpetuity.

About the CUMC/WF Endowment Fund
The CUMC/WF Endowment Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.  The corporation is led by a Board of Directors which includes representation from the Finance Committee, Board of Trustees and Property Committee, Administrative Council, Wesley Foundation Board, ministerial staff, and general congregation.  All members of the board of directors must be members of the CUMC/WF congregation.

The membership of the Corporation is the Charge Conference of CUMC/WF.

The endowment funds are held in a variety of financial instruments including cash and cash equivalents, blue chip stocks, diversified stock mutual funds, bonds, and the Iowa United Methodist Foundation.  Decisions on investment and disbursements are recommended by the CUMC/WF Endowment Fund Treasurer and are approved by the Board.

Board of Directors
President
- Shane Jacobson
Vice President
- Jeremy Galvin
Secretary
- Carol Volker
Treasurer
- Dean Phillips
Members
- Scott Grotewold
- Mike Bowman
- Ruth Larson, Trustee Representative
- Michael King, Wesley Foundation Representative
- Shawn Murphy
- Loraine Safly
- Gary Taylor
- Lester Moore
- Robert Telleen, Finance Committee
- Roy Zingg, Administrative Council Chair

Frequently asked questions
•    How is the endowment fund different from other ways of giving to the church?
There are several ways you can support the church with your gifts.  There is annual giving/tithing (with pledges made during Consecration Sunday) to support the day-to-day operation of the church facility, staff, and programs.  There are capital campaigns that are major one-time gifts to support specific church facility or program needs (such as the Together We Grow campaign to purchase parking lots and the Annex).  There are also memorial gifts, where the gift dollars are used to support a specific wish of the donor or at the discretion of the church administrative council.  The difference between the Endowment Fund and the other types of giving is that because the Endowment Fund does not spend the actual gift principal, it provides funds in perpetuity.  For these other three gift types, once the money is spent for the designated purpose the money is gone.

•    What are some options for ways to give to the fund?
There are numerous ways to give to the CUMC/WF Endowment Fund.  To learn more about specific option, please consult with your accountant, lawyer, or financial planner.  The following are options you could consider:
•    Giving cash
•    Giving appreciated securities
•    Giving through your will
•    Giving through real estate
•    Giving through personal property
•    Giving through life insurance
•    Giving through life income plans
•    Giving through income gifts
•    Giving through retirement plans
•    Giving through government bonds

•    How can an endowment fund advance the church?
Gifts to the Endowment Fund can either be undesignated or designated.  Earnings on undesignated funds are used to support the church based on priorities set by the Administrative Council.  The CUMC/WF Endowment Board transfers funds to the church to be used based on need in a given year.  This option allows the church membership the most flexibility in meeting the needs of the church.  Designated endowment gifts are used to support a specific program or purpose that is established by the donor.  For example, a designated endowment could be established to support the church music program, resource materials for the library, or the housing stipend for a staff member.  The designated endowment gives an individual (or group) the option to support, on a continuing basis, an area of the church of personal passion.  For all designated gifts a memorandum of agreement is established between the donor and the CUMC/WF Endowment Fund Board of Directors.

•    What other resources are available through the United Methodist Church to help with my endowment and charitable giving questions?
A good place to start is the web site for the Iowa United Methodist Foundation.