Endowment Fund

First United Methodist Church Casper supports an Endowment Ministry. Donors who contribute to the endowment positively impact Church ministry and mission programs in perpetuity.

The First United Methodist Permanent Endowment Fund was established to provide a medium through which church members may provide permanent, financial gifts that will help support the future ministry of the church.

The interest earnings from these gifts, which may be cash or other assets, may be used to maintain the facilities and ministries of the church. An endowment gift may be made at any time, and is frequently made in honor or memory of an individual, or as part of an estate plan.

Endowment funds strengthen a church so that it may continue to empower its ministry even in difficult economic times. Because only the interest earnings are distributed for actual use, this ensures each gift will make a lasting contribution through the life of First United Methodist Church.

The Permanent Endowment Fund Committee makes recommendations on how the fund's earnings will be distributed and used.

The investment philosophy is to maximize return on assets by exercising an appropriate level of risk; providing income investment for the benefit of the Church ministries and missions and honoring a donor's intent for the gift and growth of their investment into perpetuity.

The endowment funds are invested with accounts maintained by the Methodist Helping Methodist Foundation in a diversified portfolio including stocks, bonds, and other investments.

You may make your gift to the General Fund within the Endowment Fund or designate to a specific fund as listed below. Please specify how you would like your donation to be earmarked when planning your gift.

In the case of honorary or memorial tributes commemorating special persons or events, acknowledgments are mailed to both donors and honorees. Anonymous gifts are also accepted.

Types of gifts include cash, publicly-traded securities, closely-held securities, real Property, tangible personal property, other property, bequests (wills), charitable remainder trusts, life estate gifts life insurance, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), gift annuities and retirement plans.

A new fund may be named in memory or in honor of a designate with a contribution of $20,000 or more. Please call the church office at 307-234-9385 for name and number of person to consult with for more information.

Our endowment fund is a permanent fund and only its earnings will be spent. When funds are available and distributed, they will support projects above and beyond normal budgeted items.

Yes. Your gifts to the First United Methodist Church Endowment Fund are deductible for Federal Income Tax purposes. Bequests, life income gifts and other donations of value are generally exempt from Federal Estate and Gift taxes.

A planned gift to the church is a financial gift structured to serve the needs of the church as well as the giver, such as:

- Charitable gift annuities , which provide payments for life, tax benefits and ultimately benefit our permanent endowment fund.
- Gifts through wills, also known as bequests.
- Charitable remainder and charitable lead trusts to support our permanent endowment fund.

There are many types of gifts that could benefit our permanent endowment fund. A few of them are:

- Cash
- Real estate
- Personal property
- Stocks and bonds
- Life insurance
- Planned Gifts

Because all gifts are pooled in the fund, they have a cumulative effect making even the smallest gift significant. Every gift contributes to the overall growth of the principal amount, which compounds the return on investments.

Endowment funds can:
- Enhance ministry/outreach.
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- Encourage us to be better stewards.
- Help our church avoid conflicts over money.
- Provide a way to give.

Endowment funds provide donors an opportunity to:
- Make a permanent gift from lifetime assets.
- Provide on-going support for a favorite ministry.
- Leave a legacy that will be remembered over time.

Endowment funds say:
We believe ...
- in the future of our church.
- that what we have is a trust from God.
- in building a sense of permanence in what we do.
- in being good stewards as a church family.
- in providing ministries that were once only dreams.
- in continuing the heritage we enjoy for future generations.
- in providing another opportunity for people to give.

The Endowment Funds are invested with the Methodist Helping Methodist Foundation, Inc. The Endowment Committee reviews and approves the investment policies on an annual basis. Any transfer of the Fund's assets to any other agent must be approved by the Charge Conference of First United Methodist. Income from each endowment shall be available for distribution by the Committee according to the purpose of each endowment.

The funds of The First United Methodist Endowment Fund are administered by the Endowment Fund Committee under authority granted by First United Methodist's Charge Conference.