Leave a Lasting Legacy…by giving through the Saint Paul’s Foundation

 

The Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church Foundation exists to provide a means to accept and administer special gifts and bequests to Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church.  These gifts will become part of a permanent fund to generate monies for special projects and outreach ministries of the Church.

Since the original amounts given remain in the endowment, and only the investment returns are used to fund projects, giving to the Foundation allows our members and friends to Leave a Lasting Legacy.

Gifts of any amount are welcome.

A planned gift to the Foundation will help ensure that the ministries which have meant the most to you will continue into the future.  You do not have to be wealthy to give.  You may make gifts in memory of or in honor of friends and family, or just to the Glory of God. Through planned giving, you decide what to give and how to give it.

Many Ways to Give

There are many ways to make charitable gifts to the work of Saint Paul’s through the Foundation.  The methods most commonly used, include:

• Charitable Bequests in your Will or Trust – you can designate in your will that the Foundation receive a portion of your estate.  You can specify a specific dollar amount, or a percentage of your estate.  You can also choose to give specific non-cash assets (as discussed below).
• Cash Donations – just write a check at any time!
• Gifts of Real Estate –  The Foundation can accept real estate under certain circumstances (not all real estate is appropriate, so please discuss this with us before finalizing your decision).
• Personal Property – such as works of art, jewelry, collections or automobiles.   Most valuable assets can be liquidated, with proceeds going into the endowment.
• Beneficiary Designations – name the Foundation as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, IRA or other retirement plan.
• Life Income Plans -“charitable gift annuities” and “charitable remainder trusts” may provide a charitable deduction and income throughout the donor’s life, with the remainder passing through to the Foundation upon death
• Transfer of stocks, bonds or mutual funds directly from your investment account may avoid capital gains taxes and provide current income tax benefits.

Please note that this information should not be construed as specific tax or legal advice.  We urge you to consult with appropriate professionals who can provide such advice specific to your situation. 

 

Current Funds

The Foundation currently maintains four special funds:

• Saint Paul’s Endowment Fund – This fund provides grants for activities that undergird the ministries of the church, support special projects and programs, and fund renovations and expension of the facilities of the church.
• Wyatt Memorial Fund – This fund provides grants to people-oriented programs within the church that are outside of the operating budget; all grants are one-time gifts and must not be used to meet existing Saint Paul’s financial obligations.
• Kelly Mission Fund – This fund is intended to assist and encourage adult participation in mission trips by providing scholarships.
• Student Employment Assistance Fund – This fund is intended to provide resources to support summer employment for young adults at Saint Paul’s.

New contributions will be directed to our main Endowment Fund, unless the giver requests otherwise.

While we encourage new donations to go to one of these funds, new funds with different goals may be initiated with a sufficient initial contribution.  (Contact the Foundation for more information on this.)

 

Investments

The Saint Paul’s Foundation has historically invested the majority of our funds in the offerings of the Florida United Methodist Foundation (FUMF).  The several investment offerings of the FUMF support a range of investment objectives.  Plus, the FUMF uses its assets to help churches and church programs around and beyond our Annual Conference.

If you would like more information about how the Foundation invests and manages the funds under our care, please contact us.

 

For more information, please contact Saint Paul’s at (850)385-5146, or by email at [email protected].

Again, we encourage you to consult with your tax or legal advisor for specific advice on the benefits of making a planned gift.