My Evergreen
Planned Giving to the Evergreen Endowment Fund
What Is an Endowment Fund?
Churches depend on the pledged financial resources of members and friends for their day - to -day operations. Yet, from time to time, congregational members want to invest in the future by making gifts and bequests that support the community at a more basic, foundational level.
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An endowment is a fund that is invested in such a way that the principal will remain intact in perpetuity and whose earnings are used to benefit an institution on an ongoing basis. A donation to an endowment fund can have a much greater impact over a longer period of time than if it were spent immediately.
Endowment funds play an important role in the long -term financial support of private universities, religious institutions, and other non -profit organizations. The principal of an endowment fund typically comes from bequests and other major gifts.
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What Is the Evergreen Endowment Fund?
In 2008 the Evergreen Fellowship established an endowment that is managed by an elected Endowment Committee and overseen by the Board of Trustees. The Endowment Fund is invested in savings vehicles that insure its growth and safety and adhere to the principles espoused by EUUF members.
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Now the Evergreen Fellowship has an effective way to receive gifts and bequests of any size from members and friends. A member or friend may wish to direct some portion of windfall income (house sale, winning the lottery?) to the Endowment. Or, when updating wills or beneficiary designations, a member or friend may wish to include the Evergreen Endowment Fund in their planned giving.
The more contributions there are to the Endowment, over many years, the stronger our foundation.
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Three Funds in One
When members and friends want to leave their mark through gifts and bequests, they may wish to direct their giving to specific purposes. The Evergreen Endowment Fund has three sub -funds for receiving directed requests:
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To support building maintenance and improvements
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To support social justice and outreach
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For other purposes in furtherance of the mission of the Evergreen Fellowship.
These options allow the giver to earmark their contribution to the fund of her choice.
Over the years the Endowment Fund grows.
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The Uses of Our Endowment
One of the foremost roles of an endowment is that it confers long - term financial stability to an organization. Though we restrict ourselves on how and when those dollars are used, it’s Evergreen’s money and becomes an increasingly important part of our financial foundation for the future. When it has grown to a critical size, it begins to pay us back.
An elected committee of Evergreen members is guided by specific rules that are set up when the Fund is established. These guidelines will become part of Evergreen’s Bylaws.
They Stand on Our Shoulders
Those who come after us will stand on our shoulders. The strength of beloved community that we build at Evergreen now is the foundation upon which Evergreen of the future will stand.
The commitment to each other and to our world that we grow now is the basis for our fellowship’s mission in the future.
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Evergreen’s Future
Evergreen has been a liberal religious home for many people in Snohomish County over its sixty years in this community. In addition to those who attend regularly, there are many others who see Evergreen as a beacon of truth and an advocate for universal human values.
But what of the next sixty years? When the children in our religious education programs are at the point of retirement, will Evergreen be here for them? Will Evergreen still provide the joy of fellowship and the commitment to common purpose for those who come long after we are gone?
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Interested in Giving?
If you have specific questions about giving options, contact the Endowment Committee at endowment@evergreenuu.org. Or, if you want to make a bequest in the memory of a departed loved one, this is a perfect way to honor their memory.