Establishing an Endowment as an Organization
Organization Endowment funds
Organizations may decide to establish an endowment fund for a variety of reasons. Organizations may benefit from having capital managed by the United Church of Canada Foundation, or the endowment may be the result of drastic changes in the organization. For example, faced with the difficult decision to close, Ellesmere United Church in Burnaby B.C. established an endowment fund with the Foundation that reflected their ministry. On the other hand, organizations like St. Columba House and the Montreal City Mission have created endowment funds to provide long term, sustainable, predicable support for their on-going mission and ministry.
Start your endowment fund today
We encourage those interested in establishing an endowment fund to contact us so we can collaboratively work through the establishment process. Call the Foundation office at
1-866-340-8223, or fill the form out below.
Investment Funds
Organizations may also choose to invest existing or newly created funds with the Foundation’s affiliate fund managers: Frontier Funds or Genus Capital.
How does an organization endowment fund work?
An Organization Endowment Fund is a fund where the Foundation holds specified capital in perpetuity. These funds must have a balance of $15,000 for grant-making to begin. You may accumulate the fund by asking your members to make contributions either directly to the Foundation (in which case a tax receipt will be provided) or the organization can make a gift or several gifts over a period of time. Until the fund reaches $15,000, income is reinvested to help bring the fund to the threshold, at which point, the grants are directed as per the agreement we set up collaboratively to best meet your needs.
There is an annual administration fee of 1.5% to cover the costs of maintaining and tracking your fund. Any remaining income is reinvested in your fund.
Learn more about Legacy Giving
In the spirit of generosity, we ask you to consider leaving a legacy gift to The United Church of Canada Foundation. Your gift not only will provide ongoing support for the causes and beliefs you treasure most, it will provide a legacy of your faith in action.
Your light will be a beacon that shines for years to come!
Learn more about Legacy Giving by downloading the PDF below.
