Endowment Resources for Congregations
Beyond Fundraising The Complete Guide to Congregational Stewardship
Sample Endowment Documents
The following sample documents can be useful to any congregation in the process of establishing an endowment fund.
- Enabling Resolutions for an Endowment Fund (PDF)
- Sample Endowment Document (PDF)
- Sample Endowment Investment and Distribution Policy (PDF)
Establishing and Operating a Fund
The following resources from the Commonfund, a leading endowment manager for nonprofit institutions, provide good guidance for the establishment and operation of an endowment fund.
- Good Governance: The Overlooked Investment Strategy
Legacy Giving
GA 2016 workshop presentation on legacy giving and endowment management from Rev. Laura Randall, Director of Legacy Giving, and Tim Brennan, Treasurer and CFO.
Unitarian Universalist Common Endowment Fund
One option for endowment investment management is the Unitarian Universalist Common Endowment Fund (UUCF). The UUCF is available for the investment of endowment funds, trust funds, and other assets of congregations that have a long-term investment perspective and the need for income to support their missions.
Beyond Fundraising: The Complete Guide to Congregational Stewardship by Wayne Clark
Beyond Fundraising invites congregations to move from "the restrictive myth of scarcity" to "a reality of abundance." The book proposes that congregations talk about money as a means to an end. Says Clark, "Money is most meaningful when we can move from a mindset of needing it to pay the bills to a conversation about the importance of money to fulfill the ministry of the congregation." Read More
- Purchase: Beyond Fundraising: The Complete Guide to Congregational Stewardship
Books by David F. Swenson
David F. Swensen is the chief investment officer of Yale University. At Yale he produced an unparalleled two-decade investment record. The investment strategies he describes in his books have become best practice among endowments and foundations.
- Purchase: Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment
- Purchase: Pioneering Portfolio Management