Managing Your Gifts

The management of assets given to a church or agency carries with it a burden of responsibility to ensure that the assets are managed in both a prudent manner and in accordance with the wishes of the donor and best interests of the institution.

To this end, the United Methodist Foundation of Western Pennsylvania has been entrusted with the management of local church and agency funds for over 40 years. Experienced professionals and qualified oversight by competent volunteers has ensured safety and both reliable and reasonable returns. The following are a few significant reasons to consider the funds management services of the Foundation.

Adherence to the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church provides:

¶2532.5 The board of trustees is encouraged to invest in institutions, companies, corporations, or funds that make a positive contribution toward the realization of the goals outlined in the Social Principles of our Church. The board of trustees is to act as a socially responsible investor and to report annually to the charge conference regarding its carrying out of this responsibility. When such property is in the form of investable funds, the board of trustees shall consider placement for investment and administration with the United Methodist foundation serving that conference or, in the absence of such a foundation, with the United Methodist Church Foundation. A conscious effort shall be made to invest in a manner consistent with the Social Principles and the creation of an investment policy.

The investment policy of the United Methodist Foundation of Western Pennsylvania provides that all investments made by the Foundation are in keeping with this requirement.
Investment Policy

Professional management

The Foundation employs an independent investment consultant to advise us in the review of our investment policy and then the selection and evaluation of investment managers and custodians that conform to the goals of this policy. We engage separate investment managers for each asset class. We review their performance quarterly against the industry benchmarks for their particular asset class and against the peer universe of similar investment managers.
Equity Managers

Outstanding Performance

Over the last decade the performance of the funds under the care of the Foundation have been in the top 25% of all investment funds with the same asset allocation. Detailed goals of the invested funds of the Foundation
Funds Management Tools

How we can help

Foundation staff members are available to provide personalized service to assist with the establishment of an endowment fund. This service is provided at no cost to your church or agency. The following is a partial list of the services we can provide.

Assistance in determining the skills and talents of the permanent fund committee
Drafting of a resolution to the charge conference to create a permanent fund committee
Providing sample language and suggestions in the drafting of an endowment fund policy
Individual consultation with donors considering gifts to the endowment fund
Management of funds contributed to the endowment fund
Providing sample language and suggestions in the drafting of an investment policy

Request for Services

If there are any other questions or comments about managing your gifts that you would like to discuss, please send us an email.

United Methodist Foundation
of Western Pennsylvania
223 Fourth Avenue, Suite 707
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
1-800-743-2128

The Foundation is a ministry established to provide United Methodists with the resources to accomplish collectively more than can be accomplished alone. We act in accordance with our mission statement and a funds management approach that is based on a Biblical, theologically sound form of Christian stewardship.