Endowments
Endowments that Create a Lasting Legacy
What kind of Endowments do we offer?
LLF offers three flexible endowment options to match your giving goals: Designated Funds support a specific ministry or cause you choose, Donor Advised Funds let you recommend where grants go over time, and Field of Interest Funds focus your giving on a broader area—like education or missions—while LLF directs support where it’s most needed.
Designated Funds
Support what matters most — forever.
Designated funds allow you to direct your gift to a specific ministry, school, congregation, or cause. Once created, these funds generate annual distributions for that purpose, ensuring your support continues year after year.
- Ideal for memorials, scholarships, or sustaining local congregations
- You name the beneficiary; LLF handles the investment and distribution
- A faithful way to ensure your values remain in motion
- Matching Grants to help you get started
Example
A family creates the Rev. Paul Gerhardt Fund in memory of their longtime pastor. Each year, the fund provides a scholarship to a student attending Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.
Donor Advised Funds
Flexible giving. Faithful impact.
Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) let you remain actively involved in your charitable giving over time. You make tax-deductible contributions now, and recommend grants to your chosen non-profit 501(c)(3) organization when the time is right.
- Recommend where and when to give
- Grow your fund tax-free while you take the time to determine where your gifts go
- Ideal for those who want flexibility with intention
Example
A retired couple opens the Fischer Family Giving Fund and makes yearly grant recommendations—supporting their home congregation one year, and a Lutheran youth camp the next, all from one central account.
Field of Interest Funds
Fuel the work you love — even if the details change.
Field of Interest Funds allow you to support a general area of ministry, like Lutheran education, global missions, or youth outreach, while leaving the specific recipients to LLF’s trusted leadership. This gives your gift longevity and adaptability.
- You choose the focus; LLF identifies faithful recipients
- Balances donor intent with changing needs in the Church
- Great for broad passions and deep trust
Example
A donor who spent their career in Lutheran education creates the Faithful Learning Fund, supporting K–12 Lutheran schools nationwide—wherever the need is greatest.
