WELS FOUNDATION
EXPLORE GIFT OPTIONS
Use our convenient online tool to find the best gift for your situation and giving goals.
Featured Video: Charitable Remainder Trusts
When Jerry and Lynn Zimpelmann were looking to sell their family business, they had some goals in mind: They wanted income to support them in retirement, and they wanted to support the Lord’s work. Watch their story to see how the charitable remainder trust they set up through WELS Foundation helped them meet both of those goals.
Latest News
The Donor Advised Fund: One-Stop Giving
WELS member and attorney David Nommensen and his wife, Bonnie,…
Our Mission
As a WELS subsidiary corporation, WELS Foundation serves God’s people by providing gift administration to help WELS members and organizations to be faithful and generous stewards, and support the Lord’s work through WELS ministries.
Established in 1965 and granted 501c(3) tax exempt status in May 1966, WELS Foundation was organized for the benefit of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and is guided by the same principles summarized in Christ’s Love, Our Calling.
Our Calling
WELS Foundation exists to assist God’s people in support of God’s ministry through the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
WELS Foundation provides a channel through which gifts can be administered for the benefit of local and national ministries by:
- Providing knowledgeable planned giving support to WELS donors through the WELS Christian giving counselors and other WELS advancement representatives.
- Facilitating various giving opportunities, including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, donor advised funds, and endowment administration.
- Offering marketing support regarding various giving opportunities for WELS and WELS-affiliated organizations.
Why WELS Foundation
After the Israelites crossed the River Jordan to enter the Promised Land, they set up a stone memorial so that future generations would know the goodness of God. In the same way, WELS Foundation exists to help members leave a monument of their faith, which will be a blessing for many years to come.
By establishing a named endowment fund, donor advised fund, charitable gift annuity, or charitable remainder trust, you are creating a lasting legacy by supporting your local and national WELS ministries.
WELS Foundation is the foundation of choice for WELS members and ministries. It is the only foundation whose sole purpose is to facilitate donors’ desires to support WELS ministries.
Giving Opportunities
WELS Foundation exists to assist God’s people in support of the Lord’s work through the ministries of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Your generosity through charitable planning helps sustain and grow your favorite WELS ministries so that future generations might know and reflect Christ’s love.
Take the First Step
Explore gift options. There are a variety of ways to make a special gift to the Lord’s work. You’ll want to consider your family’s and your own financial needs—how to maximize tax benefits, maintain an income, and preserve assets for your heirs. This tool steps you through the different possibilities to recommend the best gift for your situation.
Run a personalized gift illustration. Click the “personalize” button and choose the gift you are interested in from the dropdown list at the top. Fill in the form fields and your deduction calculation will appear within the infograph of the gift.
Talk to someone. A WELS Christian giving counselor will assist you with completing your charitable goals (no cost or obligation).
Board and Staff
The affairs of WELS Foundation are managed by a volunteer board of directors consisting of between seven and thirteen directors. Insofar as practicable, directors shall reflect geographic diversity and represent financial, investment, trust, legal, and other like professional backgrounds. One of the directors shall be a pastor (retired or active). All must be communicant members of a WELS congregation. Directors are appointed to terms of four years by WELS through its Synodical Council. The Board shall have a voting ex-officio member, which shall be the WELS President or his designee. The Board shall have two advisory members, the Director of the Ministry of Christian Giving and the Administrator of the Board for Ministerial Education.
WELS Foundation is headquarters in the WELS synod administration building located in Waukesha, Wis. Day-to-day operations are carried out by synod employees assigned to WELS Foundation.
Annual Report
Read the latest WELS Foundation Annual Report.
| CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY | CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST | DONOR ADVISED FUNDS | ENDOWMENT FUNDS |
|---|---|---|---|
A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you and WELS Foundation in which you make a gift of cash or securities in exchange for guaranteed lifetime payments. | 
A charitable remainder trust allows you to provide income to yourself or others for life or a term of years, while making a generous gift to support WELS-affiliated ministries. | 
A donor advised fund enables you to make a positive impact on the financial well-being of WELS ministries for years to come through an irrevocable, tax-deductible contribution. | 
An endowment fund is a lasting legacy that provides financial resources dedicated to the support of teaching and preaching God’s Word to future generations. |
FAQs
How do I get started?
Explore gift options. There are a variety of ways to make a special gift to the Lord’s work. You’ll want to consider your family’s and your own financial needs—how to maximize tax benefits, maintain an income, and preserve assets for your heirs. This tool steps you through the different possibilities to recommend the best gift for your situation.
Run a personalized gift illustration. Click the “personalize” button and choose the gift you are interested in from the dropdown list at the top. Fill in the form fields and your deduction calculation will appear within the infograph of the gift.
Talk to someone. A WELS Christian giving counselor will assist you with completing your charitable goals (no cost or obligation).
What is a gift annuity?
By setting up a WELS Foundation charitable gift annuity, you are creating a lasting legacy and helping to do the Lord’s work. Giving is an act of worship—another way to offer your Lord a thankful response for his never-failing gifts.
WHAT IS A GIFT ANNUITY?
A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you and WELS Foundation, in which you make a gift of cash or securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) in exchange for fixed payments for life. After the passing of the annuitant, the remainder of the gift will be used by your congregation, mission work of the church, schools, area Lutheran high schools, or other WELS-affiliated ministries. Like the stones placed by the River Jordan, your gift is a means to share God’s grace with others well after you enter the Promised Land of heaven.
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES?
- Flexible: You can begin annuity payments right away or sometime in the future when you need additional income. While there is a minimum gift size of $10,000, there is no maximum limit. You can fund a gift annuity for yourself, a loved one, a friend, or even an employee.
- Secure: Your annuity payments are backed by the assets of WELS Foundation, Inc.
- Permanent: Your annuity payment is a fixed amount, dependable and unchangeable.
- Minimum ages: Immediate payment annuities are available to WELS members aged 60 and older; deferred payment annuities are available to members aged 45 and older.
- Irrevocable: Once established, a gift annuity cannot be changed or cancelled. You may, however, choose to end the annuity payments to you and allow the residual to be paid directly to your chosen ministries.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
- Joy: Arrange to benefit the area of the Lord’s work that is closest to your heart.
- Fixed payments for life: Your gift comes with the assurance of steady, lifelong payments.
- Tax savings: You receive an immediate income tax charitable deduction, and in most instances a portion of your gift annuity payment will be a tax-free return of original principal. If you transfer appreciated assets for a gift annuity, you defer tax on a portion of the capital gain, with the balance of the gain spread over your expected lifetime. If you defer annuity payments until a future date, you also delay reporting of the capital gain.
- Lasting legacy: After the passing of the annuitant(s), the balance will be used to continue the Lord’s work in your congregation, synod, or other WELS ministries.
For a personalized, no-obligation gift annuity illustration, please contact us.
What is an endowment fund?
An endowment fund is a donor restricted gift that is not spent immediately but invested in a diversified investment portfolio. Annual distributions from the endowment funds are used to provide a source of ongoing financial support for WELS ministries.
Through WELS Foundation, an individual, family, congregation, or any WELS-affiliated ministry can establish a donor designated endowment, such as the Smith Family Memorial Fund or St. Paul Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, for the benefit of any WELS ministry.
The endowment can be established with current gifts or testamentary gifts (i.e., wills, trusts, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, insurance proceeds).
What is a charitable remainder trust?
By setting up a charitable remainder trust, you are creating a lasting legacy helping to do the Lord’s work. Giving is an act of worship—another way to offer your Lord a thankful response for his never-failing gifts.
WHAT IS A CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST?
A charitable remainder trust is created when you transfer cash, securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds), or real estate to WELS Foundation, but keep a specified income interest—usually for life. When the trust ends per your designations, the property in the trust passes to your designated beneficiaries, such as your church and/or synod. Like the stones placed by the River Jordan, your gift is a means to share God’s grace with others well after you enter the Promised Land of heaven.
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES?
- Gift size: Minimum of $200,000.
- Irrevocable: Once established, a charitable remainder trust cannot be revoked.
- The recommended payout rate is five percent.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
- Lasting legacy: You can create designations that provide for the special needs of your heirs (i.e., college funds). When the trust ends, the balance will be used to continue the Lord’s work in your congregation or synod.
- Fixed payments for life: Your gift comes with the assurance of steady, lifelong payments.
- Tax savings: You receive an immediate income tax charitable deduction for a portion of the gift amount. Capital gains tax on appreciation is deferred at the time of transfer, leaving the entire value of your assets to generate future income.
- Payments: You, or those you designate, receive trust payments. These can be a fixed or variable amount.
- Increased cash flow: By funding your trust with low-paying assets, you might even increase your cash flow by making a gift.
- Peace of mind: Free yourself from investment worries by securing professional management of the assets you have.
- Flexibility: You can choose several income beneficiaries and the length of the trust term.
For a personalized, no-obligation gift illustration, please contact us.
What is a donor advised fund?
By setting up a donor advised fund, you are creating a lasting legacy and helping to do the Lord’s work. Giving is an act of worship—another way to offer your Lord a thankful response for his never-failing gifts.
WHAT IS A DONOR ADVISED FUND?
A donor advised fund is a charitable giving vehicle wherein an individual, family, or corporation makes an irrevocable, tax-deductible contribution of cash, securities, or other property to WELS Foundation and at any time thereafter can recommend grant distributions to qualified WELS ministries. The fund can be established with current gifts, deferred gifts (such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts), and testamentary gifts (such as wills, revocable trusts, or beneficiary designation for life insurance policies or retirement accounts).
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES?
- Gift size: The minimum initial gift is $10,000. Donors can add funds in $100 increments at any time.
- Individual: You may name your donor advised fund. You, or the persons you designate, may recommend distributions to organizations listed in the WELS Yearbook from your fund—anonymously if you so choose.
- Grant recommendations: The minimum amount that may be recommended is $250. Each fund must distribute at least five percent of its asset value annually.
- Lasting legacy: You may designate others to continue recommending distributions after your lifetime (usually for a period of 20 years) to support your home congregation or other favorite WELS ministries.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
- Joy: Arrange to benefit the areas of the Lord’s work that are closest to your heart, including WELS congregations, mission work, schools, agencies, and other ministries.
- Tax savings: You receive an income tax charitable deduction in the year of your gift to your donor advised fund, regardless of when grants are made. As with all gifts of long-term appreciated securities, none of the appreciation is subject to capital gains tax.
- Recommend gifts when ready: Contribute to your donor advised fund this year, and decide later which of the WELS ministries you want to support.
- Encourage family stewardship: Help your children and other loved ones experience the joy of giving by involving them in the decision-making process for the grant recommendations.
What is the WELS Foundation’s legal name and tax ID number?
WELS Foundation, Inc.
N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188
Tax Identification #39-6084446
Resources
News & Updates
Read about the latest opportunities through WELS Foundation to support the gospel efforts of your church, synod, or other WELS ministry.
Estate Planning
Annual Report
Contact
WELS FOUNDATION
WELS Foundation exists to assist God’s people in support of God’s ministry through the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
WELS CHURCH EXTENSION FUND
WELS Church Extension Fund exists to provide loans and grants to qualified mission congregations so they can acquire land and build or renovate ministry facilities—used as tools for gospel outreach.
WELS INVESTMENT FUNDS
As an affiliate of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, WELS Investment Funds provides cost-effective, professionally managed investment portfolios exclusively for WELS and affiliated organizations.
