WELS FOUNDATION
ESTATE PLANNING
Our free workbook will take you through the steps of preparing a Christian estate plan.
Featured video: A look at charitable gift annuities
What’s a charitable gift annuity? How can it be a blessing to both you and your family and the ministries you love?
In this video, WELS Christian Giving Counselor Rev. Jon Kehren and WELS Foundation Executive Director Jim Holm break down the basics and blessings of charitable gift annuities. In addition, they share some exciting news about gift annuities!
Latest News
The charitable gift annuity: “The best thing since sliced bread!”
Marvin and Marilyn Hoepken first learned about the benefits of…
The charitable gift annuity: “The best thing since sliced bread!”
Marvin and Marilyn Hoepken first learned about the benefits of…
WELS endowments help support tuition assistance
Thanks to the generosity of God’s people, WELS Foundation distributed…
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.
FAQs
What is WELS Foundation’s legal name and tax ID number?
WELS Foundation, Inc.
N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188
Tax Identification #39-6084446
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?
A 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 quarterly annuity payments for life. After the passing of the annuitant(s), the remainder of the gift will be used by your congregation, school, area Lutheran high school, synod, or WELS-affiliated ministry.
Learn more about gift annuities.
For a personalized, no-obligation gift annuity illustration, please contact us.
What is a charitable remainder trust?
A charitable remainder trust can be a blessing to you and your spouse or other family members. It provides significant tax savings as well as income for you or your family members before finally transferring the property in the trust to your designated WELS ministries when the trust ends. This type of giving instrument is especially helpful for individuals who plan to retire and would like to sell land, stock, or even a business tax-free and receive a generous income.
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.
Learn more about charitable remainder trusts.
For a personalized, no-obligation gift illustration, please contact us.
What is a legacy charitable remainder trust?
A legacy charitable remainder trust, also known as a “give it twice” trust, is a trust funded after the Lord calls you home. Once funded, the trust provides quarterly income payments to your heirs for up to 20 years. When the trust ends, the remaining assets are distributed to the WELS or WELS-affiliated ministry of your choosing.
Learn more about legacy charitable remainder trusts.
For a personalized, no-obligation gift illustration, please contact us.
What is a donor-advised fund?
A donor-advised fund is a charitable giving vehicle where 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 WELS ministries.
The donor-advised fund has been popular in recent years with the higher threshold for itemizing on taxes. People set up a donor-advised fund to bunch gifts and itemize deductions in a particular year.
The WELS donor-advised fund program provides an alternative to the private family foundation. You can accomplish many of the same goals but with far less administrative work and expense.
What is an endowment fund?
An endowment fund is designed to make steady annual distributions that increase as the fund grows. A gift to an endowment is not spent immediately but invested in a diversified investment portfolio. Annual distributions provide ongoing financial support for WELS ministries.
| CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY | CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST | LEGACY CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST | DONOR-ADVISED FUND | ENDOWMENT FUND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 legacy charitable remainder trust is funded after the Lord calls you home and provides quarterly income payments to your heirs for up to 20 years. When the trust ends, the remaining assets are distributed to the ministry (or ministries) you choose. | 
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. |
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.