Answers for boards, donors, and ministry leaders

Yes. Our Board Onboarding Toolkit is designed specifically for new finance committee members with no financial background. It covers basic concepts, fiduciary duties, how to read investment reports, and how to ask good questions at board meetings. Available as a self-paced online module or facilitated workshop.

You can establish an endowment with an initial deposit. Many organizations start with a modest amount and grow the fund over time through planned gifts, memorial donations, and annual contributions. The most important step is adopting a board-approved endowment policy and investment policy statement — we help with both at no additional cost.

A spending policy governs how much of the endowment's value can be distributed each year. The most common approach is a percentage-of-average-market-value model — typically 4–5% of the endowment's trailing 12-quarter average value. This smooths distributions across market cycles and preserves purchasing power over time. Your board should adopt a written spending policy as part of the endowment's governing documents.

No. We work with churches and ministries across a wide range of denominational backgrounds. Our primary criterion is mission alignment — we partner with organizations whose values align with our faith-forward approach to financial stewardship.

Faith Foundation Northwest is a 37-year-old faith-based financial services organization serving churches, nonprofits, and donors across the Pacific Northwest. We provide investment management, ministry lending, stock gift processing, grants, and financial education.

These mini-grants are intended to help as many communities as possible spark creative, mission-aligned work. They are not designed to launch projects that will require ongoing or annual funding. Please do not apply for a project that depends on repeat gifts in future years. Instead, consider one-time initiatives or pilot efforts that your community can sustain independently after the grant period.

No, applications do not roll over. You need to apply for each cycle separately.

Applications are evaluated based on the alignment with the foundation's mission, the potential impact on the community, and the clarity and feasibility of the project plan. The scoring rubric covers: Project Description (4 points) — two points for impactful outcomes tied to community mission, two points for measurable objectives; Project Timeline (1 point) — realistic timeline with clear milestones; Budget Breakdown (1 point) — reasonable and clearly itemized budget; Benefit (2 points) — one point if beneficiaries are in an EPA IRA designated disadvantaged community, one point if beneficiaries are primarily members of marginalized groups; Creation (2 points) — one point if beneficiaries are co-creating the project, one point if project leadership includes members from marginalized groups. Total possible score: 10 points.

Previously funded projects include: supporting a ministry providing showers and laundry for the homeless, kitchen upgrades for a church becoming a resilience hub, sewer hookups for a transitional housing tiny home village, a healing retreat for BIPOC women leaders, a walk-in freezer for weekly community meals, an AED in a fellowship hall, a group respite program for adults with dementia, twice-weekly community meals at a community church, supplies for a low-income preschool, building a community garden supporting food insecure families, and campus ministry support.

Mini-grants are small, unrestricted funds ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, designed to support faith communities in their mission-related activities.

The funds are unrestricted, meaning they can be used for any purpose that supports your community's mission and goals. However, we do not provide grant funding for consulting fees.

Applicants must provide: organization and contact information, project title, project description and timeline, budget breakdown, an explanation of how the project aligns with your mission, a description of the expected community impact, and methods for measuring project success.

Excellent response example: A community dog park project with two clear long-term outcomes — "Strengthen community connections by providing a welcoming and inclusive gathering space" and "Encourage responsible pet ownership and outdoor activity as part of holistic well-being." Each outcome includes specific, measurable objectives such as "Host at least four community events per year" and "Partner with at least two local organizations to co-host events." The response explicitly connects the project to the organization's mission of fellowship, stewardship of creation, and community outreach. Poor response example: "We want to build a dog park so people in the church and neighborhood have a place to bring their dogs. Right now, there aren't many places nearby, and this would be convenient. The park will be fenced and have some benches." This lacks measurable objectives, community engagement details, and clear mission alignment — all critical evaluation criteria.

Applicants will be notified of the decision within 30 days after the application period closes. Notifications will be sent via email to the contact person listed in the application.

Applications are open from March 1 to March 31. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the last day of the application period.

For more information or assistance with the application process, please contact us at staff@faith.foundation or call (509) 782-2954. Our office hours are 8 AM to 4 PM Pacific, Monday through Friday.

Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations or those registered as religious organizations.

We review all portfolios quarterly and rebalance when asset allocations drift more than 5% from targets. You'll receive a quarterly report and our market commentary before each review cycle. Your assigned advisor is also available for ad-hoc board briefings.

Our portfolios exclude companies with significant revenue from tobacco, weapons manufacturing, gambling, adult entertainment, and private prison. We also apply positive screens for companies demonstrating strong environmental stewardship, labor practices, and community impact. Specific screening criteria are detailed in each portfolio's Investment Policy Statement.

Contact us to discuss minimum investment requirements for each portfolio strategy. For organizations with smaller operating reserves, we recommend our Stable Value Portfolio, which is designed for short-term liquidity needs.

No. Although Faith Foundation Northwest has deep roots in the United Methodist tradition, congregations do not have to be United Methodist to qualify for a loan. We serve churches and faith-based organizations across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

We disburse funds by direct deposit. Payments begin the first day of the second month following distribution of funds, and are made via ACH through our secure portal.

After we receive a complete application, our loan committee is usually able to make a decision within several weeks. After that, we order a title report and originate the legal documents. If the loan is small and the title report is clear, things progress quickly. Once all parties are comfortable with the documents, the church trustees work with the title company to sign, notarize, and record them. As soon as they're recorded, you can request your first draw.

As of late 2023, the Foundation is able to independently make loans up to $800,000. If you need a bigger loan, we have several other lenders ready to participate and help us make your loan happen — so don't be shy about asking! The actual amount depends on your project and your church's repayment ability.

Term loan rates are set below the Wall Street Journal Prime Rate. Bridge loan rates are set a little above WSJ Prime. Rates are fixed for four years and then reviewed each following fourth year. Adjustments, both up and down, can be made upon each four-year anniversary.

We don't charge any fees unless our underwriting requires site visits. The cost of title insurance is added to the loan principal. In the case of a large and/or complex loan, the cost of legal counsel is also added to the loan principal. There are never penalties for early repayment.

For term loans, we use the 30/30 rule to determine eligibility and loan amount. This is a guideline our loan committee uses to assess your church's ability to service the debt. For bridge loans, we focus more on the loan-to-value ratio rather than the 30/30 rule.

A Deed of Trust recorded in first position is required for all loans.

We offer two loan types. Term loans (available since 1992) finance new construction, retrofitting worship space for outreach, and capital improvements like paving parking lots, repairing roofs, and replacing HVAC systems. Bridge loans (available since 2019) support special projects like solar panels and pre-development for affordable housing.

Start by adopting a gift acceptance policy that outlines the types of gifts your organization will accept (bequests, beneficiary designations, real property, etc.) and the procedures for receiving them. Then communicate the opportunity to your congregation — many donors are willing to include their church in their estate plan but simply haven't been asked. We provide a turnkey planned giving starter kit that includes policy templates, donor communication materials, and staff training.

Planned giving refers to charitable gifts that are arranged in the present but typically fulfilled in the future — often through a will, trust, or beneficiary designation. Unlike regular tithes and offerings, planned gifts draw from accumulated assets (real estate, retirement accounts, investments) rather than current income, and they often provide significant tax advantages to the donor.

Common planned gift assets include cash bequests through a will, retirement account beneficiary designations (IRAs, 401k plans), life insurance policies, appreciated securities, real estate, and charitable remainder or lead trusts. Each asset type has different tax implications. We work with donors and their advisors to identify the most tax-efficient giving strategy for their situation.

Yes. Many organizations allocate funds across two or more portfolios to match different objectives — for example, keeping operating reserves in Stable Value while investing endowment funds in the Moderate portfolio. Your advisor will help you design the right split based on your liquidity needs and investment horizon.

Operating reserves that you may need access to within 1–2 years are best suited for the Stable Value or Conservative portfolio. Long-term endowment capital with a 10+ year horizon can typically tolerate the Moderate or Aggressive portfolio's higher equity exposure in exchange for greater growth potential.

Yes. When you submit the stock gift form, you specify which ministry or organization should receive the proceeds. We liquidate the shares upon receipt and distribute the funds to your designated recipient, minus a small brokerage commission (typically under $5).

Once shares are transferred to your designated account, proceeds from the sale are typically available within 3–5 business days. We coordinate the entire transfer process and provide donor acknowledgment letters compliant with IRS requirements.

There is no minimum dollar amount for a stock gift. However, because brokerage fees apply to each transaction (typically under $5), very small transfers may not be cost-effective. Most donors find that gifts of $1,000 or more maximize the benefit.

You will receive a donor acknowledgment letter confirming the date of transfer, the number of shares, and the ticker symbol. The letter is compliant with IRS requirements for charitable contribution substantiation. You are responsible for determining the fair market value on the date of transfer for your tax return.

We accept publicly traded stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs. If you hold restricted stock, privately held shares, or other non-standard securities, please contact us to discuss options. The securities must have been held for more than one year to qualify for the full fair-market-value deduction.

When a donor gives appreciated stock directly to a ministry, they avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation and receive a charitable deduction for the full fair-market value of the shares. This means more of the gift goes to ministry, and the donor keeps more of their wealth. It's one of the most tax-efficient forms of charitable giving available.