Endowment Fund

The Mission Statement of Saint Paul’s Endowment Fund is to provide long-term financial support for St. Paul’s facilities, ministries, programs, and services aimed at expanding Orthodoxy in Orange County and around the world. The blessing of this Fund is that it grows over time with market investments, but the principal contributions are never touched. As the Fund grows, so too do its distribution. This results in perpetual and growing support for the good works at St. Paul’s, in the name of Jesus Christ, above and beyond the parish’s operating budget resources.

Background of Saint Paul’s Endowment Fund

The Saint Paul’s Endowment Fund was started by Saint Paul’s Foundation in May of 2008 to benefit Saint Paul’s Church and its ministries. It was originally named the Foundation Endowment Fund reflecting its creation by members of Saint Paul’s Foundation. Since its founding in 1983, the Foundation has been composed of parishioners with professional expertise and financial resources to support Saint Paul’s campus development plan. For over the subsequent 40 years, Foundation members have devoted their time, talent and financial resources to support and protect the parish’s campus development. As part of these efforts, the Foundation also funded and nurtured the Endowment Fund. On June 6, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Foundation voted unanimously to donate the Endowment Fund to Saint Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church. This transfer demonstrates that Endowment Fund assets flow from Christ’s grace and should be held by His Church. The transfer creates a new ministry at Saint Paul’s that can more clearly support our parish’s mission and ensure its long-term success.

How Does an Endowment Work?

An Endowment Fund is like an account that you put money into. The money is invested in public securities like mutual funds. That money grows in value with the markets. Every year, a small percentage is withdrawn to support St. Paul’s ministries and missions. This withdrawal is called the fund distribution. By construction, the distribution is never more than 5%. On average, the market grows above this distribution rate. The beauty of the Endowment Fund is that the initial amount invested is never touched and since the distribution does not exceed the investment returns, the invested amount grows over time. It is very powerful because both the fund and the amount available for distribution grows in perpetuity.

Illustration of the Power of an Endowment Fund Donation

Say you leave $10,000 from your Estate to the St. Paul’s Endowment Fund? The following charts show what can happen.

The first chart shows that the invested value grows from $10,000 to $37,200 over 50 years. The second shows that annual fund distributions increase from $484 to $1,800 per year at the end of 50 years. The last chart shows how the cumulative fund distributions will have generated over $51,000 in fund distributions over a 50-year period! That’s right, the $10,000 bequeath generates over 5 times its initial amount in distributions over a 50-year period. From that point, it just keeps on going. This is what is meant when we say that an Endowment Fund contribution provides perpetual support to St. Paul’s. The Endowment’s support for St. Paul is forever.

Why Give to Saint Paul’s Endowment Fund?

Over our lives, His grace has endowed us with innumerable blessings. As Orthodox Christians, we are called to recognize God’s grace in Christ by giving back during life and at death. It is a holy and faithful act of recognition that we ascribe a portion of our accumulated assets back to the origin of these blessings. This is the essence of being an asset steward. As He entrusted you, by donating back to Saint Paul’s, you are completing the circle of giving that magnifies Jesus Christ.

In doing so:

• You believe in Saint Paul’s as a beacon for future generations, its mission, purpose and want to ensure its future.

• You have been a lifelong steward of Saint Paul’s and want to continue your stewardship in perpetuity.

• You appreciate the tax advantages, both for current income and estate planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a donation to the Endowment Fund the same as a stewardhip donation?

No. The two are separate. Stewardship pays for the operation of Saint Paul’s. The Endowment Fund is a form of long term financial support for Saint Paul’s campus, ministries and outreach. In a sense, the Endowment Fund is like Saint Paul’s 401K plan. We contribute today for a better financial tommorow.

What if I just want to donate to the Endowment Fund?

Just make a check out to Saint Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church and put Endowment Fund in the memo field.

What specific language should I put in my Last Will or Estate Plan?

In your Last Will or Estate Plan, there will be a section that defines beneficiaries and bequeaths – usually a separate condicil. In that section or codicil, itentifiy that you want to itentify an amount for Saint Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church, Irvine, CA as the beneficiary with the proceeds to be deposited in Saint Paul’s Endowment Fund.

What are the Tax Benefits?

There are a variety of tax benefits like reducing your taxable income or estate tax exposure. Consult your tax advisor for the full array of benefits, because everyone’s situation is unique.

What kinds of assets can be contributed?

Cash, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, insurance policies, pretty much anything that can be valued and liquidated can be contributed to the Endowment Fund. Please reach out to Endowment Committee to discuss your specific situation.