In a letter from the First Presidency to General Authorities; Area Authority Seventies; and stake, mission, and district presidents, bishops and branch presidents in the United States and Canada (see related letter in link above), a response was presented to Church members' desire to donate beyond normal contributions made through their wards. The First Presidency recommended, in part, that interested individuals contact LDS Foundation — a Church department created by the First Presidency and operated under the direction of the Presiding Bishopric. The following is a Church News interview with Bishop Richard C. Edgley of the Presiding Bishopric and M. McClain Bybee, managing director of LDS Foundation.
Church News: We're here to learn something about LDS Foundation and Deseret Trust Company. What can you tell us about them?
Bishop Edgley: "The First Presidency of the Church established LDS Foundation in 1973 as a department of the Presiding Bishopric. The purpose of the foundation is to correlate, encourage, facilitate and accept voluntary philanthropic contributions which go beyond tithes, fast offerings and other donations normally made at the ward level. The First Presidency desired that the blessings and joy of free-will giving be available to everyone when his or her circumstances allow it.
"Deseret Trust Company provides important services to donors who do not have investment management or trust administration for their personal trusts. They manage charitable and living trusts and annuities where the Church or one of its charities is the remainder beneficiary.
"The services offered by both of these institutions are really designed to help families and individuals, member and non-member, become wise stewards over the material wealth with which the Lord has blessed them. Donors have the opportunity to bless the lives of others and thereby accelerate the growth of the kingdom while receiving additional blessings from the Lord."
Church News: Brother Bybee, as its new managing director, tell us the main function of LDS Foundation.
Brother Bybee: "LDS Foundation facilitates donations, in behalf of the Church, for things such as Church institutions of higher education (BYU, BYU—Hawaii, Ricks, and LDS Business College), temple building, and humanitarian aid.
"In addition to facilitating simple outright gifts of cash or securities, etc., LDS Foundation provides free, confidential counseling regarding gifts made through the use of wills or living trusts, and gifts created by tax-advantaged charitable trusts that provide an income to the donor during his or her life.
"For complex gifting situations, LDS Foundation professionals are available, again free of charge, to assist both donors and their legal and tax professionals. Consideration is always given to the gifting alternatives, charitable trusts, annuities, etc., that may result in tax or other advantages to the donor."
Church News: Bishop Edgley, does the Church need these additional donations?
Bishop Edgley: "Yes, we are grateful for the faithfulness of our members who support the Church and its various programs through their generous tithes and offerings. As Church leaders, we want to express our deep appreciation to those who voluntarily share of their time, talents, and treasures for the building of the kingdom. Their contributions have substantially sustained the growth of the Church, including the construction and operation of chapels, temples, and caring for the poor and needy.
"But there is this other group of contributors who are able and desirous of giving beyond their regular contributions. These contributions permit the Church to accelerate its growth and development while extending its influence in helping people — members and nonmembers — throughout the world. As stated, some of these donations come from wills, trusts and real and personal property. This is where the LDS Foundation and Deseret Trust can give professional counseling and assistance.
Church News: A lot of publicity has been paid recently to contributions for humanitarian aid and for the construction of temples. Who gives to these causes, Brother Bybee?
Brother Bybee: "They really cannot be categorized: they include families; individuals, both young and elderly; those with great abundance; and those with very little. As an example, one man contacted LDS Foundation over 10 years ago with a desire to give a gift to help others. After a careful assessment of his situation with the help of LDS Foundation, it was determined that he could give $100 a month, but probably not more. He has been doing just that ever since."
Church News: Do only Church members make donations through LDS Foundation?
Brother Bybee: "Many non-members choose to contribute to the Church charities and utilize the services of LDS Foundation. One hundred percent of all gifts through LDS Foundation go to the designated charity as approved. This is appealing to many non-members since in typical charitable organizations a sizeable percentage usually goes to cover administrative overhead. Many people have charitable hearts when they know that 100 percent of their gift will actually go to those who have the need."
Church News: Bishop Edgley, what areas other than those already mentioned are benefitting from these contributed funds?
Bishop Edgley: "Education has always been a high priority for the Church. When people are educated they can better provide for themselves and their families, as well as help to educate others. President Gordon B. Hinckley noted in his remarks at the October 1999 General Conference Priesthood Session: 'It is apparent that we are obligated not only to learn of ecclesiastical matters but also of secular matters. There is a tradition in the Church that deals with these things. There was the School of the Prophets in Kirtland. The Seventies Hall in Nauvoo was used for educational purposes. A university was projected in Nauvoo. . . . We shall continue to support BYU and its Hawaii campus. We shall continue to support Ricks College. . . . We shall keep these as flagships testifying to the great and earnest commitment of this Church to education, both ecclesiastical and secular, and while doing so prove to the world that excellent secular learning can be gained in an environment of religious faith.'
"Contributions may be directed to Brigham Young University and Brigham Young University Hawaii Campuses, Ricks College, LDS Business College and the Church Education System International Grant and Loan Fund which assists students to go to school in their own areas of the world.
"A quick example of how far these contributions can go is seen through a successful pilot program sponsored by Ricks College. A boot-strap, welding trade school was set up in Benemerito, Mexico. A few welding instructors from Ricks took donated equipment, supplies and a few weeks of their time to train 22 young men, returned missionaries, living in Mexico in poverty. All 22 finished the course. In a follow-up visit, we learned that all 22 either found employment or improved their employment — some dramatically. Several are now instructors for other young men who are in the situation they once were. Benemerito will now take responsibility for the program, with certification support from Ricks College. The ripple effect in this type of activity is tremendous. Similar education programs are also sponsored at the BYU Provo and Hawaii campuses for both men and women."
Church News: Do temples receive partial funding through LDS Foundation?
Bishop Edgley: "Funds go for the construction of temples through the Temple Construction Fund and for personal temple work by helping needy members in remote regions of other countries receive their own endowments through the General Temple Patron Assistance Fund."
Church News: Is Humanitarian Aid the one remaining area?
Bishop Edgley: "Not quite. There is the General Missionary Fund. Outside the United States and Canada there are young men and women who have strong testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the missionary spirit, but their financial situations would never allow them to serve a mission. The General Missionary Fund makes up the difference between all they, their family and their local church units can do to fund the actual cost of their missions.
"Then there is the Humanitarian Aid Fund, as you mentioned. We're all aware of tragedies like those in Kosovo, Oklahoma, Turkey and more recently the flood and mud slides in Venezuela. In addition to specific needs, many contributors simply donate to the Church General Fund where Church leaders decide the most critical need for the funds. We are all aware of the great relief that contributions from the Church make."
Brother Bybee: "LDS Foundation counsels with potential donors on these and other programs to help them determine to which program they wish to contribute. Many people have tender hearts for one or more of the programs and will often want to, and are able to, specify where their contributions go."
Church News: Brother Bybee, non-cash donations have been referred to. Could you elaborate on these kinds of gifts?
Brother Bybee: "Yes, gifts are sometimes in the form of property, real or personal, or securities or other in-kind property — as well as cash. Often such properties are non-income-producing, such as land, homes, etc., and potential donors do not realize they can often be converted into a lifetime income for their retirement. As already mentioned, the LDS Foundation helps donors sort through the details and complications.
"Sometimes people think that they don't fit into the philanthropic category, but even the smallest donation is philanthropic."
Church News: Do most members already know how to begin the philanthropic process, Bishop Edgley?
Bishop Edgley: "In fact, most do not. That's why the First Presidency sent their letter. We frequently hear that people have a desire to do something but don't know how to begin or where to get answers to their questions. We want those people to feel comfortable in contacting LDS Foundation. The Foundation's services are free of charge, free of pressure and confidential. The counselors are simply there as a resource for information or to facilitate donations."
Church News: Brother Bybee, are there circumstances where giving might not be in a family's best interest?
Brother Bybee: "Sometimes an assessment of a family's situation indicates that the time may not be right, and LDS Foundation will encourage the family not to give at that time. However, they may be able to give at a later time."
Church News: From the Church's standpoint, Bishop Edgley, what is of paramount importance about charitable giving?
Bishop Edgley: "That gifts are from the heart — the Lord has commanded us to love one another. One way of doing that is to ensure that we manage carefully the stewardship the Lord has provided us. In that way we can provide for our family's temporal needs, and when the time is right, we can help others as well as help further the programs of the Lord's Church as it rolls forth across the world."
