How Will They Hear?

Endowment Goals

Concordia Seminary is seeking to secure $15 million in new endowed gifts during the Campaign. Special emphasis will be given to the identification and solicitation of funds for endowed chairs and graduate fellowships during the Advance Gifts Phase. Student Aid and program endowments of $30,000 or more also will be sought. Concordia Seminary has a long-range goal of endowing every full-time faculty position (currently 48) with a Faculty Chair, including the Office of the President and Dean of the Chapel.

Particular interest is being given to the various theological institutes: Institute for Mission Studies, Center for Hispanic Studies, Institute on Lay Vocation, etc., to secure sustainable funding for these important components of the Seminary’s mission. At the same time, the Seminary must work to fund a minimum of five postgraduate fellowships (a combination of tuition assistance and a living allowance) in order to elevate its visibility and reputation as a post-graduate level theological school.

Why Emphasize Endowment?

Given the manner in which quality institutions of higher education are funded today, endowment is one of three pillars of support that comprise a viable financial model (the other two being annual operations and facilities). A strong endowment benefits the Seminary, the Synod and its members in a number of important ways:

Quality – A strong endowment enables the Seminary to attract and retain the very best in faculty and students,and to maintain its facilities for exceptionally high levels of quality in theological education. Endowed faculty chairs, graduate fellowships, student aid and maintenance endowments all reflect a strong commitment to quality and excellence.
Stability – A strong, wisely managed endowment affords leaders the ability to plan on having a consistent, stable source of annual income with which to carry out the organization’s mission. Endowment income is less prone to the peculiar fluctuations of politics and economics.
Versatility – A strong endowment offers the Seminary flexibility in responding to the changing needs of the church by providing annual operational income to sustain its basic mission. As a result, other sources of income can be utilized to support the start-up costs of new high-quality programs and initiatives.
Credibility – In seeking to be a world-class seminary, a strong endowment will support the Seminary’s contention that it is a major player on the stage of national and international theological education. Institutions like Concordia Seminary are measured, in part, by the relative strength of their endowment, and those that are considered to be under-endowed are less respected outside of their core constituencies.
Efficiency – As a function of planning, a strong endowment leads to the efficient utilization of all of the Seminary’s resources as it seeks to apply the endowment’s annual income in ways that achieve the highest results.
Opportunity – A strong endowment opens doors to serve the church in new and exciting ways. An endowed chair, for example, affords the opportunity to allocate a specific faculty member’s time to researching and addressing specific theological issues and challenges facing the church (stewardship, missions and evangelism, interdenominational relations, parish leadership, pastoral care and counseling, bioethical issues, etc.).

Establishing an Endowment

When you choose to establish an endowment with Concordia Seminary you may indicate your intent by contacting the Seminary Advancement office 1-800-822-5287 or 1-314-505-7350. A Seminary Advancement Gift Officer will work directly with you in order to fully accomplish your purpose and goals. This work includes defining the investment period, the type of endowment, and the use of income. We will then draft an endowment agreement that best fits your intentions for your review and approval. Upon consensus, the formal endowment agreement is then signed by the Seminary President, Dr. Dale Meyer, and by you as the donor. The endowment is established upon receipt of the first gift. It can grow through additional gifts made by your relatives and friends.

Concordia Seminary's Promise Response...