7.2. ELCA Foundation Regional Gift Planning Partnership

REPORT OF THE ELCA FOUNDATION

Submitted by: Ryan Ebner, Regional Gift Planner

We are the ELCA Foundation, a financial ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We walk alongside faithful people and organizations — helping them turn generosity into legacy, and legacy into ministry. We believe generosity is more than a financial act; it is a testimony of faith, gratitude and hope. With $1.5 billion in donor-designated gifts and invested assets entrusted to our care, we partner with individuals and organizations to thoughtfully steward these resources and maximize their impact.

We serve as a bridge between individual generosity and the shared mission of the ELCA — from congregations and synods to seminaries, outdoor ministries, and churchwide ministries such as ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response.

Every planned gift we steward is an investment in the church’s life — now and into the future.

What we do

We offer guidance that is both spiritually grounded and financially sound, ensuring every gift reflects the heart of the giver and the needs of the church.

• Gift Planning Services: Our regional gift planners accompany individuals and families through faithful, personalized planning — helping them create charitable legacies through bequests, trusts, charitable gift annuities, real estate, retirement assets and more.
• Ministry Growth Fund: A socially responsible investment option that supports endowments and ministries across the ELCA, balancing fiduciary excellence with faithful stewardship.
• Resources and Tools: From our online Planning Library and free Personal Estate Planning Kit to our partnership with Giving Docs, we provide easy, trustworthy ways to start planning today.
• Ministry Partnership: We help ELCA ministry leaders grow a culture of generosity without adding more to their workload, offering training, templates and direct support to strengthen local ministry.

In 2025, the ELCA Foundation’s gift planning network walked alongside 190 donors/families in developing faith-focused gift plans that reflect their passion and purpose.

We were able to secure

• $79.9 million in future planned gift commitments
• $6.9 million in currently funded gifts
• $105.4 million in existing gift commitments stewarded and updated
  

Let’s continue the conversation

The ELCA Foundation has gift planning tools for every situation and professional staff throughout the U.S. ready to walk with you every step of the way. All of our gift planning services are made available to individuals and congregations without obligation. Contact your gift planner to get started:

Ryan Ebner
Ryan.Ebner@elca.org
814-823-3285