Make a Planned Gift to Women of the ELCA

Shaping the mission and ministry of women who follow in your footsteps

Why make a planned gift?

Today, thanks to the various ways of estate giving, you can ensure that Women of the ELCA continues to minister to women and girls long after you are gone. Making a planned gift is a powerful way to express your compassion and values.

By allocating your assets to support the ministries most important to you, your gift becomes a witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Your planned gift is a way to support any Women of the ELCA ministry about which you are passionate.

Including charitable gifts in your estate giving is one way to manage the distribution of your assets with confidence. In addition to protecting your family’s security, you also are providing crucial support to ministries of this church.

Charitable planned gifts are a great option for all women regardless of income level. With your planned gift, you are connecting to other women now and in the future, modeling good stewardship and motivating others to do the same. In addition to acting boldly on your faith in Jesus Christ, you are promoting healing and wholeness in the church, the society and the world while challenging other women to experience the joy of giving.

How to make a planned gift

You can make your planned gift from assets you are holding or from current or future income. You can also use your will to leave a legacy through a charitable bequest. This is one of the most common ways to offer a planned gift. Most women leave assets when they die, and even someone with a small estate can make an impact on ministry through giving.

Options for charitable bequests include:

• A specific dollar amount
• A percent of your estate’s value
• A paid life insurance policy
• Other types of assets

You can also make a planned gift to Women of the ELCA now and receive guaranteed income for life through a charitable gift annuity. To establish a gift annuity, you contribute funds or assets now to Women of the ELCA, and we in turn make fixed annuity payments to you for the rest of your life. You receive an immediate income tax deduction for the gift, and the portion of the gift not used for payments will benefit Women of the ELCA in the future.

What your planned gift can support

You may designate your planned gift to a variety of ministries, including:

Women of the ELCA General Fund

A planned gift in support of our general fund supports our ongoing ministries including Café, the online magazine for young women, Gather magazine and the development of new print and program resources. Anti-racism programming, membership development and leadership trainings are all sustained by the general fund.

Katie’s Fund

Through a planned gift to Katie’s Fund, you honor the life of Katharina von Bora, wife of Martin Luther, and the lives of faithful women everywhere. Support goes to prepare, nurture, and sustain future Women of the ELCA participants in the areas of global ministries, leadership development, and spiritual growth opportunities.

Women of the ELCA Grants Program

Your planned gift to our grants program will change the lives of women and children here and around the globe. Grants are awarded to not-for-profit organizations that support healing and wholeness for women and girls by affirming programs that advance women’s health issues.

Women of the ELCA Scholarships Program

A planned gift to our scholarships program will help women continue their education in ordained ministry, academics, and leadership. Students attending seminary, retirees returning to university, and future deaconesses and physicians can benefit from a Women of the ELCA scholarship.



By making a planned gift to Women of the ELCA, you leave a legacy for women committed to growing in faith, serving Jesus Christ, and becoming more healthy and whole, physically and spiritually. Your gift connects your values with future participants and will help to shape the mission and ministries of Women of the ELCA.

For more information regarding planned giving, call, write or email: Women of the ELCA 8765 W Higgins Road Chicago, IL 60631 800-638-3522, ext. 2736 Email Emma.Crossen@elca.org




The examples and information on this page are for illustrative and educational purposes only and should not be considered tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax or legal advisor before proceeding with your estate plan. Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, via the ELCA Foundation, currently does not offer charitable gift annuities to any persons in the states of Alabama, Hawaii and Tennessee. A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.