Plymouth Church Foundation
Plymouth Church Foundation: “A Legacy of Caring and Sharing”
The mission of the Plymouth Church Foundation is to solicit and accept contributions from caring supporters for the use and direct benefit of Plymouth Church. The Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit corporation whose sole purpose is to support the ministries of Plymouth Church. All charitable contributions are pooled for investment purposes, and carefully managed by a board of directors, a finance and investment committee they appoint, and the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines where the investments are held.
Since 1979, the Plymouth Church Foundation has made grants available to the church’s boards and committees providing needed catalysts for projects, programs and ministries not budgeted for through general fund giving.
Previous Grants
Foundation grants have helped breathe life into several ongoing programs like the Transition Into Ministry (TiM), Stephen Ministries, Stepping Stones, and many recent building and grounds projects. Grants have also played a major role in funding every capital campaign the church has embarked upon. Those grants include the “This Moment,” Tower Restoration, TiM Sustainability, “God is Still Speaking,” and “Faith Forward” campaigns.
Check out some recent Foundation grant awards that show the diversity and impact of that support.
Financials
The Foundation’s Finance and Investment Committee works closely with the Community Foundation to manage the Foundation assets to ensure adherence to the Foundation’s investment policies. Some yearend financial highlights:
Foundation total assets as of December 31, 2024: $9,731,447*
Value of competitive grants awarded in 2024: $8,300
Value of strategic grants awarded in 2024: $335,000
(*$2,279,983 is in a restricted account for support of the Transition into Ministry (TiM) program, and $121,386 in restricted accounts for the Laverman Sallade Fund and the Rainbow Action Fund.)
Seeking a Grant
The Plymouth Foundation awards grants twice annually to significant ministries, projects or programs endorsed or sanctioned and requested by an official board or committee of the Church. Grants are funded for one year unless otherwise noted in the initial grant application. Renewed funding is not automatic. Click here to read our grant policies.
How and When to Apply
Eligible boards and committees should complete a grant application, and email the form to Grant Committee Chair. The Foundation board will review the grant request, and will get back to the submitting board or committee as soon as possible.
There are two deadlines for grant applications each year:
Request due: April 1
Awarded: May 1Request due: Oct. 1
Awarded: Nov. 1
Leave A Legacy Through The Foundation
Many generous donors have made Plymouth Church a part of their legacy through contributions made to the Plymouth Church Foundation. These contributions significantly increase the Foundation’s ability to support catalytic projects, programs and ministries. By sharing your resources, your gift will be pooled with those of other caring supporters to create a vibrant future for the Church. Contributions can be made during your lifetime, or through a planned gift. The Foundation accepts a variety of gifts including:
Stocks and Bonds
Retirement Assets
Life Insurance Policies
Real Estate
Charitable Trusts
Tangible Personal Property
The Foundation also welcomes cash gifts at any time which you can provide by checks made payable to the Plymouth Church Foundation, and delivered to Director of Finance Jim Denman, or by credit/debit card through the Church Center app.
You can also leave legacy and estate gifts through one of the following:
Wills
Living Trusts
Retirement Plan Designations
Contingent provisions in any of the above estate documents
Sample Language to Use in Your Will
Percentage or Residuary of Estate
"I give, devise and bequeath _______________________ (describe dollar amount, property to be given, or proportion of residuary estate) to the Plymouth Church Foundation, a nonprofit corporation located in Des Moines, Iowa 50312, tax identification number 42-1134446, to be used for its unrestricted use (or identify a specific purpose).”
Alternatively, you may establish an endowment for a specific purpose through your estate by stating, "I give, devise and bequeath ______________ (describe dollar amount, property to be given, or proportion of your residuary estate) to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, a nonprofit corporation located in Des Moines, Iowa 50309, tax identification number 42-6139033, to be added to the Plymouth Church Foundation Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, of which distribution and spending policy instructions are already provided."
The appropriate wording for making a gift depends on the type of gift, state law and the donor's unique circumstances. The Plymouth Church Foundation urges all prospective donors to seek the assistance of personal legal and financial advisors in matters relating to their gifts, and the resulting tax and estate planning consequences.
If you have made plans for a legacy gift to the Plymouth Church Foundation, please let us know by contacting Senior Pastor Jared Wortman or Director of Finance Jim Denman.