National Christian Foundation Heartland Mobilizes $1 Billion
Olathe, Kansas (PRWEB) February 13, 2014 -- The National Christian Foundation (NCF) is the largest Christian grant-making foundation in the world. And Olathe-based affiliate NCF Heartland just reached its largest milestone: $1 billion raised.
“When we started 13 years ago, there was a vision to change the city with $10 million,” said Aimee Minnich, President at NCF Heartland. “We’ve realized that was just a drop in the bucket.”
NCF Heartland began in 2000, then called the Servant Christian Community Foundation, with a group of seven board members: four brought significant ministry experience, and three brought significant donor experience.
“Those on the ministry side said there had to be a more sustainable way of funding ministries, and those on the donor side said there had to be a more efficient way to give,” Minnich said.
Bill High, NCF Heartland CEO, recalls the organization’s unassuming start.
“Our beginnings were pretty humble,” High said. “We started with me, a cell phone, a legal pad and my car. I simply started talking to people about our idea of generosity in the community.”
NCF Heartland is today an affiliate of Atlanta-based National Christian Foundation. The national story began in 1982, when Christian financial experts Larry Burkett, Ron Blue and Terry Parker built a new type of charitable foundation, striving to simplify the giving process. Since its inception, NCF has grown to become the nation's largest provider of donor-advised funds focused primarily on Christian givers.
NCF Heartland currently oversees of 1,400 donor-directed funds and over $200 million in current assets. The $1 billion represents both cash and non-cash assets granted into the funds since 2000.
“From a pure numbers perspective, we have now opened about 1400 accounts, which is really phenomenal,” High said. “More than anything, that $1 billion means thousands of contributions out into the community, into national organizations and even international organizations.”
The organization focuses its efforts on the cities and metro areas of Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Des Moines and St. Louis. Smaller service areas include Wichita, Topeka, Branson, Springfield, Omaha and Lincoln.
In Kansas City, as well as the other communities it serves, NCF Heartland is “a connector, among other things,” Minnich said. “We see so much of what’s going on in and around the city that we can connect groups and people who share the same passion.”
And NCF Heartland also plays a role in resource mobilization, Minnich added. “Every year, the people we work with pay more than they want to in taxes. NCF helps them shift tax dollars into giving dollars, so more money gets put into the kingdom.”
The mission of NCF marries generosity with impact. Over its history, NCF Heartland has allowed people to maximize their impact on the causes they love.
“We really desire for there to be a blurring of the lines between people who do ministry and people who give to ministry. Everybody is a giver and everybody has the opportunity to serve,” Minnich said.
As NCF Heartland celebrates its $1 billion milestone, Minnich clarifies what’s being celebrated: “It’s a mile marker for a culture of generosity. We’ve always wanted to be part of what God is doing to change his people and to change this city. And I think that we have been, in 14 years.”
"And High sees the hearts behind that $1 billion," he said.
“The thing that’s most gratifying is to see the number of people whose hearts have been touched by this message of generosity. As they move forward and practice it, our community becomes better.”
Today, NCF Heartland is looking with humility towards its next major milestone — that’s $5 billion. But, Minnich is quick to add, “That doesn’t change how we do things. We’ve always been about serving, and we’ll always be about serving.”
—
For more information about the organization and its mission, visit heartland.nationalchristian.com. For media inquiries: please contact Aimee Minnich, President / General Counsel at National Christian Foundation – Heartland, at 913.538.7841 and aminnich(at)nationalchristian(dot)com.
About the National Christian Foundation: At the National Christian Foundation, we help generous Christians give more than they ever thought possible to the charities they love. Generosity is not a matter of amount of dollars given, but the heart behind the gift. Therefore, everyone can be a generous giver and NCF provides the tools to make that possible.
Aimee Minnich, National Christian Foundation - Heartland, http://www.northfieldopportunity.org, 913.310.0279, [email protected]
Share this article