Faith-based nonprofit organizations form part of the bedrock of communities around the country. The mission-aligned services these organizations provide have a positive impact on the community and those they serve. Churches, crisis pregnancy centers, homeless care and shelter, addiction recovery, foster care, adoption, family and pro-life advocacy, education, healthcare, refugee resettlement…the list of services Christian nonprofits provide goes on and on!
The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits sums it up this way, “Nonprofits are problem solvers, innovators, job creators, trusted advisors, major employers, and revenue generators. More than that, they are the connectors, links, and leaders that make our towns and cities true communities.” Christian nonprofits and their mission-driven services are essential to our communities and are making Kingdom impacts as well.
Wise funding and stewardship are essential to ensuring the continuity of these organizations and the services they provide. Stewardship-minded organizations recognize that the way they invest their assets not only helps fulfill their mission but impacts the broader culture as well.
Since many Christian nonprofits have investment accounts, endowments, and 403(b) plans, this raises the question of whether the organization’s investments support both their financial goals and values?
Consider the following scenarios:
- An organization that provides alcohol or addiction recovery services that is also profiting from investments in alcohol manufacturers and distributors.
- A crisis pregnancy center or pro-life advocacy organization that also invests in companies making abortion drugs.
- An organization that helps victims of human sex trafficking that owns investments in pornography companies.
- A healthcare organization that includes endowment investments in tobacco companies.
These scenarios seem utterly absurd and yet scenarios like these are playing out in Christian nonprofits every day.
The unfortunate truth is that many nonprofits do not actually know what business practices they are investing in and profiting from in their investment accounts, endowments, and retirement plans. Many may see the names of the mutual fund companies on their statements or provided by their financial advisor but don’t know what companies are actually held within the funds.
The sad result is that there are many Christian organizations who are providing life-changing services but are profiting from activities that are completely opposed to the mission and values they stand for. We like to say that investing is like “praying with your dollars.” In essence you are giving your money to a company hoping they will use it to generate more sales and services so that you and the company can share in the profit. What a tragedy if you are hoping to profit from the very products and services, or their effects, that you are working against.
If you are a Christian nonprofit leader, you owe it to yourself, your staff, and board to know what you are really investing in.
Faith-Based Investing for Nonprofits
Beacon Wealth Consultants can help you discover if any of your current investments go against your values. We also give organizations the ability to invest in companies whose products, services and business practices honor their faith values, while creating real blessing in the world through our thoroughly screened, risk-based model portfolios.
At Beacon Wealth Consultants, faith-based investing isn’t just a style of investing – it’s the only way we invest. All our investment strategies incorporate the same, consistent, screening process and are team-managed by our highly credentialed investment committee members. We are privileged to offer nonprofits the opportunity to align their investments with their values.
Wouldn’t you like your investments to align with your organization’s goals, mission, and values?
It’s easier than you think to get started. Give us a call today!