Giving Opportunities

Annual Giving: The Seabury Fund

Alums, friends and parishes contribute annually to the Seminary's operating costs through the Seabury Fund. Theological Education costs more than full tuition, unrestricted gifts contribute to the mission and ministry for all.

Such contributions are used for any purpose within the seminary's budget for current operations including scholarships, salaries, maintenance, and programs of excellence. While donors may designate the use of their gifts, gifts made with no designation allow the seminary to allocate those contributions for priority needs.

The 2007-2008 Seabury Fund Goal is $700,000. Our fiscal year is July to June so gifts made before June 30, 2008 will be included in this year's Annual Fund.

Endowment Giving: The Future's Foundation

In order to remain strong, and attract and educate the very best leaders for tomorrow's church, Seabury must increase its endowment. The seminary depends on endowment income to meet the growing expenses that are not covered by tuition and current operations support.

Endowment gifts can be any size and used in a variety of ways:

Unrestricted
Memorial opportunities
Scholarships
Faculty support
Library resources
Programs

Planned Giving: The Lydia Hibbard Society

Planned giving is not for the wealthy alone, it is a way in which all of us can contribute to the long-term mission of Seabury with greater impact.

The Lydia Hibbard Society recognizes all alums and friends who have shared with us that they have remembered Seabury through a planned gift

Lydia was an early benefactress of the Seminary whose strong faith expressed itself in philanthropy. During her lifetime she gave generously to Seabury saying to the Dean "It is the most expensive of my foster children. But it ought to be. What will the Church do without a well-equipped ministry?" Upon her death, her son and lawyers discovered her investments to have been designated given all 'for the Lord.'

Planned or deferred gifts are vital to the future of Seabury, and often allow individuals to make larger gifts than otherwise possible while meeting the long-term needs of your estate planning.*

We are happy to show you how we can make your gift to the Seminary work for you. For more information, please contact: The Reverend Elizabeth S. Butler
Vice President for Advancement and Administration
Seabury Western Theological Seminary
800-275-8235, x 41

Some basic planned giving tools are outlined below for your convenience:
Life Insurance: Consider making Seabury your beneficiary

Gifts Given Through your Will

Specific Bequest: Directs specific piece of property/stock to be given to Seabury

General Bequest: Directs dollar amount to be given to Seabury

Residual Bequest: designates certain percentage of your estate after all expenses to be given to Seabury

Contingent Bequest: directs that under contingent conditions the rest of your estate will go to Seabury, ie: if your beneficiary doesn't survive you.

Trusts:

Charitable Remainder Trusts provide for flexible estate planning. The remainder of the trust is deferred to one or more beneficiaries, such as Seabury. Typical minimum contribution is significant (say $100,000).

Life Income Gifts

These gifts are managed by professional investment managers and provide income for donors or designated others for their lives or a term of years. Upon the death of the last beneficiary, the assets are distributed to Seabury.

Irrevocable Trusts that are Charitable Remainder Unitrusts or Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts may qualify for special tax consideration. Examples:

Charitable Remainder Unitrust:

Provides income to the donor for life (and a beneficiary if desired)
The amount left after the donor's death is transferred to Seabury
The income can vary year to year.
Donor determines annual percentage (5% min)
The cash payment is adjusted yearly
Funding the trust with appreciated assets increases the gifts' tax benefits
Additional gifts can be made into the trust

Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust: Similar to the Unitrust except

Provides unchanging income flow per year

Pooled Income Funds: These funds allow many donors to contribute irrevocable gifts that are co-mingled into common investments.

The advantage is that a smaller initial gift (say $2,500-$5,000) can be made and smaller new contributions can be added.
The donor's 'units' are paid to Seabury upon the donor's death.

Gift Annuities:

The donor gives Seabury assets in return for a guarantee by Seabury for annuity payments, which may be a constant payment for a specific period of time or until the donor's death.
The donor can claim a charitable deduction based on the present value of the assets transferred minus the present value of the annuity to be received.

Deferred Annuity: allows a person with high income and high marginal tax rates to gain a tax deduction in their high-income years and supplement their retirement income with the annuity payments in the future.

*As with all planned gifts, please consult your accountant, attorney or professional advisor.

Leadership Giving: The Samuel Seabury Society

Seabury is supported by the generosity of many faithful alums and friends. Leadership giving societies recognize those annual donors who have distinguished themselves in support of the seminary.

Named for the first Episcopal bishop in the United States, The Samuel Seabury Society was founded to assist Seabury in providing quality theological education and spiritual formation for future ministers of the church. Please consider joining the seminary as a partner through leadership level giving.

The levels of membership are:

Patron: $10,000 and up
Benefactor: $5,000 to $9,999
Member: $1,000 to $4,999
Associate: $500 to $999
Friend: up to $500

Class Giving Challenge

2005: The graduating class of 2005 raised more than $2,500 with 80% participation for the Seabury fund. Their witness to the mission and ministry of Seabury speaks volumes, especially given the significant financial challenges at graduation.

2004: several members of the class of 2004 witnessed this extraordinary example of their colleagues and are encouraging their own class to imitate this powerful example.