| Lds Philanthropies |
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| organizational subdivisions of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints | |
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Lds philanthropies serves as the central coordinating agency for all donations to the Church or one of its institutions—beyond tithing and fast offerings—with the goal of helping members and friends of the Church meet the needs of people worldwide. This is accomplished by focusing on those priorities selected and approved by the leaders of the Church and its institutions. Major funds receiving donations regularly through the Church's LDS Philanthropies include Humanitarian Services and the Perpetual Education Fund. Church educational institutions are also major recipients, including Brigham Young University (BYU), BYU-Hawaii, BYU-Idaho, and LDS Business College. THE HISTORY OF LDS PHILANTHROPIES The first permanent organization created to raise philanthropic funds for charitable causes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came about in 1955 when the BYU Destiny Fund was launched. In 1971, the Church's First Presidency commissioned a successor organization, Church Education Development (CED). This office sought private support for the Church's institutions of higher learning, its seminary and institute programs, and its elementary and secondary school systems. In 1982, CED's name was changed to LDS Foundation. Since its beginnings, the mission and services of LDS Philanthropies have been continually shaped and refined to better serve the philanthropic needs of members and friends of the Church. Milestones 1955 The first permanent Church organization created to raise philanthropic funds is formed at BYU. The BYU Destiny Fund is initiated as a high-impact alumni program designed to generate an endowment for scholarships and funds for other needs of the university. 1966 The Development Office of BYU is formally created. A national development volunteer council is also appointed. The Development Office of BYU is organized to "augment Church support of the Church school to foster those academic programs in which it can make major contributions and make it the most proficient institution of learning in the world" (First Presidency letter, 21 October 1966). 1971 President Nathan Eldon Tanner, counselor in the First Presidency, creates a task force to address philanthropic issues in the Church. As a result of the task force's work, the Church Education Development organization is created. The task force is given the charge to recommend to the First Presidency the best organizational format for philanthropic work within the Church. The new organization is asked to report directly to the Commissioner of Education. 1972 The Church creates its own trust company, Deseret Trust Company. Deseret Trust Company, a non-profit organization, is formed to serve as a "fiduciary entity of donor choice" for charitable trusts, gift annuities, revocable trusts, and selected other funds. It also acts—in substantive part—as a fiduciary for trusts which benefit other Church affiliates. 1972 A standing committee is organized to monitor gift acceptance among Church institutions. In behalf of Church institutions, a committee is asked to oversee the acceptance of major gifts and gifts of special import. Those invited to serve include development staff members, other Church employees, a representative from the Deseret Trust Company, and respected individuals from the business community. 1973 Church Education Development is renamed The Development Office of the Church. The renamed organization continues to report to the Commissioner of Education. In addition to furthering philanthropic efforts for Church educational units, the office begins development work for other Church programs: ''Division of Health Services'' • Hospitals • Medical Research and Education • Medical Services ''Division of Education'' • Brigham Young University • Ricks College • Church College of Hawaii • LDS Business College • Elementary and Secondary Schools • Institutes and Seminaries ''Division of Special Projects'' • Missionary Program • Other Special Projects 1974 The Church divests itself of all its hospital operations. As the Church focuses more on its primary mission and purposes, development work for Church health organizations ceases. 1975 BYU announces its Second Century Campaign. BYU begins its centennial celebration by conducting a one-year major capital campaign. The campaign surpasses its $20 million goal by $285,000. 1980 The Development Office begins reporting to a General Authority. To achieve stronger correlation among Church institutions, the Development Office begins reporting directly to a member of the Quorum of the Seventy. 1980 The Development Office budget methodology is changed. Prior to this time, development operations were financed from a prorata assessment of unrestricted dollars raised for each institution. The Church begins including the Development Office in its annual budgeting process; 100 percent of all philanthropic contributions go to donors' intended purposes. 1981 BYU announces a five-year major capital campaign, Excellence in the Eighties. The university announces a $100 million major capital campaign to augment university programs. Public announcement of the campaign is made in October of 1982. At the campaign's end in December of 1986, campaign contributions total $115.7 million. 1981 The Development Office is reorganized as a unit within the stewardship of the Office of the Presiding Bishopric. The Development Office begins reporting to the Investments Department of the Office of the Presiding Bishopric to achieve stronger correlation in donation programs. 1981 The Development Board is created. The board is formed to bring correlation, formal direction, and policy formation to philanthropic work within the Church. Functioning under the auspices of the board, the Gift Review Committee—which has functioned independently of any direct board supervision since 1971—is organized as the Gift Evaluation Committee. 1982 The Development Office of the Church is renamed LDS Foundation. The name LDS Foundation is chosen to describe the Church's philanthropic organization. A First Presidency letter reclarifies the office's purpose: to "encourage and facilitate voluntary philanthropic contributions to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its related organizations and activities, with primary fund-raising emphasis relating to Church institutions of higher education." The Foundation continues to report to the Presiding Bishopric through the Investments Department. 1985 Ricks College announces a five-year major capital campaign. Ricks College launches a five-year capital campaign to raise funds for selected programs. By the end of 1990, it surpasses its goal of $10 million, as development efforts raise $12.2 million. 1986 For the first time, LDS Foundation reports directly to the Presiding Bishopric. LDS Foundation is asked to report directly to the Presiding Bishopric to further strengthen its philanthropic role in the church. 1990 John Grenzebach & Associates, a Chicago-based philanthropic consulting firm, is retained by LDS Foundation and BYU. BYU is anxious to pursue a major capital campaign during the decade of the '90s, but seeks independent campaign counsel to accurately assess the magnitude of preliminary work necessary to ensure a successful campaign effort. Foundation leaders encourage the use of independent counsel to help the university organize internally, conduct campaign feasibility research, and determine campaign logistics. 1992 The Gift Evaluation Committee is dissolved and a new correlation committee is formed. The new committee is charged with supervision, oversight, and correlation of gift acceptance for all Church institutions and departments—including its educational institutions. 1993 With the assistance of John Grenzebach & Associates, BYU conducts a pre-campaign feasibility study. Representatives of the John Grenzebach & Associates firm personally interview approximately 100 major campaign prospects to determine the likelihood of BYU's success in conducting a major campaign. Results are positive. 1994 The Church Board of Education and Board of Trustees approve a six-year, $217 million major campaign for BYU. Ricks College receives permission to raise philanthropic funds for designated priorities. The quiet, or nucleus, phase of BYU's campaign begins. The public-phase announcement is planned for 1996. Ricks College's fund-raising efforts will span five years, formally beginning in 1995. 1995 The campaign goal is raised from $217 million to $250 million. The success of the nucleus phase results in commitment of more than 50 percent of the campaign goal. 1996 The Lighting the Way for the 21st Century capital campaign is formally launched for BYU and BYU–Hawaii. On 6 April, BYU hosts a public celebration to invite private individual and organizational support of the new $250 million major campaign. BYU–Hawaii joins BYU in this historic effort to achieve three primary objectives: • Teach more students. • Enhance educational quality. • Extend BYU's influence. 1999 The Lighting the Way for the 21st Century capital campaign ends 31 December 1999, eight months earlier than originally planned. Ricks College completes its five-year efforts to fund selected priority projects. With the admonition from the First Presidency to hasten the campaign's successful conclusion, the Lighting the Way campaign concludes at a level of $412 million, 165 percent of its original goal. Ricks College surpasses its $17.4 million philanthropic plans for designated priorities by raising $19.4 million, 112 percent of the initial five-year goal. 2000 LDS Foundation begins proactive fund raising for the Church's Humanitarian Services division. Voluntary donations of money and in-kind gifts are needed to support the Church's international assistance to the world's poor and to disaster response programs. 2001 LDS Foundation launches its Internet site. The new web site "ldsfoundation.org" provides members and friends of the Church with a comprehensive source of information about making philanthropic gifts to the Church and its charitable institutions and programs. ==External links= |
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