WELCOME to PresbyterianEndowment.org
Welcome to PresbyterianEndowment.org - the new website of the PEER Network. We invite you to stroll through our site to explore the new programs already available and learn about some other programs still under development.
So let me give you a brief tour of what's new:
Our Mission: To Provide resources that encourage Presbyterian churches and organizations toward best practices in gift planning and the use of endowments.
Our Executive Director: The PEER Board has set new goals that require a dedicated full-time staff person to exceed these goals. I am honored to be the one chosen to implement the vision of the PEER Board. I bring 5 years of experience in Presbyterian planned giving and nearly a decade of private sector experience in institutional and personal banking.
Our Website: We conducted interviews with dozens of churches to build this website based around what THEY need to know. Some of the exciting new features we have developed are a new robust library, discussion rooms, and an article series focusing on 3 areas: Best Practices, Planned Giving and Endowments. And this is only the beginning, so please feel free to share with us any ideas you have on celebrating planned giving and endowments in our churches. If churches need it, we'll go find it or else try to make it.
Our Membership Program: In 2009 we studied the planned giving and endowment practices of churches and other non-profits. It may come as no surprise that most of our churches have a lot of catching up to do. Through our Membership Program, we offer new tools to support churches using some of the strategies used by our most successful churches as well as those larger non-profits who seem to be doing it right - like universities, museums and hospitals. This Program includes tools like a planned giving website customized for your church and a planned giving marketing program with the most compelling information and stories focused on Presbyterians. For the first half of 2010 we are in the testing phase of this program, so please let us know if your church would like to particpate.
Our Survey: Please consider taking our planned giving and endowment survey. It will give you a good sense of where your program stands. It will give us a sense of where our churches stand and what our churches need. Furthermore, we will publish the results on a regular basis, so you can see how our churches operate their programs and where your church's program is similar or different to others.
Our Business Model: To date we are entirely supported by generous donations and lots of volunteerism from people passionate about stewardship and passionate about the future of our church. Of course our Membership Program fees we will help to defray some of our costs, but for the foreseeable future we warmly and gratefully welcome your support.
That is a quick tour of the new PEER. Please tune in often to see our new article series sharing what best practices are happening with planned gifts and with endowments.