Endowment Fund

Including the Endowment in your vision of Christian stewardship

How you can leave a legacy to River Road Church

Thank Youfor considering the opportunity to leave a legacy to River Road Church through the Endowment Fund.

As you consider your gift, we realize you will have questions.
We hope you will find answers to those questions and more as you read through the information provided here.

If at any time you would you like a member of the fund’s Board of Directors to reach out to you (confidentially, of course), please send an email to endowment@rrcb.org or leave a message with the church office at (804) 288-1131. We would welcome the opportunity to speak with you.

What will my legacy be?

Looking ahead, each of us must consider how to pass along to others the resources we have cultivated and enjoyed over a lifetime.

As we make those plans and decisions, just as with our gifts of time and resources in life, we will speak a legacy of love to and about those persons, endeavors, and beliefs we most value.

By making a gift—or arranging a planned gift—to the River Road Church, Baptist, Endowment Fund, we can extend our stewardship beyond our own lives, sharing God’s love and our Christian witness with future generations.

Could my gift really make a difference?

Yes! Everyone’s gift is important. River Road Church has dreams and aspirations of carrying out meaningful and life-changing ministries.

Considerable resources, both human and financial, are needed to make those happen. A strong, healthy endowment provides critical support, enabling our church to act boldly on the opportunities of Christian ministry God provides — especially when those require resources beyond annual congregational giving and other usual funding sources.​ (You can read about the many ways the Endowment Fund has supported the church over the years here.)

We urge all who love River Road Church to consider gifts or to arrange planned gifts from their estate resources in whatever amount they are able.

While we cannot know what opportunities and challenges lie ahead for our church, we can help God provide for all the future holds.

What is the best way to provide a gift to the Endowment Fund?

You have several choices regarding how you might fund your gift. Gifts might include cash, securities, and in certain instances, real estate or other assets. Gifts of all sizes are valued, important, and welcomed, and may be made at any time.  Gifts to the Endowment Fund are deductible for income, gift, and estate tax purposes.

To arrange a gift to the Endowment, you could:

Provide for a for a gift beyond your lifetime—a legacy gift​

Arranging a gift through your will or other formal documents (estate plans) allows you to designate the River Road Church, Baptist, Endowment Fund, or any other cause dear to you, to share in the resources you have enjoyed in life.

Such plans are relatively easy to accomplish and do not limit your enjoyment of your assets during your lifetime. In addition, most arrangements can be changed should it become necessary.

To arrange a bequest to the Endowment, you could:

Make provisions in your will—or add a codicil

You may choose to leave a share of your resources to the Endowment Fund in the form of cash, specific assets, a percentage of your total estate, or as a contingent gift if a family member or other primary beneficiary does not survive you. You could make such arrangements when you are drawing up a new will or living trust, or you could add a codicil or other amendment to your existing documents.

Add a beneficiary designation
You can leave part or all of a financial or brokerage account, an insurance policy, retirement plan benefits, or an individual retirement account (IRA) to the Endowment Fund through a beneficiary designation. In most cases, you need only complete a beneficiary form provided by the financial institution. Like wills and trusts, beneficiary designations should be reviewed on an ongoing basis and may be amended in line with changing circumstances.
Or consider other options
You could combine a gift to the Endowment Fund with provisions for family members by using such charitable giving vehicles as a charitable remainder trust, a charitable lead trust, or a charitable partial sale.

Make a gift any time you choose

You might also choose to make a gift at a time beneficial for you in life, which allows you to experience the joy of presenting your gift. When considering a gift of your assets, there are ways you can maximize both the tax benefits to you and the value of the gift to the Endowment Fund.

Two such opportunities include:

Tax-free gifts from your regular IRA during your lifetime

After you reach age 70½, you may direct up to $105,000 per year from a regular individual retirement account (IRA) tax-free to one or more charitable organizations, including the Endowment Fund. Such direct transfers do not count as taxable income, but amounts you transfer after age 73 can count toward your IRA’s annual required minimum distribution (RMD).

Tax-free gifts of appreciated stock
When you sell appreciated stock, you must pay capital gains tax on your net profits. If instead you give stock to the Endowment Fund, the fund receives the full market value of the stock, without reduction for capital gains tax, and you may be able to deduct the full market value of the gifted stock against your other income if you itemize deductions. In this way, gifts of appreciated stock could offer advantages to you over gifts of cash.

When making your gift, please direct it to the River Road Church, Baptist, Endowment Fund, and send or bring it to the church office.

In all these matters, before making a decision, you should consult your personal tax and legal advisors to maximize the income and transfer tax benefit to you, your heirs, and your estate.

Do I have choices in how my gift will be used?

The best gift to the Endowment Fund is one most appropriate to your personal circumstances and interests.

You may choose to make your gift to the general fund or to one — or more — of four specific funds existing under the Endowment Fund umbrella.

An unrestricted gift to the Endowment Fund is the most common designation and is preferred, in that it allows the Board of Directors the flexibility to apply funds where they are most needed at any given time.

You also have the option to designate your gift to an area of special interest, choosing from:

The Masonry Fund

Income from this fund will support upkeep and improvement of the buildings and grounds of our beautiful church complex as those needs exceed the annual budget.

The Ministry Fund

River Road Church encourages Christ’s followers in the pursuit of a thoughtful faith in today’s world. Income from this fund will support education and spiritual formation efforts and programs for all ages.

The Missions Fund

Income from this fund will support River Road Church in serving those in need and growing the kingdom of God locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally through mission outreach. Efforts might include mission trips, missions-related education activities, and others endorsed by the church.

The Music Fund

Music is an integral part of worship and fellowship at River Road Church. Income from this fund will support the music program, including the concert series, the music library, and the acquisition and maintenance of musical instruments.

Your Gift Will Be A Blessing

As you consider a gift to the Endowment, we hope you will recall the many ways River Road Church has nourished and influenced your family’s spiritual life.

When you make such arrangements, you’ll join others in leaving a legacy of love, helping your church proclaim the good news of Christ’s message for generations to come.

Additional Questions

If you have additional questions about giving opportunities, please send an email to endowment@rrcb.org or call the church office (804-288-1131).  A member of the Board of Directors will be in touch with you.

Commitment Form

If you will make a legacy gift commitment now, or if you have already done so, please let us know by completing the legacy commitment form.