The National Christian Foundation (NCF) is a US nonprofit that assists donors in donating to charitable causes.Tax-Smart Philanthropy Made Easy at The Wall Street Journal; by Laura Saunders; published August 22, 2015; retrieved February 18, 2015 NCF accepts noncash assets and is the nation's largest provider of Christian-centric donor-advised funds. Since 1982, NCF has granted over $14.5 billion to causes and charities.
History
In 1982, Evangelical Christian author and entrepreneur Larry Burkett, financial author and advisor Ron Blue, and tax attorney Terry Parker founded the National Christian Foundation.Alms Alchemy at Philanthropy Roundtable; by Liz Essley White; retrieved May 20, 2015A Meteoric Rise at Philanthropy Roundtable; retrieved February 18, 2015
Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, NCF began adding local offices throughout the United States in 2000. In 2018, NCF reported having 28 local offices in cities across the country, including Dallas, Orlando, Chicago, and Seattle.20 Biggest Grant Making Foundations for Christian Organizations at The Christian Post; by Dr. Jeffrey J. Rodman; published January 27, 2010; retrieved February 18, 2015 These local offices are community-based and act as liaisons to the national organization.
In 2021, NCF distributed its $14 billion to more than 71,000 charities since its founding.National Christian Foundation gifts historic Dwight L. Moody property to Catholic and Protestant groups at Religion News; published February 7, 2017; retrieved March 22, 2017 This has led it to be ranked as the 6th largest non-profit organization in the United States.
Program
NCF's primary operation, the Giving Fund (donor-advised fund), works as a charitable savings account.
NCF spends a portion of donations to fund the support activities necessary to be able to make those grants. NCF calculates the amount as a percentage of the donor's Fund balance (typically 1% or less each year) and, in the case of non-cash assets, a percentage of gift value (typically 5%, one time).The 200 Largest U.S. Charities at Forbes Magazine; retrieved February 18, 2015
Criticism According to Inside Philanthropy, there is a lack of clarity about NCF's capital sources and targets, similar to other donor-advised funds.Big Money, Quiet Power: A Look at the National Christian Foundation at Inside Philanthropy; by Philip Rojc; retrieved March 21, 2019 According to a report originally published by Sludge, NCF distributed $56.1 million to 23 organizations designated as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center between 2015 and 2017. The report stated that most of these organizations opposed LGBT rights; some were anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NCF donated some $630,000 to Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine misinformation group led at the time by Robert F. Kennedy Jr..
References
External links National Christian Foundation official Website