Accelerator Grants (Organizations)

Accelerator Grants for Organizations

Purpose: Reward growing endowments by matching additional fundraising efforts after initial startup phase, helping established funds reach new milestones faster.

Geographic Scope: Lutheran churches, schools, and organizations

Award Amount: 20% match on all additional gifts (after startup phase) up to $500,000 in contributions

Key Features:

• Continues after endowment launch—every additional dollar raised receives a 20% boost
• Matching grants are genuine investments, not loans, and never need to be repaid
• Matching funds must be used to build the endowment, not spent directly
• Subject to withdrawal policy
• Helps organizations reach critical mass faster than investment growth alone
• Funds that grow from $50,000 to $100,000 generate twice the annual distributions

Eligibility:

• Organization must have established an endowment fund with LLF
• Organization continues fundraising efforts
• Lutheran churches, schools, and organizations
• Not available if organization received Founding Legacy Match

What They Fund:

• Continued endowment growth after initial startup phase
• Long-term sustainability and expansion of ministry impact

Contact Information:

• Address: 513 South Main Street, P.O. Box 31, Paris, IL 61944
• Phone: 217-463-8202
• Email: Info@LutheranLegacyFoundation.org
• Website: lutheranlegacyfoundation.org

Background:
Lutheran Legacy Foundation has seen firsthand how matching grants help ministries at different stages of endowment development. The accelerator grant addresses the natural plateau that occurs after initial enthusiasm by rewarding continued fundraising efforts. LLF manages over $80 million in assets with 250+ active organization funds.

Application Process

1. Eligibility Confirmation
   • Confirm your organization has an established endowment fund with LLF
   • Verify you are eligible for accelerator grants (not received Founding Legacy Match)
2. Fundraising & Gift Submission
   • Conduct fundraising efforts for additional endowment gifts
   • Submit gifts to LLF
   • LLF automatically applies 20% accelerator match to eligible gifts
3. Growth & Distribution
   • Accelerated fund grows with matched funds
   • Organization receives annual distributions from growing endowment

Strategies to Maximize Accelerator Grants:

• Focus on reaching critical mass milestones (e.g., growing from $50,000 to $100,000)
• Tell stories about what the endowment will fund
• Make it easy to give: offer multiple contribution methods (cash, appreciated stock, IRA distributions, memorials, planned gifts)
• Celebrate progress publicly and regularly update donors
• Think beyond initial startup—accelerator grants continue indefinitely (up to $500,000 in contributions)

Notes:

• If unsure whether your organization qualifies, LLF is happy to walk you through the process