Our network is extensive.
The United Methodist Frontier Foundation is organized as an independently incorporated non-profit 501(c) (3) which serves religious and charitable causes.Through our financial programs, our outreach by the numbers:
- 400 partner churches, from upstate New York to western Connecticut to metro New York and Long Island
- 1,400 churches in need of stewardship and financial services
- 450 investment accounts, from under $10,000 to over $6,000,000 in value
- more than 25 gift annuitants and 25 trusts
Our philosophy: Money Matters
The United Methodist Frontier Foundation's (the Foundation) investment philosophy is based on experience as a relatively small institutional investor with a mandate to provide non-generic investment services to even smaller institutional investors.
Core beliefs on churches:
- With a strong financial foundation they can thrive.
- Like their members, they are trying to stretch dollars.
- The church has an opportunity to provide counsel about money.
- Talking about money means working through their financial challenges.
- They recognize their own strengths and capacities through financial programs.
- Their own strengths help them become mission-driven churches...and mission-driven churches make disciples for Christ.
Good investment management
The Foundation works with its investment advisor, John G. Ullman & Associates (JGUA), to set a style that both maintains value and meets the income/payout requirements of its clients. Through benchmark selection, investment policy guidelines, and semi-annual discussions with its manager, these expectations are realized.
This includes Socially Responsible Investing - and the JGUA management program is exceptionally sensitive to United Methodist socially responsible investing criteria. Their investment manager’s relationship representative has served on the board of the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits (GBOPHB, now Wespath) and through that experience, the firm has vetted securities and enabled them to be included.
Our partners and resources:
- Strong investment options managed by SEC-registered investment advisors, John G. Ullman and Associates, Corning, New York
- Professional investment accounting through FIS Charlotte Business Systems
- Third-party custody, Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley
- Stable and reliable back-office staff
- Investment funds that meet the criteria of the United Methodist Book of Discipline for socially responsible investing
How We Serve
We proudly provide:
- Financial Education including training for clergy and lay-leadership in church finance
- Stewardship Programs including leadership for annual campaigns
- Capital Campaign leadership including readiness assessment and campaign management for large and small capital projects
- Education and Products for charitable giving, wills and other legacy gifts
- Personal Finance Training, focused on developing the capacity to make the best decisions
- Ministry Grants to encourage and support creative and vital ministry in the local church
Click here to visit our Performance History