Modern generosity from business to the breakfast table

IN THIS EMAIL

• Impact, market-style

• DAF or private foundation?
• From personal fortune to personal finish line

Impact, market-style

When a group of Christian entrepreneurs gathered in France this month, Pope Leo XIV gave them this encouragement: “The vocation of the Christian leader should be understood as a service to the common good and the integral development of the person.”  

There are many ways Christian founders and leaders can accomplish these two goals. That’s the beauty of the creativity and freedom God gives us in our work with him. I’m always amazed at the creative impact strategies I see among The Signatry’s donors, in my own community, and beyond—so this week, I wanted to share a few. 

Offering dignity in an unsafe industry

Last year we interviewed the Mitchell family, who run a clothing company that offers strong wages and safe working conditions in one of the world’s most exploitative industries: sewing. Stable, well-paying jobs create family stability that ripples out into the communities where they operate. 

Creating a product that solves a community problem

Upward Communities partners with school districts, cities, and counties to build housing that’s affordable enough to allow teachers, first responders, and other essential public servants to keep living in the communities they serve. 

Offering discipleship for employees

Sean Kouplen, President of Regent Bank and a donor to The Signatry, devotes part of his work week to developing voluntary opportunities for employees to practice worship. He hosts staff Bible studies and prayer calls, and his team waives costs for nonprofits to use their bank. You can hear more about his journey in our short interview with him. 

Discounting valuable services during down periods

The Brim is a Kansas City wedding venue founded by a couple who wanted to invest in their community and live out their belief in the value of marriage. Their wedding venue offers free and discounted options for morning and mid-week weddings. These are generally less-popular wedding times, allowing more couples the chance to celebrate their new marriage in a setting that feels more special than the courthouse. 

Tithing your profits

Hodgdon Powder, a multigenerational family business, prioritizes kingdom impact by dedicating 10% of its profits to generosity, no matter what kind of year they have. Donating those funds to a donor advised fund at The Signatry keeps the process straightforward and reliable, and the family gets to discuss how they would like to see the funds distributed each year. 

Transforming profits into seed money for a church plant

One local church in my own community in Washington, DC started by opening a coffee shop to raise funds. The coffee shop is still a popular neighborhood spot today. You can watch this interview on YouTube for more on the church-related businesses that are fueling ministry in DC. As the pastor and founder described, “If the Kingdom of God had departments, we would apply for Research & Development.”

- Jessie McBirney, editor, The Bottom Line & Beyond

DAF or Private Foundation?

Whether charitable tax receipts have you stressed or you’re building a more comprehensive vision of family generosity, maybe you’ve wondered if establishing a separate charitable entity is the right move. 

Many families in that position jump straight to a private foundation—a separate, tax-exempt, grant-making organization. While it’s the right choice for some, many of these families could be better served simply by opening a donor advised fund (DAF). 

Of course, there are trade-offs. Some big ones include: 

• Startup costs: Foundations require a time and money investment to get established. DAFs are usually free to open. 

• Administrative costs: Foundations often hire staff to manage investments, records, and grants. For DAFs, the charitable sponsor (e.g., The Signatry) manages most of these items. 

• Control: Foundations allow donors control over asset and grant management. DAFs consider the donor’s recommendations but may say no. 

Your family’s generosity goals ultimately determine which giving solution makes most sense. For a more complete list of the trade-offs between foundations and DAFs, you can read our blog post. 

Personal Fortune to Personal Finish Line

63% of the American entrepreneurs surveyed by UBS say they’re actively considering a business exit. 

That’s nearly twice the rate of global respondents (32%). We could all speculate wildly about why this gap exists, but at least one big reason is that American founders want to refocus on building personal wealth. 

This shift toward personal fortune includes new anxieties about personal legacy. Founders are prioritizing tax-efficient wealth transfers and preparing their heirs to receive wealth responsibly.  

For Christian leaders, wealth and stewardship are probably more complex. It’s true that providing for your family and raising your children to inherit wealth well are valuable, biblical goals. These goals flow out of a bigger truth: that we are not owners, but stewards of God’s resources. 

What does a steward of God’s business need to consider when it comes to an exit? One place to start is to set a financial finish line—what number is high enough? Setting a finish line for yourself doesn’t rule out a search for the highest bidder, but it does expand your vision of a successful exit. 

If you’re thinking about a sale and want more guidance on financial finish lines, adapting to greater wealth, finding what’s next, and living out your faith even during the sale itself, check out our guide “3 Questions to Ask Before Selling Your Business.”