Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. - 2021-01-15T151825.551

Who Governs Us?

The Foundation's governance is overseen by 57 members, including one member from each of the LCMS Districts, one from each of the Concordia Universities, one from both seminaries and one member from 11 other LCMS entities.

Those members elect the majority of our 13-member Board of Trustees, which meets quarterly with our staff and our professional investment advisor, NEPC, to review the Foundation’s portfolio and to discuss any relevant developments. 

Our investment advisor

The Foundation's investment portfolio is managed by three groups working together. Our Foundation staff, our Board of Trustees and our investment advisor, NEPC. NEPC is a firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, with over 350 clients and close to $1 trillion in assets under advisement.

Ongoing portfolio monitoring

The Foundation works continually to ensure that all assets are invested with established portfolio targets and goals in mind. We and our investment advisor, NEPC, review market activity in the Foundation’s investment accounts on a daily basis, as well as on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis, which are detailed below. 

 

Monthly market results and analysis

The Foundation’s investment committee meets monthly to review the long and short-term investment results for each of the Foundation’s external fund managers, and all investment funds offered to account holders. We also provide monthly reports (prepared by NEPC) to ministries and investors detailing portfolio performance, compared to market benchmarks, for each of our funds.

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Quarterly performance reviews

NEPC also prepares reports each quarter analyzing the Foundation’s investment portfolio. A preliminary report summarizes market performance and portfolio returns and holdings, and is available shortly after quarter-end. Several weeks later, an updated, final report will replace the preliminary report. The final report includes a more detailed analysis of each fund, including top 10 holdings, holdings by sector and measures like duration, average market cap, and price-to-earnings ratio. 

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Annual review and reporting

The Foundation staff also meets annually with each of our external fund managers to review fund performance and adherence to investment guidelines. Each year we publish an Annual Performance Summary. The Foundation Board of Trustees also reviews the Investment Policy Statement annually, modifying it as needed.

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Additional Reporting and Accountability
  • Annual financial statement audit
  • Annual SOC 1 by Brown Smith Wallace
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Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in holy array. 1 Chronicles 16:29
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Our Fee Structure

By collectively managing nearly $1 billion in investments, the Foundation receives favorable pricing to keep our expenses low. And as a non-profit, our fees are typically lower than most commercial firms.

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Compare Our Performance

The highly professional, low-cost investment option we offer LCMS ministries quite often outperforms funds managed by commercial companies. Click "Learn More," below to review our monthly, quarterly and annual returns.

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Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re still not sure if creating a ministry fund is right for your ministry, or if you specific questions about the investments and services offered by the LCMS Foundation, our FAQ page may address your questions or concerns.

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Contact Us

How can we help you today? If you are a current account holder or investor with a question, or if you're new to the LCMS Foundation and would like more information, we'd love to hear from you. Please use the "I have a question or comment about" drop-down field below to get your comment to the correct person or department faster.