Role of Barnabas Foundation in the funding ecosystem
Barnabas Foundation is a Christian charitable foundation formed in 1976 to help individuals, families, churches and ministries live out biblical stewardship through generous giving. Based in Crete, Illinois, it serves a nationwide network of member ministries, churches and generous Christians by structuring, receiving and distributing charitable gifts. Rather than running open-call grant competitions, the foundation focuses on managing donor-directed and advised funds, then administering distributions to evangelical ministries in line with its statement of Christian faith and distribution policies.
The organization offers multiple tax-efficient giving options, including gifts of stock, real estate and other non‑cash assets, gifts from IRAs for older donors, gifts in a will or trust, and “gifts that pay income,” which provide lifetime income while ultimately benefiting ministry. These vehicles allow donors to reduce taxes, provide for family and direct substantial resources to Christian causes.
The Stewards Fund donor-advised platform
A core tool of Barnabas Foundation is the Stewards Fund, a Christian donor-advised fund described as a simple, flexible and streamlined way to support a donor’s favorite ministries. Donors create and fund an account, receive a charitable tax receipt, and then use an online portal to recommend grants to churches and ministries that align with the foundation’s faith standards. Barnabas Foundation handles the investment, administration and grant processing, ensuring distributions are made efficiently and in accordance with its charitable distribution policies.
Publics served and overall impact
The foundation serves several key audiences: individuals and families seeking to honor God, care for loved ones and support ministries; churches looking for more robust giving solutions and complex gift administration; and ministries that join as member organizations to access planned giving expertise, marketing tools, training and gift administration services. Member ministries benefit from having sophisticated planned giving capacity at a fraction of the cost of hiring dedicated internal staff.
Through these services, Barnabas Foundation reports a growing volume of gifts distributed through the foundation over its decades of ministry. Its stated aim is that, through God’s work and the generosity it facilitates, there will be no unmet need among the ministries and communities it serves.
Values, governance and distribution principles
Barnabas Foundation emphasizes being Kingdom-focused, stewardship-minded and member-oriented. Its values include prayer, community, trust, service, excellence, expertise and joy. Employment, membership and charitable distribution decisions are guided by a detailed Statement of Christian Faith, including positions on the sanctity of life and marriage. Distributions from funds are made only to ministries and purposes consistent with this biblical framework, reflecting the organization’s desire to maximize financial impact for the ministries supporters care about while remaining faithful to its Christian convictions.