Read about how First Presbyterian Church's Foundation invests in Youth and Young Adults

The FPC Foundation helped fund the new kitchen at Interfaith Housing.

Click here to give a gift online

The First Presbyterian Church of Dallas Foundation is a classic example of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed: “The mustard seed ... is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree.” (Matthew 13:31-32)

In 1958, a group of visionary leaders of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas chartered a Foundation as a separate Texas corporation for the support of the Church.  The Foundation received its first funds from the original Trustees in 1961 and made its first grant in 1969 from  $6100 in net assets.  One Trustee recommended granting “at least $5000” of these accumulated funds.  The idea of a long-term endowment was obviously not yet on their minds.  The first grant, made to Pan American School in South Texas, for $2500 was followed by many others.  By the end of 2012, over $11 million had been distributed to further the ministry and missions of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas.  Over 70% of distribution have gone directly to the Church in support of its ministries.  Today the Foundation has assets under management of over $27 million, income on which is available to provide support for the ministry and missions of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. 

The purpose of the Foundation is to support the benevolent, charitable, educational and missionary work of the church. A Board of Trustees elected from the congregation for six-year terms governs the Foundation’s operations. Independent investment advisors, carefully selected and overseen by the Board, manage its assets. A Grants Committee of the Board reviews all grant requests, makes site visits, and prayerfully considers every request in light of the Foundation’s mission.

In 2012, the Foundation made grants from unrestricted funds of approximately $566,700 almost 60% of which went directly to First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. Long time mission benefactors of FPCD receiving direct grants from the Foundation in 2012 included Interfaith Housing Coalition, Grace Presbyterian Village, Mo-Ranch, Montreat, Community Crossroads Services, Presbyterian Village North, Presbyterian World Missions, Schreiner University and the Presbyterian Children’s Home at Itasca.

The Foundation also manages donor-restricted and board-restricted funds for specified purposes.  During 2012, approximately $116,800 of income distributions from these funds supported the music, scholarships, Brown lectures, landscaping, communications, maintenance, missions & evangelism, Day School and Community Ministries of the Church, as well as the Caring Fund at Grace Presbyterian Village.

Gifts large and small support this good work and are carefully shepherded by the Foundation. Please consult any Foundation Trustee for more information.

Your contribution will be another “mustard seed” to grow and support the ministry of FPC in perpetuity.