Stewards Foundation

What Stewards Foundation does

Stewards Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation established on March 26, 1945, currently headquartered in Dallas, Texas (relocated from Addison, TX in December 2015). The foundation serves New Testament patterned Christian assemblies across the United States, operating with a small staff of approximately 12 employees and a volunteer Board of Trustees. Its mission is to support the establishment and continuity of these assemblies through three principal service lines: a loan program that finances assembly facilities, a Health Care Assistance Program (HCAP) that provides medical cost support to commended workers, and planned giving instruments that channel charitable bequests to specified assemblies and workers.

The foundation's loan program is its most visible commercial activity. Since 1945, the foundation has invested more than $50M across approximately 2,000 assemblies. As of FY2015, the active loan portfolio totaled $11.7M across 47 loans spanning 19 states. Loan capital is sourced from donor contributions and reinvested principal, with interest rates calibrated to charitable rather than market returns. The HCAP program has distributed nearly $25M in assistance to commended workers between 1989 and 2019, serving 312 families in 2016 alone, and was reopened in 2010 after a prior suspension. In 2009, the foundation launched the 100% Pass-Thru Fund to enable donors to direct contributions to specific assemblies.

As a 501(c)(3) entity, Stewards Foundation does not operate on a profit-maximizing model. Revenue is generated indirectly through net interest spreads on the loan portfolio, fees associated with administering planned giving and charitable trusts, and donor pass-through activity. The foundation does not maintain a public technology platform and has no disclosed digital or AI capabilities. Strategic activity has been largely defensive and administrative since the 1982 divestiture of its hospital operations, including the 1998 Texas reincorporation, the 2009 launch of the Pass-Thru Fund, the 2010 HCAP reopening, and the 2015 Dallas office relocation.

Name

Stewards Foundation

Legal name

Stewards Foundation

Website

https://stewardsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stewards Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1945 and headquartered in Dallas, TX, that serves New Testament patterned Christian assemblies in the United States through facility loans, a health care assistance program for commended workers, and planned giving instruments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Nonprofit Financial Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction & Development (C&D) Lending — Commercial/Multifamily (FSALADAH), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)

Keywords

• Assembly financing
• Religious facility loans
• Healthcare assistance program
• Planned giving instruments
• Nonprofit lender

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Program: Primary revenue source. Stewards Foundation provides loans for the purchase, construction, and renovation of assembly facilities across the United States. Interest proceeds from loans fund the Health Care Assistance Program (HCAP).
2. Planned Giving - Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA): Contract between donor and qualified charity. Donor makes a gift in exchange for a lifelong income stream. Payments continue for life of donor or couple. Tax benefits include immediate charitable deduction and tax-exempt portions of payments.
3. Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity (DCGA): Agreement between donor and qualified charity where donor makes a gift in exchange for deferred lifelong income stream. Annuity rate depends on when payments begin and whether based on one or two lives.
4. Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT): Irrevocable trust providing annual payout to donor or designated beneficiary. At end of donor's life, remainder is paid to charity. Tax advantages include income tax, capital gains tax, and estate/inheritance tax benefits.
5. Demand Notes: Investment instruments for individuals and Member Assemblies. Proceeds support HCAP while providing return on investment. Investment regulations prevent offering in some states.
6. Donor Advised Funds (DAF): SF HCAP Support DAFs allow Member Assemblies to enhance revenue for HCAP. Assemblies benefit from proceeds supporting HCAP while receiving return on donation. Separately identified funds maintained by 501(c)(3) sponsoring organization.
7. 100% Pass-Thru Fund: Established in 2009. Anyone can directly support HCAP by sending funds designated for the Pass-Thru Fund. All designated funds supplement annual HCAP gift; no portion goes toward Stewards Foundation expenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stewards Foundation provides loans to New Testament patterned assemblies for the purchase, construction, and renovation of assembly facilities across the United States. Interest proceeds from these loans fund the Health Care Assistance Program (HCAP), an annual gift program offering healthcare expense assistance to full-time workers commended by member assemblies. The organization also offers planned giving and investment instruments (Charitable Gift Annuities, Deferred Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Demand Notes, Donor Advised Funds, and the 100% Pass-Thru Fund) that enable donors and investors to support the foundation while receiving returns or income streams.

Product overview

Stewards Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation serving New Testament patterned assemblies since 1945. The organization operates primarily as a loan program for assembly facilities, supplemented by a Health Care Assistance Program (HCAP) for commended workers. The core product is the Loans program, which provides financing for purchasing, constructing, and renovating assembly facilities. Supporting services include a Loan Calculator for financial planning, Resources (educational content on property purchases and construction), Membership, Informational Seminars, and a Quarterly Newsletter. Investment products include Charitable Gift Annuities (CGA), Deferred Charitable Gift Annuities (DCGA), Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT), Demand Notes, and Donor Advised Funds (DAF) - all designed to generate revenue for HCAP while providing returns to investors. The 100% Pass-Thru Fund allows direct support to HCAP with 100% of funds going to healthcare assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Assembly Facility Loans Provides financing for the purchase, construction, and renovation of assembly facilities across the United States. Loans are available to New Testament patterned assemblies, with funds derived from investments and bonds. Loan applications require 30 days advance submission before scheduled board meetings.
• Health Care Assistance Program (HCAP) Annual gift program providing healthcare expense assistance to full-time workers commended to the Lord's work by member assemblies. Funded primarily through loan interest proceeds and supplemented by the 100% Pass-Thru Fund.
• Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) Contract between donor and qualified charity providing a lifelong income stream in exchange for a gift. Payments are guaranteed for the life of the donor or couple regardless of market conditions. Tax benefits include an immediate charitable deduction and tax-exempt portions of payments.
• Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity (DCGA) Agreement providing a deferred lifelong income stream where payments begin at a future date. Annuity rates are higher when payments are deferred longer, and rates depend on whether the annuity is based on one or two lives.
• Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) Irrevocable trust providing an annual payout to donor or designated beneficiary. At the end of the donor's life, the remainder is paid to the charity. Tax advantages include income tax, capital gains tax, and estate/inheritance tax benefits.
• Demand Notes Investment instruments for individuals and Member Assemblies that provide a return on investment while supporting HCAP. Investment regulations prevent offering in some states.
• SF HCAP Support Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Separately identified fund maintained by a 501(c)(3) sponsoring organization allowing donors to support HCAP while receiving a return on their donation. Donor retains advisory privileges for distribution of proceeds.
• 100% Pass-Thru Fund Fund established in 2009 allowing anyone to directly support HCAP. All designated funds supplement the annual HCAP gift with no portion going toward Stewards Foundation expenses.

Quantifiable outcome

• $11,696,106 invested in 47 assembly loans across 19 states (FY2015)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Believers Stewardship ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner organization in the Planned Giving Program. Rob Sullivan, SF Trustee, serves as President and Chief Executive of this ministry which helps Christians accomplish financial and estate planning goals in fulfilling biblical stewardship.
• Assembly Care MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreg Drake serves as member of Board of Directors. This is a local and international ministry that Stewards Foundation trustees are involved with.
• Church Asset ManagementminorOthersDave Lehman of Church Asset Management provides video resources on property and liability insurance for assemblies through Stewards Foundation's resource pages.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Direct peers

• CDF Capital: CDF Capital (formerly Church Development Fund) is a faith-based lending organization that finances church construction and property acquisition, directly comparable to Stewards Foundation's core loan program for assembly facilities.
• National Christian Foundation: National Christian Foundation is one of the largest Christian donor-advised fund sponsors, directly comparable to Stewards Foundation's DAF and planned giving offerings (CGA, DCGA, CRT) targeted at Christian donors.
• MMBB Financial Services: MMBB Financial Services provides banking, lending, and retirement benefits to Baptist churches and ministers, similar in structure to Stewards Foundation's loan-plus-HCAP model for commended workers.
• AG Financial: AG Financial provides financial services (loans, insurance, retirement) to Assemblies of God churches and workers, a denominational counterpart to the assembly-focused lending and worker support at Stewards Foundation.
• The Signatry: The Signatry is a national Christian donor-advised fund provider, offering comparable charitable giving infrastructure (DAFs, planned giving) to faith-aligned donors and nonprofits.
• Barnabas Foundation: Barnabas Foundation helps Christian donors with planned giving, charitable trusts, and gift planning strategies, overlapping with Stewards Foundation's CGA, DCGA, and CRT product offerings.
• Guidestone Financial Resources: Guidestone provides financial services, lending, and retirement products to Southern Baptist churches and pastors, comparable in serving a specific faith community with both lending and worker welfare products.
• Christian Community Credit Union: Christian Community Credit Union (formerly ECCU) provides faith-based lending, mortgages, and banking services to churches and Christian ministries, the closest direct competitor to Stewards Foundation's mission-driven lending model.

Emerging players

• National Fund for Catholic Religious Vocations: A faith-based vocational support and grantmaking organization. While denominationally distinct, it represents the broader category of faith-aligned grantmaking foundations that compete for mission-driven charitable capital.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stewardsfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stewards-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stewards Foundation