Lutheran Foundation Of St. Louis, Missouri

What Lutheran Foundation Of St. Louis, Missouri does

Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis is a private nonprofit grantmaking foundation established in 1984 with proceeds from the sale of Lutheran Medical Center, operating under the heritage of the Lutheran Charities Association dating to 1858. The Foundation provides Christian-focused financial grants and capacity-building support to Lutheran congregations, accredited K-12 Lutheran schools, and faith-based and secular nonprofit organizations serving the greater St. Louis metropolitan region (seven Missouri counties and five Illinois counties). Since inception it has awarded more than $145 million to 730+ organizations, with 2024 grant expense of $3,589,741.

The Foundation's product set is organized around six strategic focus areas — Christian Faith in Action, Congregation Community Engagement, Lutheran Schools and Organizations, Foreign-Born Populations, Justice-Involved Individuals and Their Families, and Older Adults Maintaining Independence — and is delivered through Regular Grants (multi-year, renewable up to three years at decreasing amounts), rolling Congregation Mini Grants and Lutheran Education Mini Grants (up to $10,000 each), and Capacity Building Grants for organizational infrastructure. Capacity-building training and consultation is delivered through Send Me St. Louis, a sister organization operating under an employee lease agreement with the Foundation.

The Foundation is governed by 84 delegate member congregations of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and a 15-member Board of Directors, with a lean staff (1-10 employees) led by President/CEO Matthew J. Miller since December 2024. Revenue is generated entirely from the investment portfolio — $8,779,650 in 2024 from interest, dividends, and realized/unrealized gains on $106,214,526 in total assets, with assets managed across BlackRock, Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, PIMCO, and other managers, custodied by Fifth Third Bank, and overseen by Choreo LLC as investment consultant.

Name

Lutheran Foundation Of St. Louis, Missouri

Legal name

Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis

Website

https://lutheranfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis is a private nonprofit foundation established in 1984 that awards Christian-focused grants and capacity-building support to Lutheran congregations, schools, and nonprofits serving the greater St. Louis metropolitan region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy and Grantmaking Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Grantmaking foundation
• Faith-based philanthropy
• Community capacity building
• Christian nonprofit grants
• Congregation funding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Investment Income: Lutheran Foundation generates revenue primarily through investment returns on its endowment portfolio. In 2024, the Foundation earned $2,788,862 in interest and dividends, and $5,990,535 in realized and unrealized gains on investments, totaling $8,779,650 in total revenue.
2. Grant Distributions: The Foundation distributes grants to Lutheran congregations, schools, and Christian organizations. In 2024, grants expense totaled $3,589,741. Total grants awarded since inception exceed $145 million to 730+ organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis is a private, faith-based grant-making foundation that funds Lutheran congregations, K-12 Lutheran schools, and Christian nonprofit organizations in the greater St. Louis metropolitan region. It awards Regular Grants (multi-year, renewable up to three years), Congregation Mini Grants (up to $10,000, rolling), Lutheran Education Mini Grants (up to $10,000), and Capacity Building Grants for organizational infrastructure. Its sister organization Send Me St. Louis provides non-financial capacity-building, training, and consultation to grantees around volunteer management and community engagement.

Product overview

Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis is a grant-making foundation (not a technology company) that provides financial and non-financial support to strengthen organizations serving hurting people in the greater St. Louis metropolitan region. The organization offers multiple grant programs including Regular Grants, Congregation Mini Grants, Lutheran Education Mini Grants, and Capacity Building Grants. Its six strategic focus areas are Christian Faith In Action, Congregation Community Engagement, Lutheran Schools & Organizations, Foreign-Born Populations, Justice-Involved Individuals & Their Families, and Older Adults Maintaining Independence. The foundation works in partnership with Send Me St. Louis, its sister organization, to provide capacity-building support to grantees. The foundation has awarded over $145 million to 736+ organizations since its founding in 1984.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regular Grants Program Annual grant funding available to organizations addressing one or more of Lutheran Foundation's six strategic focus areas, with grants renewable for up to three years at decreasing amounts. Awarded through two annual application cycles (June and December deadlines).
• Congregation Mini Grants One-time grants of up to $10,000 available to Lutheran congregations in the St. Louis metropolitan area on a rolling basis (no application deadline).
• Lutheran Education Mini Grants Annual grants of up to $10,000 available to accredited K-12 schools that are members of the Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA).
• Multi-Year Grants Extended funding available to organizations with long-term relationships and high performance history, typically limited to three years total.
• Capacity Building Grants Funding for organizational infrastructure improvements including program evaluation, database purchases, board training, strategic planning, fundraising activities, marketing, and limited infrastructure upgrades.
• Send Me St. Louis Capacity-Building Services Capacity-building sister organization that provides training and consultation to area congregations and faith-based organizations to strengthen community engagement and volunteer management. Operates under an employee lease agreement with Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis.
• Christian Faith In Action Grants Funding for volunteer capacity building and programs in Christian congregations and organizations, supporting quality volunteer management systems and connecting volunteer service with biblical teaching.
• Congregation Community Engagement Grants Funding for congregations engaging their communities through social services, health programs, after-school initiatives, and relationship-building efforts.
• Lutheran Schools & Organizations Grants Funding for Lutheran schools and organizations to support excellence in Christian education and strengthen partnerships between Lutheran organizations and congregations.
• Foreign-Born Populations Grants Funding for services helping foreign-born individuals achieve self-sufficiency including basic needs assistance, healthcare, language services, mental health support, and citizenship preparation.
• Justice-Involved Individuals & Their Families Grants Funding for reentry support services including housing, employment, healthcare, transportation, family support, and life skills training for justice-involved individuals.
• Older Adults Maintaining Independence Grants Funding for programs enabling older adults to live safely and independently through healthcare services, caregiver support, social engagement, and home-based assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• $145+ million awarded to 730+ organizations since 1984
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Send Me St. LouiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSend Me St. Louis is the capacity-building arm and sister organization of Lutheran Foundation. It focuses on building the capacity of St. Louis area churches and faith-based nonprofits around effective community engagement and volunteer management. LFSL provides grants to SMSL and they operate under an employee lease agreement.
• RubinBrownminorOthersProvides annual audit services for the Foundation's financial statements.
• Fifth Third BankminorOthersServes as custodian bank for the Foundation's assets.
• McMahon Berger / Spencer FaneminorOthersLegal counsel providing corporate legal services.
• Choreo, LLCminorOthersWilliam Lowery serves as investment consultant, providing guidance on portfolio management.
• Investment Account Managers (BlackRock, Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, PIMCO, etc.)minorOthersMultiple asset management firms manage various portions of the Foundation's investment portfolio including equities, fixed income, and alternative investments. Includes BlackRock, Charles Schwab Asset Management, Fidelity Management & Research, Vanguard, PIMCO, and others.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lutheran Services in America: National network of 300+ Lutheran health and human services organizations. Comparable as a broader Lutheran-affiliated services ecosystem that complements LFSL's grantmaking focus.

Others

• St. Louis Regional Business Council (community development arm): Regional civic organization funding community development in the St. Louis area. Adjacent as a St. Louis community stakeholder with overlapping grantees in workforce, education, and social services.
• Send Me St. Louis: LFSL's capacity-building sister organization providing training and consulting to congregations. Internally related as a co-branded partner operating under an employee lease with LFSL.

Regional players

• Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest: Regional Lutheran foundation serving congregations and ministries in the southwestern U.S. Comparable as a denominationally aligned grantmaking foundation, though in a different geography.
• Crawford Taylor Foundation: Family foundation based in St. Louis funding education, social services, and civic initiatives in the region. Comparable as a regional grantmaker supporting overlapping community organizations.

Direct peers

• Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Foundation: The national foundation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, serving the same denomination and overlapping donor base. Comparable as a Lutheran grantmaking entity, though operating at national scale vs. LFSL's regional focus.
• Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation: The largest community foundation serving the St. Louis metropolitan region. Directly comparable as a geographically focused grantmaking foundation competing for the same nonprofit grantees and donor pool in the same 12-county region.
• Deaconess Foundation: St. Louis-based faith-affiliated foundation focused on children and family wellbeing through grantmaking. Comparable as a regional faith-based grantmaker serving overlapping community health and social service nonprofits in the same metro area.
• Incarnate Word Foundation: Catholic-affiliated foundation in St. Louis funding ministries of presence, education, and basic needs. Closely comparable as a denominationally rooted, regionally focused grantmaker serving faith-based nonprofits in the same geography.
• ELCA Foundation: Foundation arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, providing planned giving, endowment, and grant services to Lutheran congregations and ministries. Comparable as a Lutheran-affiliated grantmaking institution supporting education and social ministry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lfstl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lutheran Foundation Of St. Louis, Missouri