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Planned Giving—Leave a Legacy for the Poor

Current Gifts • Deferred Gifts • Disposition Options

MEDA, together with Mennonite Foundation, is launching two planned giving funds that will help families in the developing world achieve their dreams.

It is our hope that our members will share MEDA’s vision of taking a risk for the poor. This vision includes an endowment fund goal of $5 million. The risk is in giving direct help to poor, self-employed entrepreneurs through small loans funded by MEDA's Endowments of Hope Fund.

Nelson Ruiz

Nelson Ruiz was a small farmer in rural Nicaragua. Nelson had a dream for his wife and young family of four children. As most farmers, he had a dream that his future lay in Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. After the move, with the few dollars he had left, he opened a mini-store in his home. This was not enough, so Nelson applied for a loan from MiCredito (a new micro-bank started by MEDA). With a $240 loan Nelson was able to offer 25 more items in his store and increase his income. Then, Nelson got a loan to buy a freezer to sell ice and cold drinks. Following that, Nelson noticed that none of his neighbors had phones. With another loan he purchased a phone line and now provides phone rental service to his neighbors. Nelson’s response to being able to borrow money to help his business, “MiCredito has changed my life. My children will have a better future now that I have a small but constant income.”

Endowments of Hope is an endowment with a difference. In partnership with Mennonite Foundation, endowment gifts will be invested in MEDA’s Sarona Risk Capital Fund. Sarona, in turn, will re-invest these funds in selected microfinance banks like MiCredito that make small loans directly to poor, self-employed entrepreneurs.

And while the endowment fund provides capital directly to microfinance banks, income from these investments will be used to create new opportunities for poor entrepreneurs to start or expand their businesses or farms.

Poverty Solutions Gift Fund can receive gifts under the various options given by Mennonite Foundation. It is also the fund to which the income from the Sarona Risk Capital Fund will be placed. Income from invested capital in the Sarona Risk Capital Fund will be used to create opportunities for entrepreneurs to start or expand their businesses or farms.

Planned Giving Options

Current Gifts

  • Cash
  • Gifts of publicly traded and privately held stock, mutual funds and other marketable securities
  • Gifts of collectibles
  • Gifts of farm commodities and products
  • Gifts of life insurance

Deferred Gifts

  • Bequests in wills, revocable living trusts or retirement accounts
  • Trusts, deposits and annuities, both charitable and non-charitable
  • Life insurance and annuity benefit proceeds

Disposition Options

  • Current donation
  • Amortized gift
  • Endowments

For more information, call 1-800-665-7026 or e-mail Bob Kroeker at

MEDA's Planned Giving partners are Mennonite Foundation Canada and Mennonite Foundation in the U.S. They can provide expert advice and technical assistance in setting up various donation vehicles. You can contact them directly at:

Mennonite Foundation (Canada) 1-800-772-3257
Mennonite Foundation Inc. (U.S.) 1-800-348-7468