3 Types of Non-Cash Gifts Your Church Can (And Should) Receive
When it comes to stewardship and charitable giving, most churches only think about cash donations. But most of the wealth in congregations is tied up in non-cash assets, many of which can be given as charitable donations.
These non-cash assets are often called “complex gifts” because they’re not as simple as cash to process and receive. Communicating these alternative gifts to your congregation and being set up to receive them could make a big difference in the financial flourishing of your church.
Here are three types of non-cash assets your church members can give:
#1: Stocks, Bonds, and Other Securities
One of the most common types of complex gifts are securities, like stocks and bonds. When members donate securities to their church, they pay no capital gains tax on the appreciated value of their securities. Doing so means your church members avoid the tax on capital gains, maximize the return on investment, and protect the tax credits for use against other taxable income.
#2: Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)
A donor-advised fund is a simple, flexible, and tax-efficient way for Christians to give to their favorite charities, including your church. Donor-advised funds are one of the fastest-growing charitable giving vehicles in the United States because they are one of the easiest and most tax-efficient ways to give to charity. RBI recommends utilizing the PCA Foundation’s premier offering, the Advise and Consult Fund ®, which is free and can be opened with an initial gift of just $1,000.
#3: Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD)
A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from an individual’sIRA custodian account, payable to a qualified charity. In addition to the benefits of giving to charity, a QCD excludes the amount donated from taxable income, which is unlike regular withdrawals from an IRA. For those 70.5 and older, QCD’s can be counted toward meeting your required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the year, if certain requirements are met.
Get Your Church Set up to Receive Complex Gifts Today
One of the biggest benefits of being set up to receive complex gifts is that doing so greatly increases tax savings for congregants, thereby enabling them to give far more to the kingdom building initiatives they are most passionate about. If your church is not currently able to receive non-cash donations, Geneva can help.
Geneva Benefits Group has established ways for individuals to donate non-cash assets to the Ministerial Relief Fund to serve PCA ministry workers in need and can walk you through the process.
To learn more about getting your church set up to receive securities or QCDs, email Chris Zurbach, our Director of Philanthropic Giving, at chris.zurbach@genevabenefits.org. To learn more about DAFs, visit pcafoundation.com.
For more than 50 years, Geneva Benefits Group has been committed to serving those who serve the Church. Established by the PCA General Assembly in 1973, Geneva was entrusted with a clear and enduring mission: to care for pastors, ministry workers, and their families—not just in seasons of flourishing but in moments of real need.
At the heart of that mission is the Relief Fund.
The Relief Fund exists to provide financial assistance and compassionate support to PCA pastors, widows, and ministry families facing hardship. Whether the need arises from illness, loss, or unexpected crisis, the goal is simple: to ensure that those who have given their lives to ministry are not left to carry those burdens alone.
This work is overseen by the Geneva team and guided by people who understand ministry life firsthand. Many on our team are pastors themselves and have spent years walking alongside ministry families. Financial planners, staff members, and committee leaders bring both professional expertise and pastoral care to every situation.
Because behind every application is a real story.
A Thoughtful and Pastoral Application Process
The Relief Fund is available to PCA pastors, widows, and ministry families experiencing financial hardship. The circumstances vary, but often include medical crises, disability, loss of income, or the death of a pastor—leaving a spouse or family navigating both grief and financial uncertainty.
Applying for assistance is designed to be a private, respectful, and pastoral experience. Applicants are invited to share their circumstances in a way that helps Geneva understand both the financial need and the broader context of their situation. Financial information is gathered but always with an emphasis on dignity, confidentiality, and care.
No one is treated like a number. Every application represents a person, a family, and a story that matters.
How Relief Fund Grants Are Prayerfully Distributed
Once an application is submitted, it is carefully reviewed by Geneva’s Financial Assistance Committee. This team includes financial leaders, pastoral staff, and experienced advisors who bring both wisdom and compassion to the process.
Each request is approached with prayerful discernment. In many cases, applicants also meet with a Geneva financial planner to gain a clearer understanding of their financial picture and to receive guidance on next steps. This ensures that assistance is not only timely, but also thoughtful and sustainable.
Several factors are considered in determining how relief is given:
- The nature and urgency of the need
- The applicant’s available resources
- The long-term impact and sustainability of support
Support may come in the form of a one-time emergency grant or ongoing assistance for more extended situations. Each case is handled individually, with care taken to tailor support to the specific need. Relief is delivered as quickly and practically as possible—meeting people where they are, when they need it most.
How Your Generosity Changes Lives
Every dollar distributed through the Relief Fund begins as a gift.
Donors make this work possible by giving generously to support pastors, widows, and ministry families they may never meet but with whom they share a deep bond in Christ. These gifts are carefully stewarded by Geneva to ensure both immediate impact and long-term sustainability.
Supporting the Relief Fund is relational, not transactional. To give to the Relief Fund is to participate in the care of the Church. It’s a way of saying, “You are not forgotten.” It’s a tangible expression of gratitude for those who have spent their lives serving others.
The impact of your generosity is literally life-changing:
“My wife and I would not have made it financially for the last few years without the help from the Relief Fund.” -Scott, PCA Pastor
“When I got the call that I was going to be given help, I cried for 20 minutes straight on the phone…It felt like a miracle and that the Lord saw me.” -Jen, Widow
“Without the Relief Fund, I don’t know where I would be. I could very well be homeless. I have no family that can help. I can’t say enough good things about this ministry.” -Kimberlee
Time and again, these gifts become lifelines—helping families stay afloat, covering essential expenses, and providing stability in seasons that might otherwise feel overwhelming.
A Growing Need
As the PCA continues to grow and mature, so do the needs within it.
More pastors are reaching retirement age. More widows are living longer and requiring ongoing care. At the same time, rising healthcare costs and financial pressures are increasing the strain on ministry families.
The need for the Relief Fund is growing.
And with that growth comes an opportunity for the church to respond–to live out its calling as a connected, caring body, and to ensure that those who have faithfully served are, in turn, faithfully supported.
How to Get Involved
At its core, the Relief Fund is a bridge.
It connects those in need with those who are able to give. It reflects a shared commitment to care for one another across churches, cities, and generations. It honors the service of pastors and ministry families by ensuring they are not alone in times of hardship.
“You often don’t know the struggles and trials your pastor, his family, and other ministry workers endure. They often put on a great public face while having many internal struggles and weariness in the ups and downs of hard ministry work. Being able to provide relief is essential for helping those who serve the Lord openly and, in their calling, when they have extraordinary need.” – Relief Fund Monthly Sustainer
This is what it looks like to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). And it is an invitation:
- To pray for those in need
- To give to the Relief Fund as you are able
- To apply for help
As we support one another in times of need, the Church becomes a clearer picture of Christ’s love and care for His people.
Geneva Benefits Group serves those who serve others, providing practical support for the financial, physical, and mental wellbeing of people who work in full-time ministry.
