Moravian Ministries Foundation

MMFA pools assets into the Moravian Common Fund — a centralized investment vehicle that accepts capital from endowments, charitable trusts, donor-advised funds, gift annuities, and pension accounts across the Northern and Southern Provinces. The foundation does not publicly break out asset-class allocations, but distributions of $14.99 million in 2024 confirm the fund is liquid and actively managed. The Investment & Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees provides oversight.

A 12-member Board of Trustees governs MMFA, with directors drawn from Moravian congregations in states including Maryland, North Dakota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, and Minnesota. The board operates through an Executive Committee, an Investment & Finance Committee, a Governance Committee, and a Grant Advisory Committee. William W. Matz, Jr., Esq. chairs the board, with Gail Theard as Vice Chair and Brent Waddell as Secretary.

Both. MMFA manages $207.5 million in pooled investment assets while simultaneously operating a grant program that distributed 29 grants totaling $200,946 in 2024. The grant-making focuses on Moravian ministries and was largely funded by the 2023 Moravian Day of Giving. The foundation also provides planned-giving, stewardship, and fiduciary services to Moravian churches and agencies.

Capital flows from individuals, congregations, and Moravian Church agencies across the Northern and Southern Provinces. In 2024, depositors contributed $7.97 million to the Moravian Common Fund. The foundation also holds real estate gifts in the United States and Canada, and it manages funds for the Board of World Mission and the Larger Life Foundation.

MMFA runs three thematic grant-making funds: the Environmental Stewardship Fund, the Hunger and Thirst Fund, and the Racial Awareness, Equity and Repair Fund. These sit alongside the broader grants program and reflect priority areas aligned with the Moravian Church's mission. The Larger Life Foundation, a separate entity, also receives planned-giving and administrative support from MMFA.

The Board of Trustees' Investment & Finance Committee holds oversight responsibility. Day-to-day investment operations sit with the internal staff — President & CEO Chris Spaugh leads the organization, Valerie Johnson serves as Director of Finance, and Ainsley DuBose was hired as an in-house Investment Analyst in May 2025. The committee's named members as of 2025 include Brenda Genemans, Larry Johnson, Rob Meyer, Bruce Shoger, Gail Theard, and Brent Waddell.

MMFA was chartered in 1998 as an inter-provincial agency when the two provinces consolidated their separate planned-giving programs. It serves both provinces as their primary vehicle for investment management, stewardship, gift facilitation, and grant-making. The foundation is legally structured as a North Carolina 501(c)(3) and maintains a unified common fund rather than separate accounts for each province.