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The Signatry (Servant Foundation)

Annual Giving
$575.1M

The Signatry (Servant Foundation)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Over $4 billion distributed since 2000 (cumulative)
  • Recent Activity: $575 million distributed in fiscal year 2024 to 2,093 organizations
  • Grant Flow-Through Rate: 82% (significantly above industry average)
  • Nonprofit Recipients: Over 13,000 nonprofits served since 2000
  • Geographic Focus: National (all 50 U.S. states)
  • Grant Range: Varies by individual donor (past grants range from small amounts to $56 million)

Contact Details

Address:
7171 W 95th Street, Suite 501
Overland Park, KS 66212

Phone: (913) 310-0279
Fax: (913) 227-0254
Email: info@thesignatry.com
Website: https://thesignatry.com

Nonprofit-Specific Resources: https://thesignatry.com/resources-for-nonprofits/
Help Center: https://help.thesignatry.com
Contact Form: https://forms.thesignatry.com/contact/

Overview

The Signatry, operating under the legal name Servant Foundation (EIN 43-1890105), is a Christian donor-advised fund (DAF) sponsor founded in 2000, originally as the Christian Community Foundation of Kansas City. In 2018, the organization expanded nationally and rebranded as The Signatry. With assets exceeding $1.4 billion and annual contributions of over $883 million (FY2023), The Signatry has facilitated over $4 billion in grants to Christian nonprofits since its founding.

The organization's mission is "to inspire and facilitate revolutionary biblical generosity across generations," with an ambitious vision: "To write the last check to the last missionary to be sent out to the last unreached people group so the last person can hear the gospel." In 2021, Steve French succeeded founder Bill High as CEO. The Signatry's community recommends grants at a rate more than twice the industry average, demonstrating exceptional donor engagement and generosity. The organization earned ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) accreditation, reflecting its commitment to transparency and integrity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Signatry operates through a donor-advised fund model where individual donors establish charitable funds and recommend grants to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations. Unlike traditional foundations, The Signatry does not have its own grant programs with specific amounts or deadlines. Instead, grants are determined by individual donors who use The Signatry's platform.

Historical Grant Examples (FY2020):

  • Every Home for Christ: $56 million
  • OneHope: $31 million
  • Alliance Defending Freedom: $19 million
  • Wycliffe Bible Translators: $9 million

Fund Types Available:

  • Donor-Advised Funds (individuals and families)
  • Charity Funds (for nonprofits to accept noncash assets)
  • Corporate Giving Funds

Application Method: No public application process; grants are donor-initiated

Priority Areas

The Signatry's donor community focuses funding on Christian organizations working in:

  • Mission and Evangelism: Global missionary work and church planting
  • Community Development: Addressing poverty and social challenges
  • Education: Christian schools, universities, and educational ministries
  • Religious Organizations: Churches, parachurch ministries, and Christian nonprofits
  • Water and Humanitarian Aid: International development projects
  • Legal and Advocacy: Religious freedom and biblical values advocacy

The organization emphasizes alignment with biblical values and Christian worldview across all funding areas.

What They Don't Fund

As a donor-advised fund sponsor, The Signatry does not make funding decisions directly. However, all grant recipients must be:

  • IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) organizations
  • Aligned with Christian values and beliefs
  • Not engaged in activities contrary to biblical principles

Individual donors have complete discretion within these parameters.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Steve French - President & CEO (appointed 2021)
Steve French succeeded founder Bill High as CEO and provides strategic management and leadership. French emphasizes that The Signatry is "more importantly a Christian ministry seeking to build the kingdom of God by inspiring world-changing generosity."

Jason Yakelis - Chief Operating Officer

Dale Armstrong - Chief Revenue Officer

Dane Frazier - Chief Legal Officer

Key Staff

Stewart Rawley - Senior Vice President of Client Success
Kristin Hammett - Leader of the Nonprofit Success team
Lesli Tyson Carnes - Director of Donor Care
Kim Harris - Family & Corporate Generosity Liaison

Board of Directors

  • Jim Wright - Retired CEO and Executive Chairman of Tractor Supply Company
  • Mark Bainbridge - Retired General Manager of Bancourier
  • Mark Hammett - First Vice President of Fixed Income Sales at Commerce Bank
  • John G. Gillespie - Founder and CEO of Access Financial Group, Inc.
  • Bill High - Founder of The Signatry and former CEO

Core Values

The Signatry operates according to five core values:

  1. Family - "valued as a first place of training for the next generation to follow in a set of biblical principles"
  2. Collaboration - "valued as we serve, struggle, and celebrate as one body to further eternal impact"
  3. Generosity - "valued as a radical way of life that reflects our creation in the image of the ultimate Giver"
  4. Creativity and Innovation - "valued as a group of committed learners who say yes to making God's vision possible"
  5. Integrity and Transparency - "valued as we boldly speak truth while humbly owning our mistakes, according to God's standards"

Leadership Quote

Founder Bill High on generosity: "Family generosity is the easiest way to live our vision, mission, and values."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Signatry does not have a public application process for nonprofits seeking grants. This is a donor-advised fund sponsor, meaning individual donors make all decisions about which organizations receive funding.

Grants are initiated by donors who:

  1. Establish a donor-advised fund with The Signatry
  2. Contribute assets to their fund
  3. Recommend grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations
  4. The Signatry conducts due diligence and processes approved grants

Nonprofits cannot apply directly to The Signatry for funding. Instead, they must cultivate relationships with donors who use The Signatry's platform.

Getting on Their Radar

The Signatry provides specific resources to help nonprofits connect with their donor community:

Nonprofit Success Program: The Signatry's team offers:

  • Donor Development Program Assessment - Helps organizations evaluate fundraising maturity and identify growth opportunities
  • Video Training - Educational content including "The data your nonprofit needs to know about major donors" and "The critical role of empathy in fundraising"
  • How-to Guides - Practical resources on "the unique partnerships you can create through donor advised funds" and strategies for major donor conversations
  • Nonprofit Success Newsletter - Connects leaders to share insights about donor engagement

Charity Fund Option: Nonprofits can establish their own charity fund with The Signatry, allowing them to:

  • Accept noncash assets (businesses, real estate, stocks) from donors
  • Build organizational reserves
  • Position themselves as sophisticated in major gift fundraising

The Signatry emphasizes: "Your mission deserves more than traditional fundraising solutions" and notes that "90% of the average American's wealth is held in noncash assets like businesses, real estate, and stocks."

Key Strategy: Build relationships with major donors in the Christian community who may already have accounts with The Signatry or who might be interested in establishing donor-advised funds for their charitable giving.

Decision Timeline

Grant processing times vary based on individual donor timelines and due diligence requirements. Once a donor recommends a grant:

  • The Signatry conducts organizational verification
  • Grants are typically processed and distributed within a few weeks
  • No fixed decision schedule as grants are donor-initiated on a rolling basis

Success Rates

Not applicable in traditional sense - there is no competitive application process. Success depends entirely on cultivating relationships with individual donors who use The Signatry's platform. Over 2,000+ organizations received grants in fiscal year 2024, demonstrating wide distribution across the Christian nonprofit sector.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no application process. Nonprofits can receive multiple grants from different donors or repeated grants from the same donor without restriction.

Application Success Factors

Since The Signatry operates through donor-advised funds, success depends on relationship-building with individual donors rather than application quality. However, The Signatry provides specific guidance for nonprofits:

The Signatry's Advice to Nonprofits

On Understanding Donor Wealth:
The organization emphasizes that nonprofits must adapt to how wealth is held: "90% of the average American's wealth is held in noncash assets like businesses, real estate, and stocks." Organizations that can facilitate noncash giving position themselves for larger gifts.

On Donor-Advised Funds:
The Signatry's educational materials stress that "a donor advised fund is a partnership" and that nonprofits should understand how DAFs work to have informed conversations with major donors.

On Building Relationships:
Through their Nonprofit Success program, The Signatry teaches that empathy and understanding donor motivations are critical. Their training covers "the unique partnerships you can create through donor advised funds" rather than traditional ask strategies.

Organizational Characteristics That Attract Funding

Based on historical grant recipients, organizations most likely to receive grants through The Signatry include:

  • Clear Christian identity and mission alignment - All top recipients demonstrate explicit biblical foundations
  • Large-scale impact potential - Major grants went to organizations with international reach (Every Home for Christ, OneHope, Wycliffe)
  • Established credibility - Recipients tend to be well-known Christian organizations with proven track records
  • Mission/evangelism focus - Gospel proclamation receives significant funding priority
  • Biblical worldview advocacy - Organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom demonstrate values alignment

Practical Steps

  1. Educate your development team about donor-advised funds and specifically about The Signatry's role in Christian philanthropy
  2. Develop capacity to accept noncash assets - Consider establishing a charity fund with The Signatry
  3. Engage with The Signatry's nonprofit resources - Utilize their free training, assessments, and guides
  4. Build relationships with Christian major donors - Many may already use The Signatry or be receptive to DAF giving
  5. Subscribe to the Nonprofit Success newsletter - Stay connected to peer learning and best practices
  6. Ensure your organization is easily verifiable - The Signatry conducts due diligence on all grant recipients

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not a traditional funder - The Signatry facilitates donor giving rather than making institutional grants. There is no application to write or program officer to persuade.

  • Focus on donor relationships, not applications - Your fundraising strategy should target Christian major donors who may use or could benefit from using The Signatry's donor-advised funds.

  • Leverage their nonprofit resources - The Signatry offers free training, assessments, and educational content specifically designed to help nonprofits understand and access donor-advised fund giving.

  • Consider establishing a charity fund - Opening your own fund with The Signatry positions your organization to accept noncash assets and demonstrates sophistication in major gift fundraising.

  • Emphasize Christian identity and mission alignment - All funding flows through donors who choose The Signatry specifically for its biblical values and Christian worldview.

  • Build capacity for noncash giving - The Signatry specializes in converting businesses, real estate, and stock into charitable dollars. Organizations that can facilitate these gifts access significantly larger funding.

  • Understand the scale - With over $4 billion distributed since 2000 and 2,000+ organizations funded annually, The Signatry represents a major channel for Christian philanthropy that many nonprofits overlook.

References

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