Giving Platforms
Cross Connections enjoys close relationships with several area businesses that align with our mission. These supporters will help in sponsoring some of our fundraising events and participate in various campaigns. Donations are given at times in the form of matching grants or through legally established foundations. Cross Connections publically thanks these friends of the ministry through logo inclusion on our website and recognition at our periodic gatherings.
Cross Connections is a not for profit 501(c)3 with the State of Indiana, and donations made by individuals as well as businesses are tax deductible. If you are a leader in a corporation or a business owner and would like to learn more on how you or your business could support the ministry of Cross Connections, you may email our Director, Jen Robb, at
Another way that donors may support the ministry at Cross Connections is through a planned gift. According to PlannedGiving.com, planned giving "is any major gift, made in lifetime or death as part of a donor's overall financial and/or estate planning. Planned giving allows donors to support nonprofits with larger gifts than could usually be made from ordinary income. These include gifts of equity, life insurance, real estate, personal property, or cash. Following are a few examples of planned gifts made to Cross Connections:
Gifts of Stock and Assets
Gifts that derive from a donor’s investment portfolio are another benefit for both supporter as well as the ministry. From a tax advantage for the donor and the gift received by the ministry is a gifting avenue that can be very appealing. With the gift of appreciated securities held long term, the donation a supporter makes and the tax deduction acquired are both greater than if the donor were to sell stock out of a portfolio and then give the resulting cash to the ministry.
In this avenue of giving, the stock the donor gives avoids capital gains tax while allowing the donor to deduct the full market value of the stock that is being gifted to the ministry. This allows the dollar amount donated to be more!
Charitable Gift Annuity
A charitable gift annuity is a contract between a charity or ministry and a donor whereby the ministry pays an annuity to the donor for life in exchange for a gift of cash or other assets. This arrangement is part charitable gift, part purchase of an annuity contract with a term equal to the life of the donor. The administrative burden is placed on the ministry. Generally, the donor receives an income tax deduction for the difference between the value of the property transferred and the annuity value.
Cross Connections is always available to meet with our partners who wish to continue their partnership and ensure the mission, focus, and purpose of bringing Biblical counseling and guidance to the trials of life endures for decades to come.
Thrivent Choice Dollars
Many of our supporters are members of Thrivent Financial and carry Life Insurance and other financial holdings through the many avenues of wealth building they offer. Thrivent offers an avenue for all member to donate to their selected charity or ministry through Choice Dollars. This a Donor Advised fund that allows investments to grow and then be granted to the organization the member has selected. Donor Advised Funds (DAF) are a charitable giving account exclusively designed to invest, grow, and give assets to charities for lasting impact. The contributions are tax deductible and the assets in the DAF grow tax-free. The gift to the ministry is made periodically and it is a very convenient at tax-efficient way to give!
If you are interested in starting a conversation with us about how you can include Cross Connections in your planned giving, please email our Director, Kirk Reber, at
The popular belief that an annual fund is simply a means for a ministry to conduct business on a day-to-day basis is really a limited view in importance to both donor and ministry. While the annual fund is indeed a life supply to operational needs, it is a much more complex measuring tool for Cross Connections.
The annual fund is primarily a systematic testing of relevance and validity for Cross Connection’s case for support. Our annual fund (the Isaiah 9:6 fund) stands as a measuring barometer that our vision for bringing Biblical counseling to the Ft. Wayne area is shared with donor and organization alike. Maintaining that vision and partnering with our donors to bring it to fruition keeps effective counseling at the forefront and sharpens our focus on the objective of bringing Christ into the trials of the many who are seeking to bring Him into the present storm of their lives.
Maintaining our annual fund also brings validation to our ongoing programs and the special needs of this very specific ministry. The annual fund helps us identify, inform, and involve multiple levels of donor involvement tailored to the different avenues where counseling is needed. From funds supporting first line responders and addictions to educating our therapists, the annual fund serves to strengthen the bond between donors and Cross Connections.
Recurring Gifts
Recurring giving is simply giving to the ministry in an ongoing basis instead of a one-time gift. Those who decide to give to Cross Connections in this fashion allow the ministry to engage with our most passionate supporters and keep them updated on how our shared mission is being carried out. This avenue of giving offers donors the power to support Cross Connections in a way that makes the most sense for them from a planning perspective and keeps them aligned with the goals and objectives of the ministry. Gifts of any amount can be recurring and signifies a standing belief in a mutual cause.
Our annual fund makes up about 50% of our annual operating budget. You can donate to our annual fund on the main page of our website by clicking the Donate button. For more information on the annual fund and ways to support it, you can email our Director, Kirk Reber, at
