The Signatry Celebrates Nineteen Years

Can you believe it’s 19 years?

Nineteen years ago, I resigned from the law firm to be part of starting what was then called the Servant Foundation.  On June 1, 2000, my first day on the job consisted of going downstairs to my basement office, clicking on my desktop computer and preparing articles of incorporation, bylaws and an application for tax-exempt status.  While it wasn’t glamorous, it was a start.

Not too long after, I found myself out on the streets, talking to as many people as I could about this movement of generosity.  Just a few years later, my car had accumulated 219,000 miles, and we had opened hundreds of donor advised fund accounts and began to see people give away millions of dollars. In addition, we had had the opportunity to host one of the nation’s first awards events for Christian ministries called The Passion Awards.

The following years saw a dizzying pace of growth as we worked with donors, ministries, and advisors from around the country.  By 2011, our corporate back office asked that we standardize the brand, so we became known as the Servant Foundation doing business as NCF Heartland.  But in those years, an important metamorphosis was taking place.

We began to realize that generosity was not the end.  There were families behind that generosity, who were wrestling with real issues of family communication, harmony, and even dysfunction.  They needed help.  Furthermore, we found that while generosity brought incredible joy to people that joy was not the end either.  Generosity needed to be tied to making an impact in the world.  We also learned that donors and financial advisors wanted a system that had lower pricing and gave them greater flexibility.

By April 2018, the Servant Foundation ended our former corporate ties and began doing business as The Signatry, A Global Christian Foundation.  The move allowed us to lower fees, provide greater transparency, increase customer service, and allow donors and advisors the flexibility they desired.

On June 1, 2019, we officially celebrated our 19th year.  (And you can be sure that next year, our 20th year, we’ll have a big party to celebrate so stay tuned!)  But even after 19 years, we have a renewed sense of vigor.

We are living in one of the greatest times in the history of the world.  The greatest wealth transfer in history– $68 trillion—will provide the opportunity to solve the world’s most significant problems.  Imagine an end to human trafficking, bible poverty, or a lack of clean water.  It may seem like an insurmountable task, but if even just one percent of the $68 trillion was given, we’d seen $680 billion to finish these tasks and more.

As we look forward to the adventure ahead, I can’t help think of the scripture, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”  1 Corinthians 2:9