The Annual Fund

Supporters are encouraged to make unrestricted gifts of any amount to the Annual Fund at any time during the fiscal year.

Some supporters choose to contribute toward the support of a particular program or activity with the operating budget of the seminary. Contact the Office of the President or the Advancement Office for details on how to designate your giving.

Some MTS supporters work for matching gift companies that will match the contributions of employees to charitable organizations. If your employer is a matching gift company your gift to the seminary can be multiplied by securing a Matching Gift form from your employer and mailing it with your gift to the seminary. The seminary will complete the appropriate portions of the form and return to your employer for payment. Please contact the Advancement Office for more details.

Memphis Theological Seminary

An Annual Fund…Did you know?

• Tuition only covers about 50% of the actual cost of educating a Memphis Theological Seminary student. The $1.5 million that the Annual Fund provides each year is one of only a few sources of income bridging the gap between what tuition provides and the total operating budget. Last year, our annual fund covered 45% of operating expenses. To put this number in perspective: it would take an additional $30 million in the endowment to support what the Annual Fund provides each year.

• Over 90% of all students will receive some type of financial aid this year. Many of them are non-traditional students, supporting a family, or are answering their call as a second career. On average, seminary students will graduate with between $40-50k of debt. A strong annual fund makes MTS competitive by helping us provide opportunities for all students, regardless of their financial circumstances, without requiring them to shoulder excessive financial burden.

• All faculty serve in a variety of ministries beyond the classroom. Fifteen percent of the annual fund goes to supplement faculty resources and enables MTS to attract and retain a diverse, outstanding faculty, distinguished in their areas of study.

• Consistent alumni engagement is essential. Alumni giving is a major consideration for foundations and corporations making significant gifts to institutions like MTS. The more involved an organization’s alumni base is, the more likely it is that we will receive support from the broader community.

• Some areas dependent on support from the Annual Fund include: innovative academic programs emphasizing service, like the Dr. Henry Logan Starks Institute for Faith, Race, and Social Justice, the Theology & Arts Institute, and a certificate in drug & alcohol recovery, as well as Financial Leadership for Ministry and The Methodist House of Studies.

• Our students serve on every continent except Antarctica. When you support their ministries, the hungry are fed, the homeless are sheltered, the outcasts become the beloved community. Our alumni meet real world needs to share the hope of the gospel with those who have none. One student, educated at MTS, with assistance from the Annual Fund can positively impact the lives of thousands.