Annual gifts provide critical funds that are immediately available and vital for the success of the seminary. They help CTS address emerging challenges, act on emerging opportunities, and fund student scholarships, faculty development, academic and outreach programs, and other visionary initiatives. Incorporated within its annual operating budget, these gifts represent a fundamental and indispensable source of revenue for the seminary and for the benefit of its students, faculty, staff, and community.

The Annual Fund is the seminary’s most important sustainable fundraising initiative. As with all seminaries, the actual cost of educating each student exceeds tuition and every year, the seminary allocates a significant percentage of its own assets toward student financial aid. CTS never wants a student’s ability to pay to be the barrier to enrolling and graduating.

While CTS is very grateful for philanthropic gifts designated to specific academic and outreach programs, contributions to the Annual Fund are distinct in that they are unrestricted, flexible, and expended each year to support essential, mission-centric priorities.

We all do — students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community at large. Students graduate from CTS well prepared for leadership in ministry, counseling, education, and non-profit leadership. Additionally, the seminary is deeply committed to serving its neighboring communities through the CTS Counseling Center providing affordable mental health counseling services and its Faith & Action Project connecting, inspiring and empowering local organizations in efforts to mitigate poverty in Indianapolis.

The amount you choose to give is a decidedly personal decision and understandably influenced by multiple considerations including your own perspectives on the importance and relevance of the seminary’s mission and vision as well as your individual or family’s financial circumstances. Making the choice to give is a tangible affirmation of your faith and confidence in CTS and its capabilities to steward your contributions putting your valuable resources to effective use. The seminary is steadfast in its commitment to be worthy of your loyalty, generosity, and investment.

CTS relies on gifts of all sizes and gifts in all amounts are both valued and valuable. Large gifts are essential to the seminary’s success. But so are the more modest ones. When combined, gifts to the seminary accrue to make a significant and discernible difference each year. Every gift contributes to an intellectually rigorous, spiritually formative, and emotionally supportive education for those preparing to become church and community leaders in service to God’s transforming of the world.

There are many ways to make or renew your gift to CTS including by cash, credit card, or a transfer of securities. Online gifts can be securely made by visiting cts.edu/give. For CTS faculty and staff, gifts may also be made via payroll deduction through the Faculty & Staff Payroll Deduction Form here.

If you would like to make your gift by check, please make it payable to Christian Theological Seminary and mail it to:

Christian Theological Seminary
Office of Advancement
1000 West 42nd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208

You can also give by credit card over the phone by contacting the Office of Advancement at 317-931-2314, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

For CTS employees, payroll deduction is one of the most convenient ways to make a gift. When you enroll in payroll deduction, your gift is automatically deducted from your monthly paycheck for the amount and the period you stipulate. To enroll, please access the link for the Faculty & Staff Payroll Deduction Form found here.

Annual gifts can be made any day of the year — and thanks to online giving, any time of the day or night. The seminary’s fiscal year is from July 1st through June 30th and CTS uses this when determining giving in a particular fiscal year. Of course, the sooner charitable gifts are received by the seminary, the sooner they begin benefiting its students, faculty, staff, and community.

Yes. A tribute gift may be made in honor or in memory of a CTS faculty or staff member, family member, friend, student, or colleague. An acknowledgement will be sent to the individual whom you are honoring and those appropriate will be notified when a gift is made in memory of their loved one.

Numerous companies encourage their employees to make charitable contributions by matching their philanthropic support and potentially doubling or even tripling the amount of their contributions. You can find out if your company has a matching gift program by contacting your human resources department for a matching gift form. If your spouse’s or partner’s employer has a matching gift program, please complete your section of the matching gift form along with your own commitment to the seminary.

Absolutely. In addition to providing a charitable tax deduction, a gift of appreciated stock or other marketable securities may help avoid taxes on capital gains and can provide increased flexibility to make larger philanthropic contributions.

Before a transfer of stock is initiated, we ask that you please notify the Office of Advancement at advancement@cts.edu or call 317-931-2314 to get current account information, and notify your broker to include donor information along with the stock transfer. This will allow the seminary to monitor its account for the expected transfer and process your gift accurately.

Recurring gifts provide ongoing, automated funds that ensure dependable and timely support for the seminary, its students, and its academic and outreach programs. Setting up your recurring gift is easy by going to cts.edu/give. Simply indicate the amount you want to give and the fund designation in the gift information section, choose the recurring gift option in the additional information section, and select the appropriate frequency options.

If you wish to update your credit card information and/or any of the terms associated with your recurring gift, please contact the Office of Advancement at advancement@cts.edu or call 317-931-2314. Please do not include specific credit card information in your email.

Christian Theological Seminary is a 501C3 nonprofit organization. Gifts to CTS are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by federal and state law. The seminary always recommends that its donors consult with their own tax, financial, and/or legal advisors, as mitigating circumstances can vary and tax laws impacting charitable contributions can change.

When you make a single gift of $1,000 or gifts totaling $1,000 or more during the seminary’s fiscal year, your commitment will be recognized through your membership in the 1924 Annual Leadership Giving Society. CTS commemorates its founding in 1924, the year the Butler School of Religion was created. Gifts to any area of the seminary qualify and employer matching gifts will also count toward your gift total.

All contributors are listed in the seminary’s annual reports and accessible on its website. Donor names are organized alphabetically within various gift levels starting with contributions between $1 and $99 and ending with commitments of $25,000 and higher. If you prefer not to have your name/s printed in the seminary’s annual report, please check the appropriate box in the online giving form at cts.edu/give and CTS will honor your wishes for anonymity.

Yes. Philanthropic commitments can be structured and fulfilled through a variety of charitable giving vehicles and planned gift arrangements including bequests, trusts, and gifts of retirement assets, insurance, and real estate. Many of these opportunities provide important financial benefits to donors and their families while also supporting the seminary. If you are interested in discussing a possible planned gift arrangement, please contact Kristin Champa, Vice President for Advancement, at advancement@cts.edu or 317-931-2310.

Please email the Office of Advancement at advancement@cts.edu or call 317-931-2314, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST. We will be happy to answer your questions!