LDS Philanthropies
Members and friends of the Church and alumni of the educational institutions donate cash, stocks and mutual funds, real estate, intellectual properties, artwork, historical artifacts, and other items.
Cash donations can be made online at: philanthropies.churchofjesuschrist.org
History
Philanthropies of the Church of Jesus Christ traces its history back to BYU and the creation of the BYU Destiny Fund in 1955. As BYU came to realize the potential for philanthropic giving, a development office was formally created at BYU in 1966 to help support major contributions to the university. Within a few years, this was expanded to cover the entire Church Educational System. As charitable contributions began to grow throughout the Church, the development office was expanded to meet the needs of the entire Church. To reflect this, the name was again changed in 1973 to The Development Office of the Church. The name was again changed in 1982 the LDS Foundation and again in 2005 to LDS Philanthropies. In 2019 the name was simplified to Philanthropies, reflecting President Russell M. Nelson's direction to use the proper name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to discontinue using the terms Mormon or LDS.
Organization
Philanthropies is a department of the Presiding Bishopric of the Church and reports directly to both the bishopric and the Commissioner of Education for the Church. Philanthropies serves the Church's philanthropic needs—beyond tithing and fast offerings—for welfare and humanitarian programs, the Perpetual Education Fund, temple and missionary programs, and the Church's institutions of higher education.
