Endowment Fund

Wesley United Methodist Church Charge Conference Report 2025
November 1, 2025
Endowment Fund Committee 2025

The Endowment Fund of Wesley United Methodist Church has been established and is subject to the Disciplines of the United Methodist Church, and to the actions of the church conference.  The Endowment Fund was created and exists solely for the charitable purpose of the church with its principle objectives being the promotion and the development of religious, charitable and educational activities.  It is also for nonrecurring purposes not regularly budgeted.  The Endowment Fund will not be used to support the operating budget of the church.

For the year 2025:

1. We had $48,213.91 available to grant in 2025.  Following WUMC’s Endowment Fund Charter, the amount available to grant is equal to the sum of dividend, interest, short term and long term capital gains earnings as of December 31, 2024. Our 2025 available funds represent a significant increase over last years $21,029.41.  2024 was a strong year for the overall financial markets.  Our Endowment fund has grown from $826,772 to $909,484 in 2024, a 10% increase net of 2024 grants.
2. After assessing our investment needs with our Treasurer (Dale Sasaki) and Finance Chair (Lori Tabuchi), we decided to find a firm to more actively manage our investments and simplify the management of our Endowment fund for our committee, including ease of visibility to our funds activity, maintain smooth interconnection to any financial institution when we need, and have a direct line to the investment advisor making investments on our behalf along with quarterly review meetings.  With the help and guidance of Charles Schwab, we met with an independent Wealth Advisory Firm (Destination Wealth Management) at the end of June.  Pleased with the outcome, we migrated our Endowment investment portfolio to Destination Wealth Management from Union Bank, with Schwab as the investment/funds custodian.
3. To start 2025, we granted approximately $967.50 to Hatty Lin, Gods Garden Director to cover CPR training for Gods Garden teachers and Kids Camp directors.
4. We granted $498.67 to our Wesley Winter Retreat to cover cost of supplies.
5. For 2025, we doubled the Sanematsu Scholarship amount from $1000 to $2000 for our qualifying Wesley high school graduates.  This year, we granted a $2000 Sanematsu Scholarship to Jaeden Kozuma in June.  We look forward to ongoing and growing grants to our upcoming high school graduating seniors.
6. We granted $120 for Hikaru Bakoshi and Terri Thornton to attend CPR training.
7. We approved a $1,729 request from Mark Teagle to fund his seminary class as he continues to pursue Deacon Ordination.
8. The fund has received numerous donations throughout the year.  We are very appreciative to all who have donated.
9. 2025 is proving to be a great year financially.  As of now, our Endowment funds performance is outpacing our grants.  We’re hopeful for continued strength into the end of 2025 and a prosperous 2026.

For the year 2026:

1. Continue our scholarship programs.
2. Continue to promote and grant funds for charitable, educational, and religious projects aligned with our Endowment charter.
3. Continue to manage and grow the Endowment fund.
4. Increase Endowment fund awareness within our congregation.  

Our committee members include Keith Nakashima (chair), Chris Koshiyama, John Moody and Marcia Yasukawa.

Respectfully submitted by:
Keith Nakashima,  Endowment Fund Chairman