The Generosity Trust

09/03/2026

A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) turns a tax-deductible gift into a flexible giving tool. After putting money into your DAF, you can recommend grants from your fund for your church, alma mater, or any qualified nonprofit.

Why does this help?
⏱️ You put money in when it makes the most sense. Do you have a tax reason why you need to give this year, but you don't know yet where to send the money? After you give to your DAF, on your own timeline you can decide when and where to recommend grants - no need to decide immediately.

🧾 At the end of the year, you get a single, consolidated giving record at tax time.

❔ Want to remain anonymous? A gift from your DAF can be made anonymously!

🤗 Did you know you can have multiple advisors on the same DAF? It's a great fit for a business, family, or even friend group.

In 2024, The Generosity Trust distributed 10,614 grants through DAFs, totaling $38.1 million to organizations nationwide, with $19 million staying right here in the greater Chattanooga area.

If you’d like to simplify your giving strategy, we'd love to talk: thegenerositytrust.org/donor-advised

09/01/2026

The summer of 2026 has been more than a season.

For many across Chattanooga’s Christian community, it has become a season of renewal—of rest, prayer, and fresh vision. It has been a time to pause, to listen for God’s voice, and to ask how He is calling each of us to become more faithful leaders, more committed servants, and better partners in His Kingdom. And we at TGT are listening to that call as we engage with other organizations who care about our community. Why? Because we understand that true renewal cannot happen in isolation.

We invite you to read more in our monthly newsletter: https://www.thegenerositytrust.org/the-summer-that-changed-the-conversation/

08/27/2026

What does our team of 10 do week to week?

As a community foundation with a small but mighty team, we have time to serve our fund holders with personal but efficient touches. Our Finance Team works hard to receive donations into DAFs, stock gifts, and legacy gifts, and then sends out countless donor-directed grants every week.

Our team also takes time to get to know the community. We learn about the challenges, opportunities, and who is doing what. We connect and collaborate. These past two weeks, here is a tiny snapshot of what our team is up to:

- Global Leadership Summit at Woodland Park Baptist
- Nonprofit Tour of The Samaritan Center (check out their awesome volunteer-crafted birthday cake kit for clients- that personal touch matters!)
- Full luncheon with the Young Givers Giving Circle, learning from Jim Creasman about integrating generosity in life
- United Way of Greater Chattanooga Working Families Summit
- The Haven House for Children Ribbon Cutting
- Office Birthday Fun!
- Rainy days make for a great time for thinking, planning, and churning out work...

Want to learn more about TGT? Send us a message, and we would love to connect!

08/18/2026

Do you think all your giving should be in secret?

"Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" comes from scripture, but does this mean Christians should NEVER talk about their giving?

John Rinehart with Gospel Patrons shares a few ideas that perhaps all giving is NOT meant to be secret. Read more here: https://www.gospelpatrons.org/media/should-all-your-giving-be-in-secret/

❤️ - It's about the heart: it's not an absolute prohibition. We should examine our hearts before sharing about our giving. If we do it to be praised, that's evidence that we aren't doing it for the right reasons.

💡 Jesus taught us to "let our light shine." Sometimes, others need to hear and see how we lean into generosity, so that our light can inspire them in their own walk.

😊 Jesus publicly highlighted generous people. We need more examples of generous people to follow.

🎁 Generosity is listed as a spiritual gift - we talk about the other spiritual gifts like teaching, leadership, and mercy, why not generosity?

What do you think? Have you been inspired by the stories of others?
Does your family have open conversations about generosity?

You’ve probably heard it said, “Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” But does this mean God wants all of our giving to be anonymous?

08/13/2026

We loved this year with Global Leadership Network.

As part of the planning team, it's always so good to see it come to fruition. Aside from the amazing speakers, we loved seeing YOU.

What was your favorite takeaway this year? Here is what some of our team members had to say:

💡 Sitting, listening, and understanding the point of view of another person can lead to a lifetime of filling in the gaps that you missed. - Robert Randolph
🎯 Craig Groeschel shared about patterns. Repeated behavior creates predictable results. Am I creating the patterns I want, or do I need to disrupt them? - Lindsey Gutierrez
💜 I loved attending in person this year - a rewarding all-around experience with great and focused speakers, as always. I enjoyed the time I spent with others from our area, networking and learning about the various organizations and what they do in Chattanooga. I’m already looking forward to next year. - Wendy Corder

Thank you to the planning team and sponsors, our host Woodland Park Baptist, and the Weldon F. Osborne Foundation and Steve and Lisa Frost for providing scholarships for nonprofit attendees.

See you next year!

08/11/2026

At the heart of our work here at TGT, we guide and encourage donors who are motivated toward kingdom-building generosity.

Our mission is carried out through donor-advised funds, multi-generational generosity, being a center of connection & community, and being a center of service for the benefit of greater Chattanooga.

Learn more at https://www.thegenerositytrust.org/

08/06/2026

Generosity thrives when our community works together.

We are so grateful for board members like David Worland from The Knoble, who continue to point us back to intentional community, faithful giving, and keeping the conversation going about what God is doing among us. Thank you, David, for your heart and leadership!

To learn more about The Generosity Trust, visit https://www.thegenerositytrust.org/

08/04/2026

Don't underestimate the beautiful partnership of a Gospel Patron.

Money meets good works.

The remarkable partnership of William Tyndale and Humphrey Monmouth facilitated the translation of the Bible into English. They both needed each other. They both made sacrifices. Because of their partnership, the work lives on centuries later.

Are you called to be a modern-day "Gospel Patron"?
Have you been blessed by a "Gospel Patron" partner?

Let's dream big about how generosity can transform individual lives, and even the world.

Thank you Gospel Patrons for this inspiring content.

07/30/2026

In this month's Community Spotlight, we are excited to share about local organizations with a global footprint. We feature Amani ya Juu (Peace from Above), The Chalmers Center, Love Without Reason, and TrustBridge Global Foundation.

These organizations have strong roots in Chattanooga and also carry out work internationally. Since January 2025, 231 fund holders have given $3,667,329 to support global missions. The Great Commission starts at home and reaches to the ends of the world, and we are grateful to be your giving partner with a local heart and global reach.

To read more, visit https://www.thegenerositytrust.org/july-2026-community-spotlight/

07/28/2026

This month, Ralston Hartness, a Dora Maclellan Brown Scholarship recipient, shares with us about his walk of faith. He shares transparently about the highs and lows, and the incredible role that friendships play in shaping him.

We invite you to read more here: https://www.thegenerositytrust.org/qa-with-a-dora-maclellan-brown-scholar/

The Dora Maclellan Brown Ministry Scholarship is one of the most unique in the country. Named in honor and memory of the founder of The Generosity Trust, these scholarships have been awarded since 1965 to students from the greater Chattanooga area who are studying for current or future ministry service. We currently have over 550 students who have received scholarships through the years who are serving the Lord throughout the United States and in many foreign countries.