Feast of Kalimát/Words-July 12, 2025
Bahá’í National Fund Update
$5.6M
As of July 6, 2025
It is wonderful to receive news from various regional youth conferences and summer schools across the country - Bahá’ís and friends of the Faith from all backgrounds learning, collaborating, and transforming together. It is also important to note that the increased activities during the summer months require resources and material support; however, the Funds of the Faith usually experience a shortfall during these vital months. At this point in the Bahá’í fiscal year, to be on track to meet the $52 million goal before us, contributions to the National Fund should total close to $9 million; however, as of July 6, we currently have about $5.6 million in contributions. As the Champion Builders of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, we can come together to ensure continued support of these 'society-building' activities in 'ever greater measures’.
Has your community planned any special FUNdraising efforts for the summer months?
*Pictures from the Green Acre Family Summer School in Eliot, Maine, and the Ocean of Light Summer School in Washington.
Unrestricted (not earmarked) contributions towards the National Fund goal allow for flexibility in supporting the many activities of the Faith.
The Office of the Treasurer invites you to join the upcoming OAS Webinars, designed to provide training in the use of the Online Audit System (OAS). Each webinar will offer a brief overview of OAS followed by a detailed outline and review of one of the primary roles and its corresponding functions in the audit process.
Visit our website here to register: https://bahaitreasurer.us/events
“ALL MUST SURGE, BUT THE YOUTH MUST SOAR"
The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2024
Now, as I begin to start animating my first junior youth group, I see how that investment is about to bear fruit. The books and snacks that will support my group, the materials that will guide our conversations about spiritual empowerment and service, are the very framework that will help these young souls discover their own capacity to contribute to the betterment of the world—all of this flows from the same source of generosity that once nurtured my own growth.
I’m filled with anticipation as I think about the junior youth I’ll be working with—both Bahá’í youth and friends of the Faith who are just beginning their own journeys of spiritual exploration. Some may never have heard of the Fund before, while others might have grown up seeing their families contribute but never fully understanding the connection between those contributions and the opportunities now before them.
And perhaps one day, when they’re ready, some of these junior youth will choose to contribute to the Fund themselves. They’ll understand, in a way that only comes from experience, that their contributions aren’t just supporting abstract projects—they’re investing in the spiritual development of the next person, the next animator, the next junior youth who will walk the path they’re walking now.
As I prepare for this new chapter of service, I carry with me a deep sense of gratitude for those who invested in my development, for the opportunity to invest in others, and for the privilege of being part of this ongoing cycle of spiritual growth and community building.
We are looking for more submissions from the YOUth! Please send us your reflections and stories about the Institution of the Fund or recent youth activities/events. Stories, pictures, and or videos can be sent to bahaitreasurersoffice@usbnc.org.
Support the Fund with a Gift of Stock
Donating appreciated stock can be a tax-smart way to support the Bahá’í Fund. If you have held stocks or other securities for more than a year, giving them directly to the National Spiritual Assembly may allow you to:
Avoid capital gains taxes
Receive a charitable tax deduction
This meaningful way to contribute can be efficient and can potentially maximize your contribution.
To learn more, begin the process or to arrange a planned giving presentation through your Local Spiritual Assembly, visit bahaitreasurer.us/planned-giving, email plannedgiving@usbnc.org, or call 847-733-3569.