SaT Catalyst Fund

Donor-Investor Resources

We provide the information and tools you need

to start giving to your favorite cause today. 

Sat Catalyst Fund

Donor-Investor Resources

Ready to Open a Designated Program Related Investment (PRI) Account and Customize the Projects you can invest in? 

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What We Do

Through the work of Significant Matters and SAT Catalyst Fund, we provide a number of valuable benefits.

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Investment Criteria

In order to participate in our program, a business must meet several criteria.

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FAQ

What Else Do You Need To Know?

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Legal Documents

Terms and Conditions & SaT Catalyst PRI Account Agreement.

Terms & Conditions
PRI Agreement

Performance Philanthropy

Learn more about performance philanthropy through the SaT Catalyst Fund and PRI Investments.

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SaT Talks

A video library of Sustainable and Transformational talks by business leaders, pastors and ministries

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What else Do You need to know?

Frequently Asked Questions

PRIs are permitted under Section 4944(c) of the tax code.  According to the IRS, “Program-related investments (PRIs) are those in which: The primary purpose is to accomplish one or more of the foundation’s exempt purposes. Click Here to learn more.

This is closely related to Mission Related Investments (MRIs), which also further the mission of the sponsoring non-profit but with more of an emphasis on financial return.  The IRS has validated MRIs with Notice 2015-62.

A Designated PRI Account is an account which is advised or directed by an individual or organization who makes contributions to a non-profit for the purpose of making investments which are consistent with the charitable purpose and mission of the sponsoring organization.

A DAF is established primarily to make grants to 501(c)3 organizations. A designated PRI Account is established primarily to make impact investments.

No. To maintain our 501(c)3 status, we must maintain ultimate decision authority.  However, our purpose is to help you achieve your charitable Impact goals and to do so, we want to honor your desires, and will, as long as they do not conflict with our Christian ideals.

All deposits into an account are tax-deductible as charitable contributions. 

We do not restrict the industry or size of business. We may invest in any type of business, non-profit or organization that meets our financial and missional criteria.  The investment may be in the form of equity or debt.

This varies by country and locality, type of business, individual borrower factors and SAT Catalyst Fund costs. We always charge a below-market rate. Rates are typically in the 3% to 10% range.

This varies with the investment and how the is structured. Some loans may be as short as one year and others as long as six. Repayments may be made monthly, quarterly or at other intervals. If it is an equity investment, it depends upon how successful the business is.

Yes!  Business investments always carry risk and losses will be incurred no matter how carefully they are vetted.  However, whatever is returned to the account, even if it is not 100%, is more than what is returned with a charitable donation, which is always -100%.

We credit payments to your Designated PRI Account.  You may then advise us on how you would like the funds to be reinvested.  If you choose to not reinvest the funds, then they will be granted to the Beneficiary Charity you have chosen.

We credit payments to your Designated PRI Account.  You may then advise us on how you would like the funds to be reinvested.  If you choose to not reinvest the funds, then they will be granted to the Beneficiary Charity you have chosen.

You are right. It is not possible for us to be the eyes, hands and feet everywhere. Therefore, we have created strategic alliances with other organizations for this purpose. Some of their work is in sensitive areas of the world and they have requested that we not publish their names for their protection and the safety of those in the ground.  We also want to create partnerships with the mission work you are already involved in, bringing a higher level of sustainability to those missions.

Technically, the funds belong to the SATCatalyst Fund, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Significant Matters, Inc. However, by a legal agreement, the funds contributed by the church and its congregation will be returned to the church upon demand, as liquidity permits, I.e., as distributions are received.

The IRS has several guidelines pertaining to making “Program Related Investments” and “Mission Related Investments.” Your Church bylaws may conflict with the IRS rules for these types of investments, which could jeopardize your tax exemption. In addition, certain investment opportunities could create Unrelated Business Taxable Income (UBIT), creating a tax liability. Finally, investing directly in businesses opens the church up to potential liability if something should go awry.  The way we have structured this with the SAT Catalyst Fund, circumvents all of these land mines, protecting the church.

About Us

Learn More About SaT Catalyst Fund

The SAT catalyst Fund invests in projects which have been vetted for feasibility and missional impact.

The SaT Catalyst Fund is an LLC wholly owned and operated by Significant Matters, a 501(c)3 public charity.  SaT Catalyst Fund does not offer investments as private offerings, but as philanthropic donation opportunities.

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Learn More about SaT Catalyst Fund

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What We Do

  • 1. Business as Mission Consulting. How does a church make the transition from toxic Charity to Sustainable and Transformative solutions of human flourishing?
  • 2. We help. Church Impact Investment solutions and implementation. That is what this is all about.
  • 3. Business as Mission development. We work with churches, non-profits and businesses to create sustainable business solutions based upon local needs.
  • 4. Due diligence. Every deal must be evaluated and vetted to make sure that it is viable and meets the investment criteria we have set forth. See section on Investment Criteria.
  • 6. Investment structure. The terms of the investment must work for all parties involved. We work with the parties involved to create the right structure.
  • 7. Legal structure. Our LLC structure helps protect churches from liability.
  • 8. Monitoring and Reporting. Once an investment has been made, we monitor the investment.
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Investment Criteria

In order to participate in our program, a business must meet several criteria.

Investment Criteria

  • Missional Impact. A business must either directly or indirectly be involved in expanding the Kingdom of God. We interpret this as providing a positive social benefit with gospel proclamation or supporting a Christian family or ministry.  However, we recognize that people and organizations have varying criteria for understanding this, to which we are sensitive.
  • Profitability. If a business cannot be profitable, then it is not sustainable and is not feasible long term.
  • Legal. It must be possible to establish and run the business within the regulatory environment of the locality in which it exists.
  • Environmentally friendly. We do not want to invest in businesses that harm the environment and hence the people therein.
  • Business acumen. The persons running the business must have the knowledge, skills, character, and personality necessary to make it work.
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How It Works

  • 1. Engage us with a phone call to discuss your current missions’ program to ascertain where you are in the process of change. If there is desire, but resistance, Significant Matters can help navigate the obstacles and create consensus.
  • 2. The church must make a decision to allocate a portion of their missions’ budget towards an enterprise solution.
  • 3. This new approach is presented to the congregation. How it is presented is crucial to the program success. If not presented right, some people will feel as though money is being taken from the soup kitchen which feeds hungry kids to fund greedy businesses. We help you craft the message. There are two asks: for funds to match the commitment the church is making and leadership participation.
  • 4. An account is opened under the legal umbrella SAT Catalyst Fund and the funds raised are deposited into this account. The account is named by the church to reflect its mission. For example, it could be “The Community Church Impact Fund.”
  • 5. The SAT Catalyst Fund will deposit to the account an amount equal to the church mission budget contribution. With the addition of congregational funds and SAT Catalyst funds, the account will be at least triple what the church budgeted, resulting in substantially greater possibilities.
  • 6. An investment steering committee is formed. The members of this committee consist of one member from the board or missions committee and the rest from members of the congregation who have invested in the fund. This is crucial and what gives buy-in to the whole plan. They have several roles: Develop an investment policy, which we will work with them on that. Select one or more qualifying, pre-vetted Impact investment opportunities to invest in. Later, we can co-create opportunities if desired. But, due to the time and expense involved, we recommend starting with an out-of-the-box opportunity. Decide how to invest new funds and reinvest funds when they are returned. Communicate with the Church leadership and congregation.
  • 7. Investment is made in the venture.
  • 8. Significant Matters monitors and reports on the investments.
  • 9. As the fund grows, Significant Matters will work with the steering committee to create new personalized and local contextual impact investments.
  • 10. As participation increases, there may be a need to create additional funds within the church, to maintain engagement. If twenty people want to be involved, that becomes unwieldy for management. Yet, you want their engagement. Therefore, it is better to create multiple funds, which function somewhat like investment clubs.
  • 11. As investments payback their principal, the first dollars are used to repay the contribution by the SAT Catalyst Fund so they can be redeployed to incentivize other churches.