We are 
RAISING THE STANDARD
of theological education in Liberia. 
 

The Knoll Fund, short for the Jerry and Rachael Knoll Memorial Fund, was started in 2020 with inherited funds from their lifetime of faithful work.  Rachael died in 2004, and Jerry, her lifelong husband died in 2020.  They had 3 sons, and did missionary work in many areas around the world.  They loved God, worked to build the Kingdom of God, and desired nothing more strongly than to live within the Will of God.  This fund was created to honor them.  Two of their three sons have served God in the pulpits of the Baltimore Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church.

When looking for an appropriate avenue to express their values and priorities, support for a Graduate Theological School overseas was a natural fit, and with God's guidance, the United Methodist University's Bishop John Innis Graduate School of Theology was an excellent fit.  Fortunately, their need and these resources were matched by God's guidance.

The school in Monrovia is building its ministry in response to the needs of the community, and when a donation toward their endowment was offered, they were grateful but admitted that they didn't yet have such an endowment.  Their Dean, Jerry Kulah, an advisor to the Knoll Fund, asked if an endowment could be formed in America for the school.  Prayerfully, that was agreed to, the board recruited, Maryland nonprofit incorporation granted, bylaws passed, meetings held, and public charity status registered through the 501c3 regulation of the Department of the Treasury (1/2021). 

The Knoll Fund is now accepting donations (see donation button) and can offer a gift receipt to our donors for tax deductibility if you itemize your taxes.  The generosity of God's people to support theological education throughout the world is inspiring to see, and as funds are received, a portion are used for scholarship support, relief aid in and through UMU/GST and special projects to further the work of the school (currently about 40%), and a portion is used to build up a sustainable fund to keep that support going strong for years or perhaps even generations to come (currently approximately 60%). 

There are administrative costs associated with the Knoll Fund, for things like shipping materials to Liberia, and other similar functions, but there are no funds being used to directly support salaries (all of our board members are unpaid) or any other personally enriching activities, so you can be certain that all of the funds donated are being used to directly or indirectly support the students, faculty, staff, buildings, and program of the graduate school.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have, and God's richest blessings be upon you now and forever.

 

- Travis Knoll on behalf of the Board of Directors
for the Knoll Fund.