So, you’re a Christian organisation. Investing may not be at the top of your agenda — your focus is on serving people, running programs and making a difference. But all of that takes resources.

We can ask people to give more, cut costs, find more volunteers or reduce what we provide. But there’s another question worth asking: What if the resources you already have could generate a steady income to support your mission?

That’s where Anglican Funds Management (AFM) comes in.

For many years, we’ve helped Christian organisations across Australia invest with a focus on regular income, long-term growth and managing risk. Our investors know their funds have a purpose beyond simply achieving a return — they are there to support their organisation’s mission.

A different approach to investing

One of the things that sets AFM apart is how we build our portfolios. Our investments undergo both ESG and Biblical screening, reflecting the values of the Christian organisations we serve. Importantly, the types of businesses and assets we invest in can also mean our portfolios are generally less volatile and carry less risk than many traditional secular growth funds. We don’t believe you need to avoid growth assets to manage risk. Instead, we combine growth investments with defensive assets and other investments designed to help smooth the investment journey.

The AFM Endowment Fund, for example, has a 70/30 growth-to-defensive allocation and aims to outperform inflation by 5% per annum over the longer term.

For a church, school or charity, investment income can help fund ministry, programs and charitable activities. So when markets become volatile, the impact can go well beyond an investment statement.

Markets have certainly been volatile recently, yet for the year ended 30 June 2026, the AFM Endowment Fund delivered an annual return of 7.6% after fees, That’s better than the rolling term deposit strategy I see with Christian Organisation far too often. While this was slightly below the Fund’s long-term benchmark, it highlights the value of our approach. We can’t eliminate volatility, but we deliberately construct our portfolios with the aim of providing a smoother, more consistent investment experience.

It’s an approach that has made AFM a fund of choice for many conservative Christian churches and organisations seeking an investment manager who understands both their financial needs and their values. And our reach is growing. Over the past two years, the AFM Endowment Fund has expanded beyond its traditional Anglican base and is now open to other Christian institutional investors.

So perhaps the question isn’t simply: “What investment will give us the highest return?” It might be:

“How can we invest our resources wisely, in a way that reflects our values, manages risk and supports our mission for years to come?”

At AFM, that’s what we’ve been helping Christian organisations do for many years.

We offer Term Investment Options, as well as longer-term investment solutions designed to provide growth and regular income.

To learn more about our investment philosophy, including our Biblical and ESG screening, contact our Investor Relations team on 1300 059 305 or visit Anglican Funds Management.

Author Mark Wiersema

National Relationship Manager at Anglican Funds Management.

02/09/2026

AFM continues to provide solid fund performance for Churches, Schools and Charities across Australia, with both the Endowment Fund and the Enhanced Income Fund performing above benchmark.

At Anglican Fund Management, we provide investment options for both Anglican and Non-Anglican Christian Schools, Churches and Charities.

If you're one of these institutional investors, and you wish to have an investment manager that considers both ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and BRI (Biblically Responsible Investment) Principles, please be in touch.

At Anglican Funds Management we're for advancing your mission.

1300 059 305.

Global Market Outlook

Global Markets at mid-year 2024 are priced for no-recession soft landing in the U.S., but mixed data signals are delaying central bank rate cuts. This creates some risk of harder landing in late 2024/early 2025. There is still no clear answer to this year’s key question: is the U.S. economy headed toward a no, soft or hard landing?

We see plausible reasons why any of these scenarios are possible.

Just as last year’s investor pessimism was overdone, we worry this year’s optimism could eventually prove to be excessive.

Credit: Andrew Pease, Chief Investment Strategist, Russell Investments.