Material Means

Regional Bahá’í Fund

“All the friends of God … should contribute to the extent possible, however modest their offering may be. God doth not burden a soul beyond its capacity. Such contributions must come from all centers and all believers… . O Friends of God! Be ye assured that in place of these contributions, your agriculture, your industry, and your commerce will be blessed by manifold increases, with goodly gifts and bestowals. He who cometh with one goodly deed will receive a tenfold reward. There is no doubt that the living Lord will abundantly confirm those who expend their wealth in His path.” 

What is The Regional Bahá’í Fund?

The Regional Funds are an essential support to the vital work of teaching and service that is happening around the country. The Regional Funds fuel the work happening at the grassroots by supporting volunteers in the field, including the Regional Training Institutes, neighborhood volunteers and homefront pioneers, and many initiatives aimed at assisting with the process of offering Bahá’u’lláh’s healing Message to receptive souls. Your contribution provide support for everything from institute activities to assisting with the training of youth. The Universal House of Justice has stated that the Regional Bahá’í Council “encourages believers within its region to contribute to various funds of the Cause, including the regional branch of the national fund, with the aim that, in due course, the entire expenditure for the region would be provided by the believers in the region.”

Note that the Regional Fund is a branch of the National Fund. Contributions to the Regional Fund are counted as going toward meeting the National Fund goal.

How do I contribute to The Regional Bahá’í Fund?

If you have not already started contributing to the Regional Fund and would like to do so, instructions are provided below. You may also contact the Regional Bahá’í Council’s Office of the Treasurer, treasurer@rbcatlantic.org or telephone 757-369-0047.

The Regional Bahá’í Fund is a subsidiary of the Bahá’í National Fund. The best way to contribute to it is via the online contribution system, earmarked for the Regional Council of the Atlantic States:

1. Go to https://ocs.bahai.us/ocs/

2. Sign in with your Bahá’í ID and password

3. Select “Enter Contribution”

4. Choose either onetime or continuing contribution

5. Select the fund (Regional Bahá’í Council Atlantic States) and the amount

6. Follow prompts to select your account from which the debit is to be made

If you pay by check, the best way for you to make the contribution is to make the check payable to: “National Bahá’í Fund” and in the memo field enter “Regional Fund Atlantic States”; send it to: Bahá’í National Center, Office of the Treasurer, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201.

Note: Contributions to Bahá’í funds are only accepted from registered members in good standing of the Bahá’í community. Contributions cannot be accepted from Facebook fund-raisers or pass-through charity sites, as these are unable to provide individual contributor information.

What is the Status of the Regional Fund As of April 2024?

• Local Spiritual Assembly participation: 63/86 = 73% Goal 85%

• Registered Groups participation:  Groups 7/92 = 8% Goal 15%

• Adult Individual Participation: Individuals 333/7705 = 4% Goal 20%

What Guidance can I Study on The Regional Bahá’í Fund?

“The future civilization envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh is a prosperous one, in which the vast resources of the world will be directed towards humanity’s elevation and regeneration, not its debasement and destruction. The act of contributing to the Fund, then, is imbued with profound meaning: it is a practical way of hastening the advent of that civilization, and a necessary one, for as Bahá’u’lláh Himself has explained, “He Who is the Eternal Truth—exalted be His glory—hath made the fulfilment of every undertaking on earth dependent on material means.” Bahá’ís conduct their lives in the midst of a society acutely disordered in its material affairs. The process of community building they are advancing in their clusters cultivates a set of attitudes towards wealth and possessions very different from those holding sway in the world. The habit of regularly giving to the Funds of the Faith—including in-kind contributions particularly in certain places—arises from and reinforces a sense of personal concern for the welfare of the community and the progress of the Cause. The duty to contribute, just like the duty to teach, is a fundamental aspect of Bahá’í identity which strengthens faith. The sacrificial and generous contributions of the individual believer, the collective consciousness promoted by the community of the needs of the Fund, and the careful stewardship of financial resources exercised by the institutions of the Faith can be regarded as expressions of the love that binds these three actors more closely together. And ultimately, voluntary giving fosters an awareness that managing one’s financial affairs in accordance with spiritual principles is an indispensable dimension of a life lived coherently. It is a matter of conscience, a way in which commitment to the betterment of the world is translated into practice.” 

Regional Treasurer Correspondence

• 2018 Nov 15 Letter to all believers, Local Spiritual Assemblies, and Registered Groups about Supporting the Regional Fund and Becoming Self-Supporting

• 2018 Oct 1 Letter to Spiritual Assemblies & Groups about Status of the Regional Fund and Universal Participation toward Self-Sufficiency