The History of the Lyman Fund
In 2024 as a tribute to the 30th Anniversary of the Lyman Fund we offered this history of the founding and the administration of the Lyman Fund and record the wonder of the remarkable Spirit that has been its hallmark.
At the heart of the Lyman Fund is the founder, Charlotte Lyman Fardelmann who has given us the journal; Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God, which tells of the spiritual journey in her words and images. The Lyman Fund is the process of Charlotte’s faithfulness to the leading of the Spirit and her active life of answering the call of Spirit to respond to “nudges” from God. This is not philanthropy in the usual sense, but a witness to life lived in response to God’s will.
Charlotte from early years experienced a “deep discomfort on my part about inherited wealth which rose out of growing up during the Great Depression into an upper-class home in Minneapolis, and feeling different from most people, isolated from the mainstream of life”. In midlife Charlotte had four matured children, was divorced, and testing her many talents through writing, photography and exploring women’s issues. She joined the Quaker meeting in Dover N.H. and signed on to 9 months at a Quaker study center, Pendle Hill. “I experienced a dramatic spiritual awakening while at Pendle Hill. I met many people who felt a strong call to do something special to help the world but who needed affirmation, encouragement, and often financial help in order to move forward on this call.” Charlotte describes many events, courses, travel, teaching and prayer where spiritual openings and movement through familial messages about money freed her up to create the Lyman Fund. She formed a team with two Friends, Mary Hillas and Barbara Potter, who were also challenged by inherited wealth and were active in The Ministry of Money based in Washington D.C. The three decided to pool their money and solicit proposals from individuals who were “faithfully seeking to follow divine leadings”. Prayerful discernment and ongoing prayer for recipients was their practice. From 1987 to 1994 these Friends gave 60 +- grants for many types of leadings and then invited all recipients to a Gathering to share their experiences.
In 1994 Charlotte designated a large inheritance to create an official 501c3 organization that would perpetuate the Lyman Fund long after her death. A board was created and the practices that were established early on became the way grantees were nurtured, and prayed for through ensuing years. Charlotte acted as administrator and brought many applicants to the fund as she traveled and taught and witnessed. Grant applicants convene Clearness Committees and seek recommendations and give financial information. Twice a year the board meets to discern what grants will be given. Pictures of all grantees are gathered into a poster that each board member uses for prayer for the grantees during their project. A yearly Gathering brings applicants together to share their Spiritual Journey and illuminate their way forward.
From the beginning funds were invested with firms that followed Social Investing principles. Interest and growth and some additional donations have allowed the fund to triple in value since Charlotte’s first contribution even with regular grant disbursement. For 20 years the board has taken funds out of equities to invest in Community Loan Funds in four New England States. Currently 15% of funds are invested in this way to create housing, health opportunities, childcare and employment in our communities. This is another practice of Lyman ministry.
Clearly Charlotte’s vision and spiritual discernment have created a “Loaves and Fishes” scenario which the board feels is a spiritual exercise of great joy. Grantees have: taken trips of service and peacemaking and witness; they have written many books and taught and researched and accompanied and healed all over the world and at home; they have made music happen in prisons, at deathbeds and for children and adults; they have made art, theatre and protest; they have fed the poor and lobbied for the health of the planet, they have taken and lead innumerable courses on the Spiritual dimension and studied to nurture themselves in the Spiritual Journey; and strengthened the Society of Friends and other denominations with great intention and courage.Hallelujah
To date the Lyman Fund has awarded 653 small grants to individuals and expended $1,643,200. dollars to those who are following their Spiritual Leadings.
The crescent moon on logo was designed by Charlotte Fardelmann, our founder, to convey an apt time for new projects to begin.