- 1951-04-26 — The Bahá'í International Fund was established. [MBW13–14]
- 1965-04-21 — The Universal Houser of Justice announced the establishment of the International Deputization Fund at the World Centre under the administration of the Universal House of Justice. From it supplementary support will be given to specific pioneering projects when other funds are not available. All friends, and particularly those who are unable to respond to the pioneer call are invited to support this Fund, mindful of the injunction of Bahá'u'lláh,:
"Centre your energies in the propagation of the Faith of God. Whoso is worthy of so high a calling, let him arise and promote it. Whoso is unable, it is his duty to appoint him who will, in his stead, proclaim this Revelation, Whose power hath caused the foundations of the mightiest structures to quake, every mountain to be crushed into dust, and every soul to be dumbfounded." [The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 1965]).
In a message to all National Assemblies the Universal House of Justice asked them to take an active role in facilitating the selection and appointment of suitable pioneers and traveling teachers by providing a link between those wishing to deputize, and those qualified and ready to be deputized. Prior to the directive requests were handled by the Continental Pioneer Committee. [20 April 1990]
In 1998-99 the deputization was expanded to include the support of those serving as teachers in a Training Institute. [1 June 1998; 24 August 1999] - 1996-04-21 — In a letter dated 12 March 1923 addressed to the believers living in America, Great Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Japan and Australasia, Shoghi Effendi stated “the progress and execution of spiritual activities” is “conditioned upon material means”. [BA41]
"At the outset of the Four Year Plan, forty-one selected National Spiritual Assemblies were advised of the new approach the Universal House of Justice had decided to take in the assignment of international financial collaboration goals during the Plan. Each of these Assemblies was asked to gauge how much it could contribute towards the acquisition and improvement of property and equipment by other national communities over the following four years. They were informed that, on the basis of their own estimates, the House of Justice would call upon them to assist communities in other parts of the world as specific needs came to its attention." [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 12 May 2000; Mess86-01p731]
Given the success of the initiative, the House of Justice decided to carry it forward into the Twelve Month Plan and beyond. In a message from the National Spiritual Assembly of the UK to all believers in the UK dated 20 January 2024, it was stated that their National Assembly of one of 57 donor National Spiritual Assemblies in this program, a marked increase from the original 41 in 1996. [GC-37891]
The programme reflects the Bahá’í principle of mutual support and unity among communities worldwide, enabling stronger communities to assist those with fewer resources and has been named the "International Financial Collaboration Program". - 2001-11-12 — The World Centre Endowment Fund was inaugurated by the Universal House of Justice.
"…we have decided to set up the World Centre Endowment Fund, for the preservation, upkeep, and security of the edifices and precincts of the Spiritual and Administrative Centres of the Faith — activities that currently form so large a part of the responsibilities of the Bahá'í International Fund. This decision follows the example of Shoghi Effendi, who during his ministry dedicated the income from lands in the environs of the Jordan Valley for the upkeep of the Holy Shrines."
• The Universal House of Justice, 2001 Nov 12, International Endowment Fund
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