St. Paul’s 1885 Building Revitalization Project

In 2019, the failure of an external water supply pipe caused flooding and significant damage in the Undercroft, rendering the Cathedral’s largest non-sacred gathering space unusable. This has displaced parish and Diocesan events as well as The Connection Café, which serves an average of 160 meals to homeless and hungry people every weekday. While discerning the best approach for the restoration of this space, additional needs and opportunities for improvement were identified, including a new heating and cooling system, asbestos abatement, and wall coating repairs in the Sanctuary due to moisture ingress.

Cathedral leadership has, thoughtfully and prayerfully, developed a plan that accomplishes these goals while being fiscally responsible. To complete the work to restore this important space, our community will be raising the funds to cover all expected costs and contingencies. 

On completion, the 1885 Project will allow St. Paul’s to provide many years of service to the parish, the Diocese, and the community at-large. Larger social gatherings will again be possible with a fully accessible, flexible, and functional space in the heart of our Downtown Des Moines historic cathedral.

Mission Statement

St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral is a welcoming, worshiping community committed to living Christ’s unconditional love through fellowship, service, and kindness.

  • Timeline

    A brief outline of the planning and execution process over the years since this project began.

    View Timeline

  • Undercroft Revitalization Presentation

    Presented in August 2021 to St. Paul’s Chapter by Anthony Braida, this presentation clearly highlights the early portions of the project timeline, as well as future plans.

    View the Presentation

  • Fundraising

    If you would like to support this project, please click the link below to donate (select the drop down tab “1885 Building Revitalization”) or request a meeting with our fundraising team by filling out the contact form below.

    Donate Here

Contact:

Any questions about the St. Paul’s 1885 Building Revitalization can be directed to one of our Task Force members using this form.

Capital Campaign Task Force:

Nicola Dance Chase, Dean

Duane Sand, Chapter Liaison

Jolene Phelps, Grant Writing

Kathleen Temple, Communications

Skeet Wootten, Finance

 
 

  • We're seeking volunteers to assist with grant writing, event planning and coordination, and to be stewardship ambassadors.

    Donations can be one time gifts or scheduled payments. Some employers will offer donation matches as well to help your dollars go further.


  • Yes! Donations can be recurring monthly, quarterly, or annually over a 5 year period. Payments can be contributed by check or appreciated securities. To utilize this option, please reach out to Skeet Wootten at (515) 554-5173 or rhwootten1@gmail.com, so that we can account for all expected funds.

  • We are so thankful to have a generous community who pledge. Those donations go towards supporting all the Cathedral activities year-round and are how we set budgets. This campaign is outside of our normal day-to-day expenses, so fundraising for this project is separate. 


  • Donations to the 1885 Building Revitalization Project should be tax-deductible (but please consult with your own tax advisor regarding your personal situation) and donations can be made in many different ways.  We will assist you in the manner that most suits your individual situation.  We will issue you a letter of acknowledgement for any contribution for your personal records.

    Here are a few ways to give: 

    • Donation by Check

    We will gladly accept payments of contributions in check form. Check donations can be mailed to or dropped off in the Cathedral office at 815 High Street Des Moines, IA 50309, with “1885 Building Revitalization Project” in the memo line. To maintain confidentiality, please write “1885 Building Revitalization” on your envelope so that it will only be opened by a member of our Task Force.

    • Online

    Online gifts can be donated here.

    • Appreciated Securities

    We can accept appreciated securities through our correspondent brokerage, Wells Fargo Advisors.  You can claim the full amount of your donation to the project without incurring the sale of a security and having to pay a capital gain tax. 

    • Real Property

    If you wish to donate real property, we will work with you, your advisors and attorneys to make the donation as easy as possible.  Please know that real property donations are a bit more complicated, but we will do everything to accommodate your desires.

    • Gifts from your IRA (Qualified Charitable Distributions)

    If you are 70 ½ years or older and have a traditional IRA, you are eligible to make a tax-free donation directly from your IRA to the 1885 Revitalization Project through a provision in the tax code called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). Generally speaking, these gifts are tax-free and can be a smarter way to support the 1885 Project.

    For those aged 72 and older, Qualified Charitable Distributions can count towards your required minimum distribution, allowing you to use your IRA to support The Cathedral today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

    Thanks to the Legacy IRA Act, the annual qualified charitable distribution (QCD) limit of $100,000 is now indexed for direct gifts to charity. Individuals age 70½ or older are permitted to make distributions from their IRA directly to charity and avoid reporting of the income.

    The Cathedral Church of St. Paul works with Wells Fargo Advisors, making it easy for you to donate from your IRA.  We will assist you with any help you need to do a transfer.

    Benefits:

    • It’s a tax-efficient way to make an impact. Because the distribution isn’t taxable income, it’s effectively a charitable deduction.

    • The distribution can count towards your annual required minimum distribution (RMD) for those 72 and older.

    • It’s a special opportunity for individuals aged 70½ and older to give up to $100,00 annually.

    How It Works:

    1. Notify your IRA custodian to make a direct transfer of the gift amount from your IRA to the St. Paul's 1885 Revitalization Project.

    2. We will send a written acknowledgement from the 1885 Revitalization Project (different from a tax deduction receipt) for your personal tax records.

    These are examples of ways you can contribute to the 1885 Revitalization Project.  Please consult your tax advisor as it pertains to your personal situation as St. Paul’s cannot give tax advice.

    Contact Skeet Wootten at (515) 554-5173 or rhwootten1@gmail.com, with any specific questions. 

FAQs