The Rabbani Trust was created to address a number of charitable needs. Eshraghieh and Mahmoud Rabbani, life-long members of the Bahá’í Faith, had a vision. They wanted to help people of all faiths and creeds. In keeping with their shared belief in the universal Bahá’í spiritual teachings of unity and the oneness of human-kind, the Rabbanis established, before they passed on, a basic plan to make their living trust a vehicle of good works and service.

The Rabbani Charitable Trust is a nonprofit, tax exempt entity, raising and disbursing funds for charitable, religious, literary and educational purposes, to promote the spiritual and social well being of the entire human race.

Without restrictions as to race, religion, sex or national identity, the Trust provides funds for worthy projects which will benefit humanity at the local and national level.

According to the terms of the Trust Agreement, which became effective January 25, 1991, the approved purposes for Trust distributions are:

• Homes for the aged and needy;
• Archives of Bahá’í books, documents and other materials;
• Schools;
• Bahá’í conferences;
• Medical clinics;
• Dental clinics;
• Mental health clinics;
• Medical research centers;
• Hospitals;
• For the relief or benefit of the disabled or unemployed persons residing in the United States or anywhere in the world.

The Trust is still in its early development stages. The first approved purpose of the Trust is currently being carried out by providing housing for low and moderate income families. In addition, the Trust also makes regular contributions to Bahá’í institutions and allocates monies for other major projects, including its acclaimed annual international Bahá’í Conference on Social and Economic Development.

The Rabbani Charitable Trust is recognized as a public charity under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Contributions are deductible for federal income tax purposes under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(c)(2).

Donations to support the continuing work of the Trust are greatly appreciated.

Index of important sites and documents

(e.g., For the Betterment of the World, The Prosperity of Humankind)

http://www.bahai.org/dir/social_action/sed

Social and Economic Development

http://www.bahai.us/social-action/social-economic-development/

Processes of Development: The Bahá'í Approach

http://info.bahai.org/article-1-8-0-1.html

Overviews of Baha’i Social and Economic Development

http://info.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-2.html

http://info.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-6.html

http://info.bahai.org/social-economic-development.html

In Service to the Common Good, Series of 3 booklets

http://us.bahai.org/in-service-to-the-common-good

Many documents on Baha’i-inspired SED

including the October 20, 1983 seminal letter from the Universal House of Justice*

http://www.ahad-sed.org/sed-docs.html

*This letter “…sets out the concepts, defines the objectives, enunciates the guiding principles of implementation, and envisions the unifying effect of Bahá'í development projects.” (From 12 December 1983 letter from Office of Social and Economic Development at the Baha’i World Centre: OSED Guidelines on SED Projects)