Ministry leaders submit their proposed budgets for consideration/approval each year as part of the final church budget process. The board/finance committee considers all requests and prayerfully develops the overall church budget. To facilitate this process, it helpful if each ministry includes in it’s budget submission the following:
Ministry Name:
Ministry Leader:
Vision: How is your ministry connected with the church vision?
Ministry Plan: What are you planning in ministry this year?
Ministry Budget: what funds/resources do you need to do this?
Spending Plan: when do you need to spending these resources? (helps with planning overall church cash-flow)
Even though the ministry budgets are set/approved with the annual budget, it is also recommended that ministry leaders inform the treasurer before spending over a certain amount. This is not to request spending, or to micro-manage ministry budgets, but rather lets the treasurer double check overall church spending and ensure that the cash-flow is available.
As treasurer, it is also helpful to periodically (monthly or quarterly) notify ministry leaders on where their budget stands in order to help them stay on budget. Depending on the size of your church, you could send an email with their ministry budget details including:
Ministry Name:
Ministry Leader:
Ministry Budget for year : $
Ministry Expenditures to date: $
Ministry Budget Balance: $
Asking ministry leaders to gather/collect photos, stories, quotes and stats on what they are doing throughout the year (and how it is part of their vision and ministry plan) will help them prepare a report at the end of year as well as assist in you as you prepare your annual report at the Annual Meeting for the church. It is much easier to collect these as they minister than try to find them at the end of the year.
Working with the ministry leaders to help them stay on track and working together to manage church spending benefits the entire church as well maintaining vision, trust and accountability.
