Need to take your ministry fundraising to the next level? Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA) is hosting the four-day Christian Nonprofit Leadership Academy in Denver, CO September 20–24, 2011.
Fundraising and management courses include:
- Biblical Foundations for Development
- Major Donor Development
- Social Media Strategies: Building High-Value Donor Relationships
- Tax and Legal Issues for Christian Nonprofits
- Fundraising Planning in a New Economy
For more information, or to register for the academy, click here.
Stewardship in ministry is not an option; it is a responsibility. Christian Stewardship Network (CSN) is hosting a workshop in Lake Forest, CA at Saddleback Church on September 20–21, 2011 that will focus on developing and enhancing the local church stewardship ministry.
The mission of CSN is to “connect stewardship pastors and leaders and help them be the absolute best they can be.”
For more information, or to register for the workshop, click here.
If you’re in Southern California, an upcoming seminar may be of interest to you and your ministry.
The California State Board of Equalization is presenting a free tax seminar for nonprofit and faith-based organizations at the UC Riverside Extension Center. This seminar will cover these topics:
- Sales and Use Taxes for Nonprofit Organizations
- Property Tax Exemptions
- Compliance for Exempt Organizations
- Regulation of Charities and Fundraisers
- Employment Taxes and the Nonprofit Organization
- Federal Tax Issues for Exempt Organizations
Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Time: 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. (PDT)
To learn more, view the brochure for this seminar here.
To register, visit the California State Board of Equalization’s web page.
The headline of a recent video story appearing on CNN.com says, “Credit unions keep perks, banks won’t.” In an interview with reporter Poppy Harlow, Credit Union National Association (CUNA) President and CEO Bill Cheney confirms that, unlike many banks, most credit unions are not raising fees and cutting benefits. When asked if he thinks doing so is “a sustainable model” for credit unions, he was emphatic.
“I do, absolutely,” Cheney said. “You know, credit unions are fundamentally different than banks, in that credit unions don’t have stockholders. We have members. We’re a financial cooperative.”
A former credit union executive himself, Cheney also said credit unions are managed differently. “Anything you can do to help your members,” he said, “especially during trying economic times like now, you’re going to do it.”
For ECCU, one way we can help members is by presenting events where they can connect and learn together about how to better manage ministry finances. Follow this link for the latest upcoming events.
Here we go again…
The last few weeks have stirred old fears and created some new ones about the ongoing outlook for our economy. The S&P downgrade of U.S. government debt and the ensuing market reaction have heightened concern that we may be in for a double dip or that the growth of the economy could stall in the foreseeable future. It looks like we are in for a long, slow recovery, perhaps longer and slower than once hoped, with unemployment not expected to drop below 8% before 2013.
So what is the one thing your church can work on now to be better prepared for whatever the economy holds in the coming year?
Budgeting is always important, but the frequent monitoring and updating of that budget is now more important than ever. Now is the right time to start involving your financial team in budget discussions to ensure that your money is enabling your mission. Stewardship will be increasingly important—clear, frequent, communication on ministry finances and impact will be crucial to sustainability.
With this in mind, there’s a webinar being held September 20 that may help if you’re looking to build and use a better budget.
