Today we’ll be covering the best practices for operating a church or ministry that will help you promote transparency, stewardship, accountability, and financial health across your organization on a day-to-day basis. This breaks down into three basic areas:

• Using the right tools
• Having clear policies for your team
• Monitoring trends

Utilize the right tools

Data is one of your most critical assets. Protect it and use it well. Whether it is a church management system or an Excel spreadsheet, the better records you keep the more information you will have to evaluation the financial health of your organization. So what tools are essential?

1. A database: The database of members, activity, and giving serves as your “institutional memory.” Without a database, if a staff member leaves your organization, the successor may not have enough information to pick up where they left off.
2. Your accounting system: More on this tomorrow, but ideally our database is connected to your financial software to help you work smarter and faster.
3. Online giving: A secure, mobile-friendly platform for your congregation to give directly to your church for a designated purpose.
4. Communications: Keep your congregation engaged and informed across social media, bulletins, and email so your stewardship message is consistent across the entire church.

Tip: Want more insight on if your organization is tracking donations and preparing contribution statements correctly? Check out this Donation Receipts: #1 Guide for Tax-Deductible Donations