From: Dan Smith, Canon to the Ordinary
Re:2010 Budget Requests
The process has begun for preparing the 2010 Operating Budget of the Diocese of Missouri. Diocesan Council will review and evaluate all requests and a final budget will be presented at Convention in November.
It is clear that the economic downturn we have seen will have repercussions that continue well into 2010. Diocesan funds have decreased significantly due to market loss and declining interest rates, resulting in a decrease in the amount of investment income available for programs. It is also clear that most, if not all, of the congregations in the Diocese have been impacted by the economy. This has caused the expected assessment income for 2009 to be 20% under the budgeted income amount. Accordingly, a deficit budget situation has resulted for 2009 since the full assessment amounts for congregations were used originally to develop the 2009 budget.
Diocesan Council spent a significant amount of time at their April meeting discussing the health of the 2009 Operating Budget and the 2010 budgeting process. With today’s uncertain economic times it is critical that we act responsibly in our allocation of resources. Council made the decision that we need to modify our 2010 budgeting process in order to make critical and timely decisions with the objective of developing a balanced budget for the 2010 year.
The modified budget process contemplates adopting and approving a variable budget that anticipates the probability of reduced revenues and tighter expense controls. This will allow the Diocese to make timely adjustments to line item expenses in order to maintain a balanced budget. Accordingly, the 2010 budget will be built with two tiers; a minimum budget and a maximum budget. All program groups/congregations are asked to submit 2 budget request scenarios; a maximum budget/best case scenario request and a minimum budget/worst case scenario request. Please help the process by being as realistic as possible with your minimum requests, since we anticipate a difficult task in the budgeting process of fully funding all requests in order to achieve a balanced budget.
Congregational requests will be reviewed in the following order: congregations engaged in redevelopment/start up work; congregations engaged in regional ministry, and congregations working with strategic goals and objectives that need short-term support. As you work to make your requests, please note in which of these categories your congregation should be placed. The Council will also give weight to those congregations that are up to date with their Parochial Reports and who are paying their full assessment. If you are currently on a diminution schedule, please work to stay with that schedule. Quarterly reports will be required of your Average Sunday Attendance and progress towards achieving your stated goals.
The attached document details the expected format and content of requests. Budget requests must be received at the Diocesan Office by July 15, 2009. It is not the intent of Council to make an onerous process, nor are they looking for a large document; instead, they are looking for succinct answers to be able to form the best possible budget to serve the needs of the whole Diocese. Desiree Viliocco and I are available to assist with your questions.
Diocese of Missouri Budget Request Guidelines 2010
Tags: Budget, Diocesan Governance
