Preparing Budgets For Resort Ministries

Tom Moore

Budgets are simply the anticipated income you expect to receive in the next year, and the amount of money you decide to spend to help accomplish your ministry goals. Establishing budgets is very important, for we all are called to be good stewards of our resources. Preparing an annual budget should be approached carefully and prayerfully, since the spending you plan will shape what you can afford to do in the coming year.

Many resort ministries are outreach agencies of local churches, associations, state, or national conventions. Each resort ministry has its own avenue for receiving and utilizing funds from these various groups. Most resort ministries review their needs and ideas for new programs and staff, and make requests for their budgets. Others are informed annually, semi-annually, or quarterly the amount they will be receiving from the sponsoring groups.

Who should be involved in the decision-making process for your resort ministry's budget is a question to which you should give careful consideration. Each resort area has its own structures and needs, but we can share some things that will apply to all. Most resort ministries probably set up their annual budgets with help from a committee or board of directors. Utilizing as many lay people in this budgeting process will allow them the opportunity to serve and become informed and educated as to what you are trying to do with your ministry. These people can be invaluable to you as business advisors with needed skills to wade through the budgeting process. A good mix of pastors (visionaries) and lay people (reality-based and practical) give strength and diversity to your group. A strong leader who can facilitate the process is essential also.

Most organizations work on next year's budget six to nine months ahead of time. Budgets are guidelines to go by, and every effort should be made to stay within the guidelines. A contingency fund (i.e. office equipment replacement) should be built into any budget for emergencies. Most of us are not accustomed to operating with much in reserve, but some funds should be available for unforeseen items that will inevitably come up as the year progresses.

Budgets should be set realistically. Deciding how much expenditure you will have over the next year usually takes some time to develop. Each line item should be critically studied by one or two responsible people before the committee meets. Recommendations can then be made to the committee and each item comes as a recommendation from the staff or the person most responsible for its use. The committee should carefully consider each item, making recommendations and reaching consensus as a group.

Determining income is usually even harder than expenditures. Developing a broad base of support is critical for any resort ministry. Traditional funding sources are drying up for many areas. Many who received money to help get a group off the ground are now being told to develop their own sources of funding locally (in churches), because there is no more money for their ministry. Many area churches are strapped financially because of a slow economy or diminished giving from members who are struggling financially themselves.

How do we resort ministries people survive? There are some options. First, look at the anticipated income from traditional sources from which you can depend on income (i.e. offerings, denominational funding, churches, individual contributions, fund-raising, memberships, etc.). Are there other areas you may tap locally? Many churches of other denominations may wish to become involved in your ministries. If they share in the funding, they should be included on the board of directors and in the decision-making process.

Grants are useful from corporate donors, and, many times are available for creative new programs, especially if they work with at risk or underprivileged children. Those kids could be part of our outreach ministries if enough preplanning and development is in place. State and national foundations' materials are available in local libraries. Many fund religious organizations. It's a long, hard process, but creative minds could develop funds for new ministries, while traditional funds underwrite your existing programs.

In our ministry in Boone, N. C., the Resort Area Ministries' board of directors made a decision to establish a thrift shop with a two-fold purpose: to provide a source of inexpensive, used clothing for our local mountain community, and to provide an extra source of revenue for our resort ministries. The shop has not only succeeded in providing local folds with clothing, it has financially underwritten our creative ministries for fifteen years. For more details, see the article, Thrift Shops: Ministries and Resources for Resort Settings.

I share this with you because I strongly feel there have to be more sources of income than those traditional sources mentioned earlier. Creative minds hopefully will be able to spend some of their energy coming up with alternative funding sources. These are critical to our financial security, which, unfortunately, means the survival of our creative resort ministries. May God bless your efforts!

Adapted from an article by Tom Moore in the 1993 National Resort Ministries Conference notebook. Used by permission.