For dioceses that have not yet put in place policies related to congregational giving and stewardship, here are a few examples of policies that you can adjust to make your own.
Why do we need policies in this area of diocesan ministry?
We need them because we sometimes forget what is truly important when generous-hearted people give gifts. We need easy procedures to follow so that gifts are treasured, used well, and used according to the wishes of the donor. And sometimes we need policies to save us from future mistakes. For example, the Gift Acceptance Policy points out that we can indeed decide NOT to accept a gift (someone’s property that they couldn’t sell, or yet another chalice and paten, and so on).
These examples have been developed over several years, using several resources, being attentive to CRA guidelines, and also to the ethical positions of fundraising professionals and voluntary sector leaders.
Dioceses may wish to develop a similar set of policies for parishes to use and adopt after a little adaptation to suit their situation.
Please look at these, and, if you use them or adapt them, share them with Resources for Mission at [email protected]. Your revision may well be of more help to another diocese than these are.
If you have questions, please contact Resources for Mission.
Resources for Mission Policies
Documents:
- Resources for Mission Policy – Donor Privacy (PDF)
- Resources for Mission Policy – Confidentiality (PDF)
Draft Policies
Documents with the same names as listed below (in Microsoft Word):