We covered so much ground in our discussion of communicating church finances with impact and ease! Let’s conclude our discussion with three final tips to make your church financial reports awesome!
Tip 1: Clarity Matters
As you develop your church financial report, ask yourself the question, “Is this clear?” A helpful technique may include seeking the counsel of a colleague or member of the Finance Council. Ask the question, “As you look at this report, what do you think are the key takeaways that I am trying to convey?”
If your reader struggles or offers a lengthy, convoluted message, you have your answer. Ask parishioners to weigh in, allow others to assist you, seek input from staff.
Tip 2: Offer Context
When creating a financial report, a common mistake is to forget to include the overall picture, providing context to what is being reported. For example, if I report that our savings account has $200,000. Is this number good, bad, or indifferent? The answer is, “It depends.” The figure needs context. It might help to include the savings amount from the last three years. Has it been on a slow decline, increase, or up and down over these years? Additional historical data can provide context to the reader.
Tip 3: Practice, Practice, Practice
Remember, writing these reports takes practice. The first time you compile a new type of report and offer it to parishioners, it may not be perfect. Share the report with others, get feedback, and revise. Creating something is better than producing nothing. You are not alone in this process. Every member of the parish has a stake in understanding the finances of their parish.As you lead efforts to create accessible, empowering, and transparent financial reporting, remember that the methods and techniques discussed are not only good management practices, but also speak to the values that we share as a Christian community. The clearer we are in our communication of church finances, the stronger we become as a community.
As you lead efforts to create accessible, empowering, and transparent financial reporting, remember that the methods and techniques discussed are not only good management practices, but also speak to the values that we share as a Christian community. The clearer we are in our communication of church finances, the stronger we become as a community.
Interested in learning more about visuals for church financial reporting? Read our previous posts:
- Communicate Church Financials with Impact and Ease
- All Pictures Are Not Worth 1,000 Words for Church Financial Reports
- Church Visuals – Bar’s Aren’t Only for Drinking – The Bar Chart
- Using the Line Graph to Report Church Financial Information
