How does the Mission and Justice Team decide how to allocate funds from our mission budget?
The Mission and Justice Team oversees a budget of roughly $50,000. It disburses these funds in three categories:
Mission Partners
Approximately $30,000 is donated to Mission Partners – organizations that provide important services to people in need, or that provide help to organizations that do, and whose work we facilitate through long-term operating support. We make funding decisions about these recipients once each year, typically in the early spring as part of our planning for the upcoming church year.
A few organizations (Andover-Newton Seminary, Mass. Council of Churches, and the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization) extend our reach by training the next generation of faith leaders, by supporting churches across the state, and by helping us magnify our ability to create positive change through partnership.
Many others are organizations with whom we have long ties. City Mission Society is the best example; we have been partnering with them on Manger Sunday for 150 years, and they receive the largest share of our mission funds. Other long-term recipients meeting critical needs in Lexington and the Greater Boston area include the Lexington Food Pantry, FISH, and Concord Prison Outreach. Other organizations are more recent additions to the list. (See our list of all the organizations we support, with brief descriptions and links.)
The questions we ask when considering adding or removing an organization from this list are:
- Purpose. Does the organization address important needs aligned with our Christian values, such as alleviating poverty, hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, or environmental degradation, and achieving social justice?
- Effectiveness. Is the organization effective? Does it achieve its purpose and goals? Is it the best charity working in this field in the same geographical area, or would our dollars accomplish more if given to another organization?
- Community recognition. Has the value of the organization been validated by others? Is it being recognized for its achievements, e.g., receiving awards, winning grants, or securing corporate funding?
- Knowledge of the organization. Do we have a familiarity with the organization (often through personal involvement) that gives us insight into its effectiveness, and confidence in its management?
- Due diligence. Have we reviewed the organization’s IRS Form 990, Charity Navigator rating, and other measures of good management and financial stewardship?
Volunteerism Programs
Approximately $3,000 is given in support of programs where Hancock volunteers provide valuable services, such as at Rosie’s Place and the Russell School in Dorchester.
Discretionary Funds
A little over $16,000 is devoted to a variety of other activities:
- Mission’s Discretion. Almost $10,000 in typically non-recurring gifts are made by the Mission and Justice Team when compelling opportunities or needs arise. We ask the same questions as those listed under Mission Partners above. If you have a suggestion, please contact a member of the team.
- HEAT. We provide funds to support the activities of the Hancock Environmental Action Team.
- Pastor’s Emergency Relief Fund. Our pastors have a modest budget each year to help parishioners in temporary financial straits on a confidential basis.
- Interfaith Voucher. This is a long-standing system, coordinated by the Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association, for helping people in immediate need who knock on our door. All the houses of worship contribute, enabling pastors to provide vouchers good at Stop and Shop and a local gas station. When a voucher is given, all the other faith communities are informed so that multiples are not given out.
- Good Samaritan Fund. This fund is available to lend support to church members in their fundraising efforts as they embark on missions or volunteer projects. Recipients are asked to share their experiences with Hancock in some fashion (blog, presentation, weekly e-mail) at the project’s conclusion. If you’re interested, please contact the team.
- Hancock Response Fund. For emergency relief following disasters, or to respond to other unexpected needs or opportunities.
If you have any questions about how we allocate the church’s mission budget, or ideas for organizations or causes we should consider, please contact any member of the Mission and Justice team.