Central Benevolence Guidelines

Purpose:

Benevolence funds exist to serve people in our local communities who are facing hardship. This plan ensures those funds are actively used, consistently managed, and aligned across all campuses.

Responsible: Missions Pastor

  • Local focus – Serve people and organizations within our community.
  • Emergency-oriented – Prioritize short-term, situational needs over long-term dependency.
  • People first – Primary focus is individuals, with organizations as a secondary outlet.
  • Stewardship – Funds should move, not sit, while maintaining a 3-month reserve.
  • Accountability – All giving must be trackable, documented, and approved appropriately

1. How Funds are Used

Individuals (Primary Use)

Benevolence should primarily support individuals or families in crisis.

Must:

  • Be local (within X miles of campus)
  • Be tied to a specific, short-term need
  • Be paid directly to a bill or vendor (not cash)
  • Be documented and tracked (Charity Tracker)
  • Include pastoral care (prayer, connection, guidance)

Guardrails:

  • Avoid repeated or ongoing support without a clear plan
  • After two assists, reassess before continuing
  • Do not fund situations with no path toward stability

Organizations (Secondary Use)

Used when funds exceed individual needs or for strategic impact.

Must:

  • Be local nonprofits
  • Serve vulnerable or overlooked populations (humans)
  • Align with benevolence purpose (people-focused, not promotional)
  • Christian organization / existing relationship with crosspoint / focus on material poverty

Approval and Coordination:

  • Over $500 requires Campus Executive Leadership Team approval
  • All gifts must be communicated to the Missions office

Avoid:

  • Marketing/sponsorship-type giving
  • For-profit entities
  • Animal-focused organizations

Internal Use (Limited)

Only allowed when directly tied to benevolence ministry.

Examples:

  • ✔ Scholarships, direct aid programs
  • ✖ General ministry expenses, salaries not tied to benevolence work

2. Financial Guardrails

  • Maintain three (3) months of typical benevolence giving in reserve
  • All expenses over $500 require campus ELT approval
  • All spending requires receipts and standard financial processes
  • Explicitly Christians, relationship with Crosspoint, and focused on material poverty
  • Payments should go to providers, not individuals
  • Use only approved systems (credit card or check request)
  • Checks should be mailed, not distributed directly to individuals

3. Leadership & Oversight

Each campus must:

  • Assign a benevolence leader
  • Use a small team for discernment and approvals
  • Ensure decision-makers meet leadership standards (membership, engagement, giving)

4. Tracking and Accountability

  • Individuals → Charity Tracker
  • Organizations → Missions tracking
  • Keep records of all assistance and decisions

5. Communication and Giving

  • Clearly communicate benevolence giving options (in-person + digital)
  • Use consistent language::

Benevolence allows us to serve people in our community facing hardship and support trusted local partners.

6. Guiding Philosophy

  • Help in ways that restore dignity, not create dependency
  • Prioritize relationship over transaction
  • When financial help isn’t possible, provide guidance and resources