Villanova University Nonprofit PracticumNonprofit Org.: Church of Saint MonicaNonprofit Main Contact: Father Charles Zlock

Introduction:

The team spoke with numerous members of St. Monica who are involved with any type of outreach ministry.

List of Issues and Potential Recommendations:

Outreach Vision Outreach Leadership Council Finance Review - Overview of Charities

Outreach Vision

St. Monica needs to create a vision/mission for the entire parish. This /vision mission should encompass the main principles the church sees as critical for its parish. Once this is determined, it will be easier to tie in a more focused outreach ministry to that vision/mission integrated with the “parish priorities.”

Leadership Council

This goes to the pastoral parish priority of “Community.” The idea is to create an Outreach Council/Committee/Team dealing specifically and directly with pastoral outreach should be formed. The purpose of this council will be to coordinate and administrate the outreach programs and serve as a liaison between the organizations, the church and the parishioners. Whether member(s) of this council is/are ex-officio member(s) of the Parish Pastoral Council needs to be determined.

Finance Review

The MBA Team did a review of what has been spent, where how and how often. The Team recommends establishing the use of funds “categories” to support the list of chosen organizations, including a general fund (to help outside organizations and needs), a fund to help parish families in need (inside parish organizations and needs) as well as a “discretionary fund” specifically for the Pastor to utilize as he sees a need.

The Team also recommends a set amount of money to contribute to these organizations once organizations are selected,

Overview of Charities

Review the list of organizations that are currently receiving funds from the parish.

Ensure these organizations meet the mission of the parish, tie in with the parish priorities and the needs of the parishioners and community.

Set a criteria to determine to which organizations the church should contribute.

Other:

The team will be presenting a report outlining:

The scope of the project,

The Team’s findings,

Data spreadsheets supporting the Team’s findings,

Recommendations,

The “Decision Matrix” the Team developed,

A financial spreadsheet tool that could be used to track and monitor pastoral outreach expenses.

The team will be presenting a “Decision Matrix” to aid in the endeavor. Specific items and facts are input to:

Generate a “score” to help guide decisions,

Achieve “smart objectives” within the overall parish outreach ministry.

Provide an “aid” to answer such questions as “Do we want to give to this? If so, why and how much?”

It is foreseen that this project is the first phase of an on-going development of a revised pastoral outreach ministry at St. Monica. This phase was more quantitative in scope. The next phase should be able to offer more “qualitative” aspects (personnel procedures, management, follow-through procedures..)

Scalability and portability of both phases would be helpful so that what is accomplished at St. Monica might be able to be implemented to other parishes as well.