Announcing the New ECFA Standards Check-In Program

WINCHESTER, VA – The ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) announced today another member benefit in strengthening compliance with the Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship™

After celebrating its 40-year anniversary and largest single year of membership growth in 2019, ECFA is excited to enter a new decade of ministry by introducing yet another innovative tool in its compliance process – the ECFA Standards Check-In.

With the new Standards Check-In, ECFA adds to the continuum of its robust compliance process, including the rigorous initial application, annual re-accreditation, on-site visits, questionnaires, and follow up on compliance referrals (learn more: FAQs – How Does ECFA Accreditation and Member Accountability Work?). As with these other long-standing compliance tools, the Standards Check-In will be conducted by ECFA’s professional staff with CPA backgrounds and a heart to see churches and ministries demonstrate the highest standards of financial integrity.

The Standards Check-In concept is a remote, 1-hour video conference with a leader from our compliance team and two leaders from the member ministry (typically the CFO and Executive Director, or those in similar positions). To maximize the call time, a series of important documents related to the ministry’s finances, board governance, and stewardship are submitted in advance for ECFA’s review. Following the document review and video Check-In, ECFA will issue a brief report to the ministry’s board and key staff leaders outlining any next steps needed for compliance with the standards and other helpful recommendations. Plus, accredited ministries receive a custom toolkit of ECFA resources specific to the issues and topics addressed during the Check-In.

The official launch of the Standards Check-In in 2020 comes after a successful pilot project last fall with 13 ECFA members who participated and provided early feedback on their experience. This year, an anticipated 75-100 members will be served through this new benefit.

To learn more about the Standards Check-In initiative, contact the program lead Staci Brown (Staci@ECFA.org).

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