Where can one find financial information about churches and other religious organizations in the U.S.?

Question

Non-profit organziations are required to submit financial information to the states, but religious institutions are exempt from this requirement. Now with faith-based initiatives, churches get federal money. Should they be exempt from public scrutiny regarding how they get and use their money?

Answer 1

Many are members of The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

The ECFA was founded in 1979. It is comprised of over 2,000 charitable, religious, missionary, social, and educational tax-exempt, nonprofit 501(c)(3)organizations.

In the 1970's, there was growing public and political concern over an increase of questionable fund-raising practices in the nonprofit sector. In addition, donors and governmental agencies expressed concern over the management of their donations to achieve publicly stated objectives as presented in fund-raising appeals. Donors had no source for an objective assessment of the financial integrity of Christian organizations desiring their support.

In the late 1970s, Senator Mark Hatfield addressed a group of key Christian leaders and challenged them to police their own mission agencies as a "Christian Better Business Bureau" or face the potential of government intervention. Consequently, ECFA was formed, standards were established, and a chartering process was initiated for applicant ministries.

ECFA is committed to helping Christ-centered organizations earn the public’s trust through developing and maintaining standards of accountability that convey God-honoring ethical practices.

ECFA assists its member organizations in making appropriate public disclosure of their financial practices and accomplishments, thus materially enhancing their credibility and support potential among present and prospective donors.

ECFA conducts an on-site field review program to further enhance its accreditation certification of member organizations. Member organizations are randomly selected for on-site visits by an ECFA representative to verify the information submitted on the annual membership review form and to confirm compliance with the ECFA membership standards. In 2007, ECFA project they will conduct over 180 of these visits

http://www.ecfa.org

Answer 2

Any one that receives funds from the government has to make that information readily available. Where to get that information I am not 100% sure. I will say that even as a christian I do not like the ideal of the government sponsoring churches it flies in the face of the seperation of church and state and should not be allowed. With that being said the ones that do receive funds have to make accessible to the public under the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA).

Answer 3

None of us are exempt from financial scrutiny by the public nor from any other kind of scrutiny. Politicians, churches and other non-profits are fair game in any season in anyone's sites. Amen! Every denomination I know of makes their financial records available to church members or others if asked.

Answer 4

Has the Pope signed a dying warrant for all religions blending in national business company and getting wealthy? confident the Pope did and he and different clergy get wealthy from coaching Babylon the excellent Pagan teachings and the United countries now that the Pope provide it teeth and that's the place they'll flow to come across the money they desire interior of this worldwide economic disaster like Sherry pronounced. they think their risk-free with the U.N. like the Jews believed they have been with Roman yet like the Jews they are heavily no longer ultimate approximately that. save on the watch!

Answer 5

Not all churches get federal money. The LDS church doesn't even pay it's leaders for their service and we have no government help.

Answer 6

if you are a member of the church then you have all rights to know where your money is going. but if not then why would you care? its not your money in the church.

Answer 7

They shouldn't be getting public money at all.

Answer 8

www.meta-religion.com