Putting together your budget? Here are 5 unexpected items you should add.
I feel a little squeamish writing this blog post because we don’t really budget at Fishhook. We have developed systems over the years, painfully at times, that give us a financial dashboard. We roughly know when we can step on the spending gas and when we need to be more conservative. Our spending authority is fairly centralized, so this model works for us. It would likely not work in a church. That said, here are five items that are spending priorities at Fishhook. I believe church leaders should consider these in their budget because they add significantly to culture and impact.
- Individual personal retreats for all staff
Think local or regional 24-48 hour getaways to refresh, recharge and refocus.
- Spontaneous recognition and appreciation
Whether it’s a stack of $50 gift cards or an email pre-approving an expense reimbursement, leaders need to be able to swiftly say “job well done” to staff and lay leaders.
- Office ergonomics
My own personal bout with back trouble heightened my sensitivity to this need. Stand/sit desks, ball chairs, monitor stands, etc., should be made available to team members who feel the need to customize their workspace.
- Non-church conferences
Yes, it’s good to go to Orange, Exponential or Catalyst, but if you want to expand your team’s thinking, send them to job-related conferences without a church focus.
- Mad money
My dad used to save a little money each paycheck and tuck $20 or $50 into a slot in his wallet. Pretty soon, he’d have a wad of dough to fund a purchase when an unexpected opportunity arose. Sometimes it was a fun purchase, and sometimes it was an emergency home repair. Either way, he could quickly move ahead. Have funds set aside for the unexpected opportunity to make impact or reinforce culture.
