Governance, Fiscal Oversight, Accounting, Auditing Subjects of Initial 2011 ECFA Forums
by Staff
December 14, 2010
WINCHESTER, Va., (christiansunite.com) -- The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) will kick off its 2011 forum series with March sessions in Texas that focus on board governance and financial oversight strategies, and one in North Carolina that addresses accounting and auditing.Registration is open for ECFA's first three forums of 2011: "Board Governance Essentials for Ministries" March 15 in Plano, Texas; "Covering the Bases - Effective Financial Oversight Strategies for Ministry Leaders" March 17 in Plano; and "Nonprofit Accounting and Auditing" March 31 in Charlotte, N.C. Other ECFA forums scheduled for 2011 will be announced early next year.
The day-long forums will feature presentations from ECFA executives, area professionals and prominent ministry experts who will discuss issues, trends and effective practices for each forum subject.
"Board governance, financial oversight, and accounting and auditing form the core of every ministry's fiscal standards," said Dan Busby, president of ECFA. "These forums will provide the guidance and resources that churches and faith-based nonprofits need to fortify their fiscal standards for a strong financial future."
The "Board Governance Essentials for Ministries" forum will share critical questions every board member and CEO must ask and answer. Forum topics include: recruiting board members, balancing board roles, preventing boards from micromanaging, creating clarity and alignment about the roles and responsibilities of board members and executives, discerning God's direction, implementing effective practices, identifying key organizational risks and assessing a board and CEO's effectiveness. The forum is tailored for board members, ministry leaders and church executive staff members and governing bodies.
Board governance forum speakers include John Pearson, who is president of John Pearson Associates and has served 30 years as a nonprofit CEO; Wes Willmer, who is ECFA's senior vice president and has 40 years of experience working at Christ-centered ministries; and Busby, who is recognized among the nation's top experts in nonprofit money topics, including tax and finance issues for clergy, churches and other nonprofit organizations.
The "Covering the Bases - Effective Financial Oversight Strategies for Ministry Leaders" forum will emphasize an organization-wide approach to risk management, effective internal control strategies, effective internal financial reporting and budgeting as a strategy to improve financial position. The forum is geared toward church and ministry leaders, treasurers, financial managers and other financial staff members. Forum speakers include certified public accountant Michael Batts, managing shareholder of the Orlando, Fla., accounting firm Batts Morrison Wales & Lee; and Busby.
"Nonprofit Accounting and Auditing" forum topics include: updates on recent and upcoming accounting and auditing matters, contribution accounting, financial statement format, joint costs, accounting for investments and common financial statement mistakes. The forum is designed for ministry and church leaders, treasurers, financial managers, certified public accountants and other ministry staff members. Richard Larkin, who is CPA and technical director for the Institute for Nonprofit Excellence with BDO Seidman, LLP and has co-authored "Financial and Accounting Guide for Not-for-Profit Organizations," will lead the forum.
Registration fees for each forum received by Feb. 15 are $149 for ECFA members and $249 for nonmembers. Registration fees for each forum received after Feb. 15 are $199 for ECFA members and $299 for nonmembers.
Continuing education credits are available through the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and the National Association of Church Business Administration.
For more information, including bios of each speaker, and to register, visit www.ecfa.org.
ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA standards pertaining to financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ecfa.org
