<div dir="ltr"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Hello all and Happy Holidays!</font><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Here is the budget guidance for the Church Year that will beginning on July 1, 2017. Although this guidance is similar to those of recent years, we are hoping that people who submit budgets will identify how Committee and staff activities and
proposed funds will advance the vision statements in the UCM Strategic Plan adopted earlier this year. </font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Budget submissions are due on <b>Friday</b> <b>January 27, 2017. </b></font></div><div><b><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></b></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">The guidance is an attachment to this email and I have also included it in the following. Thank you for all your work and if you have questions, please let me know.</font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt">Unitarian Church of Montpelier<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt">Budget Guidance for Church Year 2017-18<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Finance Committee has started the process of preparing a
proposed budget for the 2017 – 18 Church year, which starts July 1, 2017. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In our governance structure, the budget is guided by our
mission statement and the priorities of the Congregation as articulated by the
Board and Executive Team. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you all know, our Mission Statement is: <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><b><i>We welcome all as we build a
loving community to nurture each person’s spiritual journey, serve human need,
and protect the earth, our home.<span></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Finance Committee has in the past several years asked
those who prepare budgets to explain why any additional funds that are being
requested are needed and what is hoped to be accomplished with the funding. We
have also asked people to let us know how they believe any additional funds
requested will help meet the Church Mission. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you know a UCM 5-Year Strategic Plan, including a
compilation of outcomes, action steps, and indicators of success was adopted
last spring. Since there is a new focus this year on the 5 year strategic plan,
the Finance Committee also hopes to receive information in the budget process
that will identify how Committee and Staff activities and proposed funds will
advance the vision statements in the Plan. This will be helpful in the budget
drive process<span style="font-size:14pt"> </span>to encourage generosity and
also create an understanding of the way the budget advances the Mission and goals
of the Congregation as articulated in the Strategic Plan. The Plan can be found
on the Church Web site at: <span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"><a href="https://ucmvt.org/about/governing-board/">https://ucmvt.org/about/governing-board/</a>
<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"> </span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><b><u>Timeframes and Submission Guidance<span></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(192,80,77)"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here are the highlights of this year’s budget submission
timeframes and guidelines, which are similar to those that have been sent out
in the recent past:<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">The
due date for submission of budget information is <b>Friday</b> <b>January 27, 2017.</b><span></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">If you
as a committee chair, staff member, program or task force leader <b><u>do not</u> need any increase in the
amount budgeted for the current year, it will not be necessary to submit a
request.</b> If I do not hear from you by January 27, we will use your
current budget amount for next year.
If you are uncertain as to the amount budgeted for the current
year, it can be found in the May 2016 Annual Report at: <a href="https://ucmvt.org/about/governing-board/annual-reports/" target="_blank"><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">https://ucmvt.org/about/governing-board/annual-reports/</span></a><br>
<span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br>
</span>It you don’t need as much as you currently have budgeted, please
let us know how much you need. We are always very grateful for any budget
reductions, no matter how modest.<span></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">If you
are anticipating a need for an increase in funds you will need to submit
something by January 27, 2017. Please include the following:<span></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Let
us know how much money is needed (the total amount, not just the increase
over this year); <span></span></li>
</ol>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.75in"><span> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="2" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">An
explanation of why it is needed and what you hope to <b>accomplish</b>. If there are increases/reductions in more than
one part of your budget, please provide an explanation for each area
reflecting an increase or change; and<span></span></li>
</ol>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="3" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">To
the extent you are able, let us know how you believe the funds you are
asking for will further the Church Mission and specific objectives set
out in the Strategic Plan.<span></span></li>
</ol>
</ul>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraph"><span> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">It is
not necessary to send requests related to staff compensation increases, as
these are addressed by the Finance Committee and Executive Team. <span></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is best to send your information to me via email at: <a href="mailto:pwallacebro@gmail.com">pwallacebro@gmail.com</a><b> </b><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please let me know if you have any questions, thanks for
your help, and have a good Holiday Season!<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Paul Wallace-Brodeur, Chair <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finance Committee<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> . </font></div></div>