Caldwell County Cowboy Church believes that financial integrity and accountability are of the utmost importance. It is for that reason we have designed, adopted, and employed the following policies and procedures.

General Policies

To ensure Caldwell County Cowboy Church has operated ethically and within budget, the Audit Team (composed of three or more church members who are familiar with accounting and sound financial practices) will review all expenditures once a month. If any irregularity is found, the Leadership Team is to be notified in writing immediately.

Detailed financial reports are available to church members upon request from the financial secretary.

All financial transactions are to be accompanied by a receipt or other written documentation to ensure all transactions can be traced and audited.

Funds are always to be counted by a minimum of two individuals, each of whom shall sign their name to a collection count sheet. The Audit Team shall be responsible for training the counters.

Sums of money collected at church events are not to be held, but are to be deposited, on the same day they are collected, at the bank where the church’s accounts are located. The bank’s after-hours depository should be used as necessary.

Handling of the Tithes and Offerings

1. A money counting team is to be assembled at the direction of the Audit Team. The Audit Team shall nominate and train individuals to serve on the counting team.
2. The money counting team should consist of at least four individuals who are all church members as defined in Article I, Section 1 of the church’s bylaws.
3. In groups of two or more, they will be responsible for counting and certifying the tithes and offerings, as well as the attendance each Sunday.
4. Under no circumstances should the counters be related by blood or marriage, in a dating relationship, or living under the same roof.
5. At approximately 30 minutes after the start of the service, the counters will count the number of people in attendance and note that figure on the collection count sheet.
6. At approximately 15 minutes after the conclusion of the service, the counters will each independently count the tithes and offerings.
7. They will list the checks and the denominations of the bills and coins received on the collection count sheet.
8. Each counter will then certify the accuracy of the information reported on the collection count sheet by signing their name at the bottom of the document.
9. The cash and checks will then be placed in a sealed envelope along with a deposit slip.
10. The sealed envelope will then be immediately delivered to the bank and deposited in the bank’s night drop, while the collection count sheet will be delivered to the financial secretary.

Disbursement or Reimbursement Policy

Teams are expected to spend their budgeted funds in the furtherance of their team’s goals and the overall mission of the church. With that in mind, so long as teams are operating within their budgets, the financial secretary shall provide disbursement of budgeted funds after receiving a written request signed by the team leader. A request for reimbursement of funds already expended should be made in writing, signed by the team leader, and should include a receipt or paid-in-full invoice.

All requests for disbursement of funds that exceed or fall outside the approved annual budget should be forwarded to the Audit Team for review without payment. The Audit Team shall forward the request, along with the Team’s recommendation, to the Leadership Team for its review. The Leadership Team will notify the team leader and financial secretary whether the request has been approved or denied.

Funds spent without the prior approval of the Leadership Team are not the responsibility of the church.

Fundraising Policy

Teams and ministries may conduct fundraisers in order to cover their expenses. However, all fundraising initiatives shall be presented in writing to the Leadership Team for approval before the church’s name or logo are used. All funds raised through such an initiative are to be deposited into the general fund of the church and set aside in the financial report for that team, ministry, project, or program.