Benevolence & Compassion Fund Policy and Request Form
The governing policy plus intake form for the church's benevolence fund, defining who may receive assistance, how requests are approved, and how gifts stay tax-compliant.
Draft: pending review
This starter document is signed off by Nonprofit/church counsel + CPA before it ships. The guardrails below define that review.
What’s inside
- Eligibility criteria, assistance caps, and covered need types (housing, utilities, medical, food)
- Confidential request/intake form and objective need-assessment worksheet
- Approval workflow, dollar thresholds, and benevolence-committee sign-off
- Rules on donor-designated benevolence gifts and employee-recipient handling
Legal & ethical guardrails
The sector-specific compliance points this document must honor.
- Gifts earmarked by a donor for a specific named individual are generally not deductible; church must retain full discretion and control
- Benevolence to employees is generally taxable compensation (W-2/1099), not a tax-free gift — flag for payroll
- Decisions must be need-based, non-discriminatory, and documented to withstand IRS private-benefit/inurement scrutiny
- Recipient information is sensitive and pastorally confidential; restrict access and protect vulnerable individuals
Held for professional review.
The native DOCX and full working text ship only after sign-off by Nonprofit/church counsel + CPA on this exact version. The summary and review requirements remain visible in the meantime.
Not legal advice. Not legal, tax, or accounting advice. The Fundraising Co. provides educational fundraising materials and is not a law firm; nothing here creates an attorney–client relationship or substitutes for advice from professionals licensed in your jurisdiction. Laws and IRS rules vary by state and change over time. Review every document with qualified counsel before use.