About Us » Where the Money Goes
If you’re like me, you work hard to ensure that the financial resources at your disposal are utilized responsibly. You seek to realize a valid return on your investments. And you want to know that the organizations that solicit fees from you are delivering quality services at a reasonable rate.
So while it may seem a little unusual to review a mission organization by this criteria, I think it’s commendable—and important. Ministries like CSM need to exercise responsible stewardship in every phase of their operations. I appreciate the opportunity to give you an outline of how CSM utilizes the fees your group pays to serve in urban Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, or Washington, DC
THANK YOU for your interest in urban missions and your willingness to invest in the lives of your young people! It’s an investment that I can guarantee will return benefits to your students, their families, your church, and your community, many times over.
Project Expenses
As it should be, the vast majority of CSM’s revenues are invested in direct project expenses. These expenses break into the following categories:
- Housing. CSM pays a per person, per night rate for housing (the rate varies from city to city). This housing is controlled by our staff, which ensures the safest, most secure housing possible for your group.
- Food. CSM provides three meals per day for serving groups. Many of these meals are contracted with local ethnic restaurants, which provide groups with a delicious learning experience as they sample foods that reflect the variety of cultures found in the city. Because we contract with these restaurants in bulk, we are able to secure discounted prices for our meals.
- Staff. Each serving group is supplied with the full-time services of a CSM City Host. Rather than having one staff person juggle several groups at once, we believe strongly that each group deserves the undivided focus of a trained CSM staff person to maximize its time in the city.
- Training. Anyone inquiring about a CSM mission and service trip receives, free of charge or obligation, a CSM DVD that explains CSM’s purpose and activities. Every registered group also receives (as part of its basic fees) two training courses: Serve Big, a complete pre-trip training course, and Back to the Future, a post-trip follow-up course. These courses were created by CSM and are offered to our registered groups to enable them to enjoy the maximum benefit from their trip—before, during, and after.
- Management. Each of our Ministry Centers is managed by at least one full-time City Director and includes a fully equipped office, enabling our staff to manage the preparation for and implementation of each group’s experience in an effective, efficient manner. We’re pleased that many groups tell us that their CSM trip is the best-organized mission and service experience they’ve ever undertaken.
Administration
CSM coordinates its operations through our Home Office in Dana Point, California. (In Canada, we work in partnership with Project417.) Director of Operations and her Home Office team coordinate schedules for all of our cities, handle all incoming and outgoing financial transactions, oversee all of the details involved in registering, confirming, and supplying serving groups, manage all of our books and accounts, get the word out about CSM and a zillion other things. They do an incredible job within a limited budget.
Tithe
CSM tithes a portion of its revenues to urban churches, shelters, missions, and other organizations that we work with directly in our Ministry Centers. These are ministries we know well and are worthy of our support. Frankly, we wish we could contribute more.
Insurance
Like any responsible organization, CSM carries an appropriate package of liability, health, and other insurances. The package is overseen by an insurance professional who donates his time as a contribution to CSM’s ministry.
Staff Development
CSM has created, and continues to update, thorough training and development programs for its full-time and intern staff. Once a year, CSM gathers its entire full-time staff to a planning retreat and also conducts regional training seminars on an annual basis.
Fundraising
Actually, your group fees cover approximately 80% of our actual costs. CSM full-time staff (including the president) raise approximately 40% of their personal budgets by soliciting personal support, and CSM also solicits both designated and general-fund donations to cover its operating budget.
Travel
With over 25 staff spread out over literally thousands of miles, periodic personal contact is essential to maintain effective communication and procedural lines. The President, VP of Staff and Director of Operations travel at regular intervals to each of CSM’s Ministry Centers.
That’s how we spend your money. We feel it is money well spent, and hope you do too.
Where Does the Money Go? (PDF)
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