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Message from CSM's President
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, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto,
or Washington D.C.
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 complete information packet-including sample ministry
schedules, an overview of ministries in each of our cities, and other materials. Every
registered group also receives (as part of its basic fees) two training courses: Serve
Big, a seven-session pre-trip training course, and Back to the Future, a three-session 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
International Teams of Canada.) Our Home Office Director and her assistant 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 all of its 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 20 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 VP of operations travel at regular intervals
to each of CSM's Ministry Centers.
That's how we spend your money. We feel it's money well spent, and hope
you do too.
Where Does the Money Go? - PRINTABLE PDF FORMAT
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