How Do Faith Groups Fund themselves?

Post date: Feb 03, 2020 3:34:36 PM

1.     At their January 2019 meeting the Council of Faiths had a discussion on how different faith communities funded themselves.

Richard Wightman (New Life) leads church of 800 people. It has an annual income of £900K (£600K from giving, £235K from room hire and the rest from other sources such as solar panels). Half the income goes on salaries for around 30 staff).

They kitted out rooms to rent and have a hall that holds 600 people.

Lots of churches have an income of about £50K.

Church of England churches pay into the centre (which is mostly from giving), from which then pay ministers, so poorer areas can have a minister. They also pay diocese staff.

Buddhist Temple – has a different funding model. More like rural India not like Japan with a tithe.

It is funded by donations.

Monks and nuns have no salary, they live off charity.

Receive free labour, eg gardeners, electricians, etc.

The Temple is on a 999 year lease from Parks Trust.

Synagogue – is on a reserve site on a 125 year lease. The building has been there for about 20 years.

It has an income of about £40K which comes from subscriptions and the hire of the building.

The major expenditure is building maintenance, energy and water.

Pay subscriptions to MRJ.

Hire Rabbis. The only staff is a part-time cleaner.

Baha’i – is self-funding.

Sai Centre – Use a school. People donate money.

Income of about £6,000pa. Donate £100 per month to the Food Bank.

Zainabiya Islamic Centre – 1988 free hold property.

Iman - £6,000 from National.

One third of income from subscriptions, rest from donations.

Maintenance is biggest cost.

Richard: Due to cultural differences different groups are funded differently.

At New Life Church staff is roughly one third ministers, one third Admin and one third Conferencing.