Funds: Net Funds Raised — Calculating and Reporting

When reporting a fundraising activity (funded or locally supported chapter activity) hosted by a Thrivent Financial for Lutherans chapter service team, net funds raised must be reported.

Net funds raised equals the gross funds raised at an activity minus total expenses incurred.

For example, if a service team raises $6,200 and $200 of that amount is used to pay expenses for the activity, net funds raised equals $6,000.

Note: If the chapter provides any up-front money to the service team to defray expenses, that amount should be included in the net funds raised.

In addition to net funds raised, the total expenses incurred also must be reported.

It's important to keep the following in mind regarding funds raised and expenses incurred:

• Net funds raised by the service team must be reported, not only the portion to be supplemented through one of the chapter Care programs (e.g., if a service team raised $6,000 and receives $2,000 of supplemental funds through the Care Abounds in Communities® program, the service team reports the $6,000 as net funds raised).
  
  Recording all net dollars raised helps Thrivent Financial illustrate our organization's charitable impact, and it helps us support our fraternal status. Recording expenses helps show how efficiently we are able to raise money – we have low overhead costs.
• Those donor checks that were issued directly to the chapter are deposited into the chapter's checking account.
• If a chapter cohosts an activity with another organization, the chapter service team should report only the share of funds that it feels the service teamit was responsible for raising. Oftentimes, checks for these events are made payable to the cohosting organization. In those cases, that organization deposits the funds and does NOT send a check for the net funds raised to the chapter.
• If multiple chapter service teams host an activity, each service team reports only its fair share of net funds raised and deposits it appropriately.
• If a service team raises gross funds of $100, but uses some of those funds to pay expenses, it cannot report the gross amount raised as net funds raised to reach the $100 minimum program request. The service team should try to raise more funds or solicit donations to offset the expenses.

Estimated Value of Goods Contributed
The estimated value of goods contributed (e.g., canned goods, used clothing, gift certificates, gift cards, etc.) cannot be reported as funds raised. Estimating the value of goods contributed is not sufficiently valid to warrant using in place of actual funds raised. It is much more accurate to report dollars raised.

If conducting an activity that is intended for supplemental funding from one of the chapter care programs, only the cash proceeds (donated cash or money raised selling donated items) can be supplemented.

Additional Topics:
Care Abounds in Communities®
Cohosting Activities – Guidelines and Reporting
Depositing Funds Raised – Guidelines and Requirements
Funded Activities
Nonfunded (Locally Supported) Activities – How to Report