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Community Care Fund

Community Care Fund

This fund was formerly called the Ministerial Discretionary Fund

1. Purpose

The Community Care Fund exists to offer short-term, confidential financial support to members of our Foothills community who are facing urgent need.

This guidance supports our commitment to compassion, equity, and pastoral care. It ensures this support is offered with discretion, clarity, and consistency, aligned with our mission to care for one another with courage and humility.

2. Organizational Guidance

The Community Care Fund is available once per calendar year per household. The fund is not for long-term or recurring assistance but is intended to meet acute, essential needs. 

Eligibility

    Individuals must have a current connection to the Foothills community, such as:

      Member or regular attender

      Active participant in a ministry area

      Priority is given to needs related to, but not limited to

        Housing stability

        Food insecurity

        Medical access

        Transportation

        Safety and crisis response

        Exceptions may be made at the minister’minister's discretion.

        Request and Disbursement Process

          Initiate Request

            A request may come through a minister, staff member, Caring Listener, or trusted lay leader.

            The individual may also directly reach out to a minister or relevant staff.

            Review and Decision

              The request is reviewed by a designated member of the Ministry Team, often the Minister for Community Care. 

              Decisions consider

                Urgency

                Alignment with fund purpose

                Whether community resources have been utilized or are available

                Available Community Care Fund budget

                Disbursement and Documentation


                Once
                  a This formrequest is submittedapproved, complete all three steps below. They keep the pastoral record, the running balance, and the accounting in sync, and skipping any one of them is how the records drift apart. The amount is open, determined by the situation and available resources.
                  • Document in PCO. Add a ministernote under the Community Care Fund Notes category on the recipient's individual profile. Use one note per household, not one per person. Include the date, the amount, and a short line on what it covers (for example, "$500 toward rent during a job gap"). 
                  • Log the tracking table. Add the amount to requestthe household's row in the Community Care Fund tracking table. 
                  • Submit the payment request. Complete the Foothills Payment Request Form so bookkeeping can issue the check. Be sure to noteNote whether the check is to be sent via mailmailed or be picked up at Foothills.
                  The amount is openFoothills, determined based on the situation and available resources. A Community Care Fund Note in PCO is generated by the minister connected with the disbursement.

                   

                  . 

                  Confidentiality and Records

                    All requests and disbursements are treated with strict confidentiality.

                    Only those directly involved in review and disbursement are aware of identifying details.

                    Records are kept solely for internal financial oversight—, not for public or staff-wide reporting.

                    3. Related Content

                    Bylaws and Policies

                    This guidance interprets or implements the following:

                    Organizational Guidances & SOPs

                    This guidance is related to or informs the following:

                      Template Email for responding to request from someone who is not engaged at Foothills

                      4. Revision History

                      Originally created by

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