1. Participants in a Denton Bible Church STM assignment are responsible for raising the funds necessary to cover the cost of the mission assignment.
2. Church Administration & Missions account for all monies in a Support Account established for each STM Team.
3. All letters and requests for support must be approved by the STM Coordinator prior to being mailed out or distributed, and must include the current, approved language for soliciting contributions:
“Contributions to Denton Bible Church Missions are made and received with the understanding that Denton Bible Church has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds. Funds raised in excess of our need will be used by Denton Bible Church for future short term missions.”
4. All checks are to be made payable to Denton Bible Church and submitted to Church Administration in a self-addressed envelope (stamped if you wish) provided by the team member with their support letter. It must be addressed:
Denton Bible Church
Attn: [Trip Destination – your name]
2300 E. University Drive
Denton, TX 76209
5. If the candidate receives a check made payable to the candidate name instead of Denton Bible Church, the candidate should contact the donor to determine if the donor desires to receive a tax deduction. If so, the donor must rewrite the check and make it payable to Denton Bible Church. If the donor does not care to receive the tax deduction, the candidate may either:
a. cash the check and submit It as outlined below in number 8, or
b. cash the check and use it for personal expenses related to the mission assignment.
6. STM team leaders must submit to the Missions Office any support money received from team members.
7. Checks submitted for deposit must have the correct notation in the memo: team destination and account number.
8. Cash submitted for deposit must be in an envelope listing the team’s destination, name and address of the donor, name(s) of the individual(s) for whom the contribution was recommended, and the Support Account number.
9. While support for individuals is tracked by Missions and Church Administration, support is added to the team Support Account on behalf of the team, not the individual candidate.
10. Fund raising is done on a per trip basis. No monies raised accrue on behalf of an individual team member for their future use at any time, unless otherwise approved by the Board of Elders.
11. Funds raised by a team member in excess of the individual fund raising goal for a trip will be used to cover other trip expenses, including shortages of other team members.
12. Funds raised in excess of the team fund raising goal and exceeding actual funds needed will be used for future Short Term Missions needs, and are reserved in a STM Special Account.
13. Candidates unable to participate in the assigned mission trip for reasons other than those stipulated in Policy 1.5.4 “Mission Trip Contribution And Refund,” are responsible for expenses in excess of available funds in the team account incurred by, or on behalf of, the candidate. Such expenses should be paid within fifteen (15) days following notification.
14. Generally, STM teams may not spend money from the team account until the money has been raised. In the event that available funds are not sufficient at the time that arrangements must be made (e.g. airfare, visa purchase), the team may contribute personal funds as nonrefundable contributions for the trip, contact recipients of support letters to appeal for funds, or work with a sponsoring Ministry Director to determine if other ministry funds are available. Ministry Directors may use ministry funds to temporarily meet the needs of a mission team if the Support Account has adequate funds to pay any cancellation fees incurred if team members cannot reach their fund raising goal.