Financial Controls Checklist

Part of Becoming a Safer Congregation

Use this checklist at least annually to make sure you have policies, procedures, and practices in place to avoid embezzlement, fraud, and scams.

TASKYESN/AACTION ITEM
  1. Do you have a comprehensive written policy that outlines how all aspects of your congregation’s finances are to be handled?
   
  1. Do you conduct background checks on all employees and volunteers who deal with money?
   
  1. Do you have written position descriptions for all employees and volunteers who have access to financial documents and perform financial functions?
   
  1. Do you document all financial transactions clearly and immediately?
   
  1. Do you keep financial records (and duplicate copies) in a safe place?
   
  1. Do you have a defined practice for documenting suspicious financial incidents?
   
  1. Do your procedures for handling church finances involve multiple people who each have a specific role, so that one person is not responsible for every aspect of your congregation’s finances?
   
  1. Do you conduct annual audits by someone other than your congregation’s financial secretary or treasurer?
   
  1. Is the handling of offerings always controlled by at least two unrelated people?
   
  1. Is the handling of other receipts of cash always controlled by at least two unrelated people?
   
  1. Is cash counted in a secure area?
   
  1. Do the money counters verify that the contents of the offering envelopes are identical to the amounts written on the envelopes by the members?
   
  1. Are all checks received endorsed as soon as possible?
   
  1. Is cash deposited as soon as possible after receipt?
   
  1. Is all cash received deposited in the bank?
   
  1. Is cash safeguarded in a safe or lock box when at the congregation?
   
  1. Are incoming-mail and in-office contributions handled by people who are not responsible for the accounting records?
   
  1. Are contribution records maintained for members?
   
  1. Is preparing a check to Cash prohibited?
   
  1. Are blank, unused checks safeguarded at all times?
   
  1. Are reconciliations of all bank accounts prepared monthly by a person not involved in writing checks?