An interfaith church business plan has a few challenges wrapped into it. For one thing, it's most likely to describe a non-profit operation – i.e., a 501(c)3, registered with the state but not designed to generate an operating profit. There is nothing wrong with that per se but it does pose some challenges to the conventional business plan writing format. If you've bought a software program or looked at a template on the web, you can probably tell that some of the traditional modeling calculations and narrative sections won't apply for you. Don't lose heart! This list shows some of the differences to keep in focus:
• Rather than competition, what alliances might you try to form?
• What are the commonalities of people who will come to the church?
• Can you describe the industry from private sector figures?
• Is there a “cash burn†rate you can determine from other churches?
• How long will your initial funding round last in your coffers?
The business plan for an interfaith church should include a profit and loss of sorts (more commonly called a surplus and deficit in a not-for-profit business plan) – people who read the document will need to see a list of your proposed operating expenses, for example. And what “revenues†come in from collections? How is this money repurposed? Define this and show it in your tables. Writing a description of your creed, your marketing plan for getting parishioners, and the background of your leadership team is also a good idea. MasterPlans can assist with this plan if you're stuck. We have written non-profit business plans for churches and other 501(c)3 businesses seeking grants and investment since 2002: (877) 453-2011.
