Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
Table C: Division of funding streams
Methodist Church Fund
The Training Assessment Fund
The Connexional Priority Fund
The Mission in Britain Fund
and the World Mission Fund
Total
£3,038k
£1,674k
£1,116k
£372k
£6,200k
Section E: Challenges and Opportunities
86 This section outlines the financial,
infrastructural and educational
challenges facing the Methodist
Church in the fields of formation,
learning, training, theological
education, scholarship, research and
development.
Expenditure, funding streams,
funds and assets
87 The future of the funding streams
which support the Conference’s
current provision in the fields
of formation, learning, training,
theological education, scholarship,
research and development presents
a significant challenge. Commitments
from the World Mission Fund and
the Connexional Priority Fund come
to an end in their present form
at the end of 2012/2013. These
commitments constitute almost
24% of existing funding streams.
Similarly, as the Conference no
longer solicits donations towards
the Training Assessment Fund, the
balance of the fund is diminishing,
and will be exhausted by the end
of 2012/2013. It constitutes 27%
of existing funding streams. This
is a fundamental challenge to the
capacity to fund future costs.
88 As existing funding streams dry up,
there is necessarily the challenge
of planning for lower expenditure so
that the core elements of connexional
activities in these fields can be
maintained and developed by lower
and more sustainable expenditure
from connexional funds. Alongside
this challenge stands the opportunity
to identify and nurture new funding
streams. In this context arises the
need to assess, with some urgency,
the future use of those capital assets
which are dedicated to formation,
learning and development, to ensure
that the Conference’s funds held in
this way are focused on contemporary
needs.
89 This financial climate and the ongoing
responsibilities of good stewardship
also emphasise the need to ensure
that funding streams are used to
support effective expenditure. There
can be no room for duplication
of effort or competition between
different components. On the
contrary, it is essential to maximise
collaboration and coherence in
order to exercise wise stewardship
of limited but still considerable
resources.
Premises and capital expenditure
90 An ongoing challenge for the leaders
and governing bodies of institutions,
Conference Agenda 2012 673