NORTHERN ILLINOIS CONFERENCE APPORTIONMENT APPEAL PROCESS

For more information on the appeal process or to submit your appeal, use this information:

Email: dquinn@umcnic.org

David W. Quinn
NIC - United Methodist Church
77 West Washington Avenue
Suite 1820
Chicago, IL 60602

Introduction

Every effort has and will continue to be made in making the Apportionment formula as equitable/fair as possible. It is important to know that the average Apportionment for a member church of the NIC is about 12% of its annual operating budget. Notwithstanding, CCFA is mindful of the challenges member churches are facing and will continue to work with all member churches in order to obtain 100% Apportionment participation. Hopefully, the following Appeal and Review process will help to foster our connection in the NIC and make the 100% Apportionment participation an attainable goal.

Eligibility

Every member church of the NIC can appeal its Apportionment amount.

Criteria

Fundamental reasons for seeking an appeal include but not limited to the following (discuss/document as applicable):

• Errors were made in entering the statistical data
• Drastic changes in worship attendance or membership – leading to reduced giving
• A major maintenance or other unanticipated expense occurred, and
• Other (extraordinary - explain)

Period

The appeal period is from when the Apportionments are announced by the Treasurer’s office in October to January 31 and decisions will be communicated by the first Friday in March of the Apportionment year. Appeals will not be considered as they are submitted but collectively in February and decisions made thereafter. All appeals must be received by the Treasurer’s Office on or before January 31:

• Appeal period – October of the current Apportionment year to January 31st of the new Apportionment year
• Appeal submission deadline – January 31st of the new Apportionment year
• Appeal review period (CCFA) – February of the new Apportionment year
• Appeal decision communication – First Friday in March of the new Apportionment year

Submission

Email your appeal to the Apportionment Administrator, David Quinn, at dquinn@umcnic.org before January 31. We will acknowledge receipt in an email and forward to the CCFA for their consideration at their first subsequent meeting. We will notify upon learning of their decision, which may be in March.

At the minimum, the content of the appeal should include:

• Basic information on the church (i.e. total budget, attendance, sources of revenue)
• A stated amount of relief being sought
• The duration of the relief being sought
• The fundamental reason(s) for the appeal
• What actions is the church undertaking to meet the financial distress
• An appeal history, if any, including the result of each appeal, and
• How does the church engage in the connectional relationships of the district, conference, or denomination?

Review

• The Subcommittee, upon receipt of the appeal package in February, will convene and within 30 days complete its review and submit its recommendations to CCFA; in turn CCFA will convene, review and or modify the recommendations and
• CCFA, through the Conference Treasurer, will announce its appeal decision on the first Friday in March of the Apportionment year.

Questions/Inquiries

All questions and inquiries should be directed to dquinn@umcnic.org.