Facilitate collaboration and innovation amongst church business leaders
Facilitate the sharing of best practice
Provide an avenue for networking and mutual support
Membership of FRANC is open to Directors and Senior Executives of Australian church business units. These may include administrators of development funds, insurance schemes, investment or funds management, property management, information technology, procurement and so on.
A National Heads of Churches gathering in 2017 recommended finance representatives gather to discuss regulatory changes impacting the church finance sector, and to explore possible collaboration. The first FRANC meeting was held in October 2017. Small group workshops identified a number of focus areas prioritised for collaboration. A second FRANC gathering held in March 2018 included group discussions on property development, finance and insurance.
FRANC might provide a united voice to government and regulators on the distinctive needs of the church finance and business sector. FRANC holds potential for a number of specialist offshoots. Church insurance representatives are currently discussing their own forum in which to explore collaboration. Church development fund representatives are having initial discussions on forming a church-based ADI. Property services, and sharing IT platforms are other areas of potential collaboration for church business units.
FRANC is warmly supported by the National Council of Churches in Australia.
Stuart Campbell, Matthew Cassin, Ross Smith, John McComb
A networking day for church funds in Australia to share about strategic opportunities and regulatory and operating issues.