Church Budget Planner
Plan your church budget across personnel, facilities, ministries, and missions. Compare your personnel share with 2026 survey data, then export to CSV or print when you're done.
?Quick Start Guide
Enter Total Budget
Type your church's annual budget in the field below
Adjust Categories
Modify each category amount. Watch the benchmark indicators!
Export & Share
Download CSV or print to share with your finance team
💡 Categories start at the planner's default percentages. Only personnel (46%, the Southern Baptist median) comes from survey data. Adjust them to match your church's priorities!
Budget Categories
Personnel & Staffing
Salaries, benefits, payroll taxes for all staff
Facilities & Operations
Mortgage/rent, utilities, maintenance, insurance
Ministry Programs
Children, youth, adults, small groups, worship
Missions & Outreach
Local outreach, global missions, benevolence
Administration
Office supplies, software, professional services
Communications & Marketing
Website, social media, advertising, printing
Reserve & Contingency
Emergency fund, capital improvements, savings
Budget Breakdown
About Benchmarks
The personnel range (42-50%) is the median share of budget spent on employee compensation and benefits, by attendance, in Lifeway Research's 2026 study of Southern Baptist churches (SBC only; source, checked October 17, 2026). The other ranges are starting points for discussion, not survey figures. Your church's ideal allocations depend on size, location, ministry focus, and growth stage.
Budget Tips
- Keep personnel costs under 55% to allow ministry flexibility
- Aim for at least 10% toward missions and outreach
- Build a reserve fund equal to 3 months of expenses
- Review and adjust budget quarterly
Why Use This Budget Planner?
Church-Specific Categories
Pre-built categories for personnel, facilities, ministries, missions, administration, and more - tailored for church finances.
Benchmarks and Starting Ranges
Compare your personnel share with Lifeway's 2026 survey of Southern Baptist churches, and see a starting range for every other category.
Export to CSV
Download your budget as a CSV file to import into Excel, Google Sheets, or your accounting software.
Visual Breakdown
See your budget allocations at a glance with visual charts and progress bars for each category.
How to Create a Church Budget
Review Last Year
Start by analyzing last year's actual spending. Identify what worked, what didn't, and where you over or underspent.
Project Income
Estimate your expected giving based on trends, membership changes, and any planned campaigns or capital drives.
Allocate by Priority
Distribute funds starting with fixed costs (staff, mortgage), then ministry priorities, then discretionary spending.
Understanding Church Budget Benchmarks
The planner's personnel benchmark comes from Lifeway Research's 2026 Southern Baptist Church Compensation Study. The ranges for the other categories are starting points for discussion, not survey figures, so treat them as prompts rather than rules.
Personnel costs cover salaries, housing allowances, benefits and payroll taxes. In Lifeway's study, Southern Baptist churches spend a median 46% of their budget on employee compensation and benefits, and the share rises with size: 42% at 1–49 average weekly attendance, 46% at 50–99, 47% at 100–249 and 50% at 250 or more. These are Southern Baptist figures only; other traditions may differ.
Source: Lifeway Research, Southern Baptist Church Compensation Study 2026 (revised deck dated October 9, 2026), slide 11. Figures as of October 17, 2026.
Facilities and operations covers your building costs: mortgage or rent, utilities, maintenance, insurance, and security. The planner starts you at 15–30%. Churches that own their buildings outright may need less, while those with mortgages or expensive leases will need more.
Ministry programs funds your actual ministry work: children's ministry, youth programs, adult education, worship resources, and small groups (the planner starts you at 8–18%). This is where the "work of the church" happens beyond Sunday services.
Don't forget to allocate toward missions and outreach - supporting global missionaries, local community initiatives, and benevolence for those in need (the planner starts you at 5–15%). Some churches set a goal of giving 10% of their budget, a "tithe" of the budget, to outward-focused ministry.
Prefer a spreadsheet? The free church budget template for Excel adds monthly budget vs. actual tracking, a cash-flow projection and a board summary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of a church budget should go to staff salaries?
There's no single right figure, but survey data gives a reference point. In Lifeway Research's 2026 Southern Baptist Church Compensation Study, Southern Baptist churches spend a median 46% (average 45%) of their budget on personnel, meaning employee compensation and benefits, not salaries alone. The median rises with size: 42% for churches averaging 1–49 in weekly attendance, 46% for 50–99, 47% for 100–249 and 50% for 250 or more. The figures cover Southern Baptist churches only, so other traditions may differ (figures as of October 17, 2026).
How much should a church budget for missions and outreach?
There's no survey figure behind this one, so the planner starts missions and outreach at 5–15% of the budget as a starting point for discussion. Some churches set a goal of giving 10% of their budget to outward-focused ministry. The line usually covers local community outreach, global missions support, and benevolence funds for helping those in need.
What are typical church budget categories?
Common categories are personnel (salaries, housing allowances, benefits and payroll taxes), facilities and operations, ministry programs, missions and outreach, administration, communications, and a reserve or contingency line. For personnel, Lifeway's 2026 study found Southern Baptist churches spend a median 42–50% of their budget, depending on attendance. The planner's ranges for the other categories are starting points for discussion, not survey results.
Should a church have a reserve fund?
Yes, financial experts recommend churches maintain a reserve fund equal to 3-6 months of operating expenses. This provides a buffer for unexpected expenses, seasonal giving fluctuations, or economic downturns.
How often should a church review its budget?
Churches should review their budget monthly to track actual vs. planned spending, and conduct a thorough review quarterly to make adjustments. Annual budget planning typically begins 2-3 months before the fiscal year ends.
What if our church budget doesn't match these benchmarks?
Benchmarks are guidelines, not rules. Every church is unique based on size, location, ministry focus, building situation (owned vs. rented), and growth stage. A church plant will have different allocations than an established congregation. Use benchmarks as a starting point for discussion, not as strict requirements.
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