MINISTRY PARTNERSHIP

Introduction

Impact France facilitates giving to French ministry partners by acting as their fiscal sponsor in the United States.

Practically, this means that gifts to Impact France are tax-deductible for United States income tax purposes for those who are required to pay taxes to the United States. These funds are then disbursed to French ministry partners who, in the judgment of the Impact France board, are able to further the mission of Impact France.

For more information on the role of fiscal sponsorship, please visit the National Council of Nonprofits or download “An Introduction to Fiscal Sponsorships” at probonopartner.org.

Pour accèder à un flyer (en français) qui décrit le fonctionnement d’Impact France, cliquez ici.

Partnership eligibility

Impact France will only consider partnership requests from ministries that:

1. are based in France;

1. have a legal association cultu(r)elle as recognized by the French government under one of the 1901, 1905, or 1907 laws;

1. have a board of directors who are at least 50% French and who reside in France; and,

have sent Impact France a completed ministry partnership application.

Impact France will only consider partnership requests from churches that:

1. belong to a union or federation d’églises that is a member of the CNEF.

have sent the CNEF a completed church partnership application.

NOTE: Ministries NOT based in France, regardless of their activities in France are not eligible to apply for partnership.

How to apply for partnership

For para-church ministries (excluding Christian schools):

Para-church ministries must complete a Ministry Partnership Application in French or English.

Click here to apply now.

If there are any further requests for information, we will contact the individual listed on the application.

After receiving all requested information, the application will be voted on by the Board of Impact France.

Decisions regarding partnership approval or refusal will be sent to the individual listed on the application.

For churches:

All churches must have their denominational leadership fill out a special Church Federation Application to be sent to the CNEF. The application can accessed by clicking here.

Once validated by the CNEF, the application will be forwarded to the Board of Directors for review.

If there are any further requests for information, Impact France staff will contact the individual listed on the application. After receiving all requested information, the application will be voted on by the Board of Impact France.

Decisions regarding partnership approval or refusal will be sent to the individual listed on the application. If approved, a fiscal sponsorship contract may be needed depending on the nature of the association/church or the projects to be undertaken by Impact France.

For Christian Schools:

All schools must fill out a special Christian School Application to be sent to the AESPEF (l’Association des Etablissements Scolaires Protestants Evangéliques Francophones). The application can be accessed by clicking here.

Once validated by the AESPEF, the application will be forwarded to the Board of Directors for review.

Benefits of partnership

For ministries and schools:

As an approved partner with an executed fiscal sponsorship contract, ministries are able to receive gifts from their U.S.-based donors.
Impact France will furnish the ministry with all contact and bank account information necessary for their U.S. donors to send tax-deductible gifts.
Impact France will assume responsibility for processing gifts, keeping all donor information and transactional history, accounting functions, credit card donation renewals, tax receipts, and transaction-related donor communications.

For churches:

As an approved partner with an executed fiscal sponsorship contract, churches are able to receive gifts from their U.S.-based donors. All gifts will be sent to the church denominational headquarters unless specifically requested to be sent directly to the church.
Impact France will furnish the church leadership with all contact and bank account information necessary for their U.S. donors to send tax-deductible gifts.
Impact France will assume responsibility for processing gifts, keeping all donor information and transactional history, accounting functions, credit card donation renewals, tax receipts, and transaction-related donor communications.

Responsibility of partners

All partners are required to send in annual reports that outline the activities and outcomes of the projects for which funds were given. Reports may be sent more regularly than once a year and they may be in any format.

The essential contents of these communications are details about how the funds from Impact France were used and how they have concretely contributed to its mission.

Reports will be sent to the Board of Directors for review and oversight.

Partnership fees

About 70% of fiscal sponsors in the United States charge 6% or greater for their services. Most have membership fees and application fees. Please visit the Fiscal Sponsorship Directory to learn more.

- Impact France does not charge a membership/partnership fee.
- Impact France does not charge for creating, submitting, or providing advice on applications made to institutional funders (foundations, corporations, service clubs, or church missionary boards)

Impact France does charge a fiscal sponsorship fee based on the amount of each gift received.*

Amount of Gift: Fee charged

< $250,000: 5%

$250,000-$499,999: 4%

$500,000-$999,999: 3%

>$1,000,000: 2%

*When possible, Impact France will work with institutional donors to add the fiscal sponsorship fee to the grant application budget. In most cases, this has proven successful when the grant amount requested is awarded in full. However, if there is a partial award or the donor does not wish to add the fee to the application, the above schedule will be applied to the final award amount.