Ministry Finance, Done Right
The CPA for Churches and Christian Nonprofits Who Want to Get It Right
Ministry finance is complex: housing allowance, dual status, restricted funds, 990s, UBIT. Most CPAs get it wrong. I help churches get it right so their mission can move forward without fear.
Weekly, plain-English church finance guidance. Free.
Why This Is Hard
Ministry finance breaks the rules everyone else learned
Pastor payroll is not normal payroll
Housing allowance elections, dual tax status, and the temptation to treat a pastor as a 1099 contractor all carry real IRS exposure. One missed step and the church, not the pastor, absorbs the risk.
Restricted funds are a legal promise
When a donor restricts a gift, that restriction is not a suggestion. Spending it elsewhere, even temporarily, can create legal liability and break trust that took years to build.
Your bookkeeper is not a ministry CPA
A capable bookkeeper can keep the books balanced. Fund accounting, 990 readiness, UBIT exposure, and ECFA standards require someone who knows ministry finance specifically, not finance in general.
The go-to CPA for churches and Christian nonprofits navigating the complexity of ministry finance.
— Matt LaFleur, CPA
Photo coming soon
About Matt
A Cleveland CPA who chose ministry finance on purpose
Matt LaFleur is a Cleveland-based CPA and the founder of Forest City. The Ministry CPA is where that expertise turns toward a single focus: helping churches and Christian nonprofits manage money with clarity and confidence.
Matt works directly with executive pastors, church administrators, treasurers, and nonprofit finance leaders to solve the problems general accounting firms tend to miss: housing allowance elections, restricted fund tracking, 990 readiness, and the internal controls that keep a ministry's finances defensible.
In good company
Matt's approach is shaped by ongoing engagement with the people setting the standard in nonprofit and church finance: Greg Bossen of QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits, Mike Batts of BMWL and nonprofitcpa.com, and Vonna Laue, author of the Essential Guide to Church Finance. It is a small field. Matt stays close to it so your church does not have to.
How I Can Help
Three ways to bring ministry-specific finance expertise to your team
Advisory & Fractional CFO
For Christian Nonprofits, Retainer-Based
Ongoing financial leadership without a full-time hire. Budgeting, cash flow, board reporting, and strategic guidance from a CPA who already knows ministry finance.
Compliance Reviews & Board Training
Housing Allowance, Restricted Funds, Internal Controls, 990 Readiness
A focused review of where your church or ministry is exposed, followed by plain-English board training so leadership understands the risk and the fix.
Speaking & Workshops
ECFA, The Church Network, Church Staffs
Practical sessions on the ministry finance topics that trip up even experienced church staff and boards.
See speaking topics ↓Speaking & Workshops
Practical ministry finance training for staffs, boards, and conferences
Matt speaks to church staffs, boards, and denominational and association gatherings on the topics that create the most risk and the most confusion in ministry finance.
Popular Topics
- Housing allowance, explained correctly
- Restricted vs. unrestricted funds for board members
- Internal controls that fit a small ministry staff
- Getting ready for a 990 before it is due
- Fund accounting basics for non-finance leaders
Audiences
- ECFA member events
- The Church Network conferences
- Denominational and association gatherings
- Church staff trainings and board retreats
Get In Touch
Let's talk about your ministry's finances
Whether you need a fractional CFO, a compliance review, or a speaker for your next event, start with a short conversation.