For Conferences, Boards & Staffs
Speaking & Workshops
Most rooms full of pastors, administrators, and board members have never had ministry finance explained in plain English by someone who actually does this work. Matt LaFleur is a CPA who spends his days inside church and nonprofit books, and his talks turn the topics people dread into the ones they quote on the way out. Available for conferences, denominational gatherings, association events, staff trainings, and board retreats.
Signature Talks
Six sessions built for ministry finance audiences
What Your Church Is Probably Getting Wrong About Ministry Money
The Flagship Session
The five most common ministry finance failures - housing allowance, dual tax status, restricted funds, 990 readiness, and internal controls - what each one actually costs, and who in the room is positioned to catch them.
The Housing Allowance, Done Right
Administrators, Treasurers & Executive Pastors
Designation timing, the three-part test, substantiation, and the board's role in getting it right before December, not after.
Restricted Funds Are a Legal Promise
Board-Facing Session
When a donor restricts a gift, that restriction is not a suggestion. Fund accounting, donor trust, and the liability most boards do not know they are carrying.
Internal Controls That Fit a Small Staff
Practical, Not Theoretical
No segregation-of-duties fantasy. Controls a two- or three-person church office can actually run on a Monday morning, without anyone feeling accused.
The 990 Before It Is Due
Nonprofit Finance Leaders
A readiness session: what the form actually asks, what reviewers and donors look for, and how to make filing season boring.
AI for Ministry Finance Operations
Where It Helps, and Where It Must Not Touch
Where AI genuinely helps a church or nonprofit finance office, and where it must not touch client data, donor records, or judgment calls. Start with the work, not the tool.
Every talk is built for the room it's given in. Denominations, associations, and ECFA member events can request tailored versions.
Formats & Fees
Published so you can budget without a phone call. Final rate depends on travel, group size, and how much customization the session needs.
- Keynote (45-60 minutes) - $2,000-$3,500
- Breakout or workshop session (60-90 minutes) - $1,200-$2,000
- Half-day workshop (3-4 hours) - $2,000-$3,000
- Full-day intensive (6-8 hours) - $3,500-$5,000
- Virtual session or webinar (60-120 minutes) - $1,200-$2,000
- Board training (90 minutes, virtual or on-site) - $1,200-$2,000, includes a written summary for your board's records
Travel is billed at cost outside Northeast Ohio. Multi-session and multi-day conference pricing is available on request.
For local churches: There is no fee for a session with a congregation or board in Northeast Ohio. If you want this material in front of your own people, an adult education hour, a board meeting, a staff training, just ask. I would rather be in the room.
What a Host Gets
- A session description, headshot, and bio formatted for your program and app
- A take-away resource for attendees: worksheets and checklists, not a sales pitch
- For board trainings, a written summary your board can keep on file
- A speaker who shows up prepared, stays for questions, and does not pitch from the stage
About Matt
Matt LaFleur is a Cleveland-based CPA, the founder of Forest City CPA, and the creator of The Ministry CPA and its weekly newsletter, Called to Account. He works directly with executive pastors, church administrators, treasurers, and nonprofit finance leaders on 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.
To check availability for your event, book a time directly or email Matt.