Issue 97 of Administration Matters
New opportunities for congregations to invest in clean energy
With the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, congregations and ministries have an opportunity to receive reimbursements for clean-energy projects through the Direct Pay Program. The Mission Investment Fund and ELCA Federal Credit Union offer financing options to help get these projects started. Rebates and grants are available to offset the cost of solar panels and other sustainability initiatives. To learn more about how your ministry can take advantage of this opportunity, visit www.mif.elca.org/solar.
Welcoming Chris Johnson as Portico’s president and CEO
Chris Johnson began his tenure as Portico’s president and CEO in October. You can find Chris’ video greeting on Portico’s social media channels — including its new Instagram page — or watch it directly here.
Are you ready for Roth?
If any of your employees selected Roth after-tax contributions to their ELCA retirement plan during Portico’s annual enrollment, you need to make sure that your payroll vendor or internal payroll personnel are ready to handle withholding and remittance, starting with the first pay period in January. The Payroll Withholding Summary on EmployerLink can help you determine how much to withhold from your employees’ paychecks for Roth contributions, supplemental life insurance and other voluntary benefit elections.
IRS issues standard mileage rates for 2025
In December, the Internal Revenue Service issued 2025 optional standard mileage rates, used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning Jan. 1, standard mileage rates for use of a car (also for vans, pickups or panel trucks) are:
- 70 cents per mile driven for business use, up 3 cents from 2024.
- 21 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the armed forces, unchanged from 2024.
- 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2024.
These rates apply to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles as well as gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. >More
Ten tips to help your church go green
Creation care: God declares all creation good, and we are called to be its caretakers. There are so many actions that any individual or church can take to defend God’s creation that it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. These resources are not intended to be a comprehensive checklist but rather a tool to begin the process of thinking about what actions you and your church can take in keeping our planet green, clean and sustainable for all. >More
