Five practical tools. Care that keeps going.
When care depends on memory and a few faithful people, useful tools make a difference. Our care engagements give you reports, maps, and guides your team can keep using. See what each one does and explore an example below.
Community Listening Report.
A readable report of what we heard from the people offering and receiving care. It shows what is working, what is missing, and practical next steps your board can discuss in one meeting.
What's inside
- Summary of 12–18 interviews with direct quotes from leaders and members
- A map of your current care programs and people
- A list of what's missing, matched to what your people actually need
- Three to five board-ready recommendations
- Slides for a 90-minute conversation with your leaders about the findings
Listening
Report.
Community Needs Assessment for Churches
The Tier 01 Community Listening Report gives churches a community needs assessment in language that boards and funders can use. We begin with structured stakeholder interviews across the congregation and with neighbors who see local needs from different angles. Those conversations help distinguish assumptions from lived experience. We then map the church's existing assets — people, ministries, partnerships, space, and trusted relationships — alongside gaps where care is inconsistent, difficult to reach, or missing altogether. The final readout brings the findings into one board-ready document, with clear evidence, a practical asset and gap map, and prioritized recommendations leaders can discuss and act on. It is designed to support sound decisions before a church launches a new program, seeks funding, or expands an existing ministry. Instead of starting with a solution, the assessment helps the church understand what the community is asking for, what capacity already exists, and what should come next.
View the sample Listening Report →Ministry Care Map.
A one-page Care That Holds™ map showing the care you offer and how people reach the right help—from a first conversation at church to a professional referral. Your team can see where to send someone next.
What's inside
- Four layers of care, arranged in rings and tailored to your congregation
- Clear steps for personally connecting someone to their next source of help
- Local counselors and other professional care partners, mapped for easy referrals
- Printable 18×24 poster + screen version
Practice Playbook.
A practical guide for staff and volunteer caregivers, with your faith at its heart. It explains how to care sensitively for people who have experienced trauma, set healthy boundaries, and know when to call for help. Written for volunteers, not clinicians.
What's inside
- How to listen and respond sensitively to people who have experienced trauma
- Healthy boundaries while staying welcoming
- Words and cards for personally connecting someone with professional help
- Rest for caregivers — regular habits that help prevent burnout
- A step-by-step crisis guide and instructions for calling the person on duty
Playbook.
for the lay caregiver.
- The one-hour rule
- What to do when someone asks for money
- The "I'll bring this to my supervisor" pivot
- When to break confidence (and how)
Outcomes Dashboard.
A live view of how care is going in your congregation: who is receiving help, how caregivers are doing, whether referrals reach the right people, and what changes people describe. Updated continuously and exported quarterly for your board.
What's inside
- 4 KPIs—a few numbers worth watching—plus 3 trends drawn from people’s experiences
- A view of how people move from a first church contact to a referral
- Choose the ministry area and time period you want to review
- Care notes with identifying details removed and reminders for follow-up
- One-click quarterly export
Board-Ready Quarterly Report.
Twelve readable pages explaining what changed, what needs attention, and what you are asking the board to do. It turns the dashboard numbers into a clear story. Delivered the week before each quarterly meeting.
What's inside
- A one-page summary with the key numbers
- Narrative of what changed this quarter, and why
- Three to five named recommendations to the board
- An update on caregiver wellbeing and a list of concerns to address
- Signature line from your Cornerstone partner