Colorado Springs – The conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family plans to eliminate some of its programs and lay off employees to trim millions of dollars from next year’s budget.
Focus spokesman Paul Hetrick said Thursday the changes will affect 79 employees who will be reassigned or laid off. The ministry has a staff equivalent to 1,342 full-time employees.
“To the extent that we can place them within the ministry, we will try to do that,” he said. “Most of them will not be able to be placed.”
The ministry founded in 1977 by James Dobson also will not fill 83 open positions. The changes will begin to take effect Oct. 1, the start of Focus on the Family’s 2006 fiscal year. Other specifics have not been determined.
The nonprofit ministry is working to trim expenses by $9 million for the upcoming fiscal year.
Hetrick said the 2006 budget is “in the neighborhood” of the $143 million 2005 budget.
“Change is a difficult but necessary component to the success of any organization,” said Jim Daly, Focus on the Family president and chief executive. “I’m convinced that the end result of these cost-saving measures will be further growth, expansion and ministry effectiveness.”
In June, The Denver Post reported that the new public policy arm of the organization had raised nearly $9 million in its first six months. Focus Action was formed in April 2004.
