NCP COMMON GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
The mission of National Capital Presbytery is to strengthen and transform congregations to be missional, pastoral and prophetic. To that end, NCP offers grants, scholarships and other resources to congregations, pastors and lay leaders. Grants and scholarships are only available to eligible congregations and members of National Capital Presbytery.
WHY A COMMON GRANT APPLICATION?
The Common Grant Application format and process allows for more efficient review of grant requests by the committees responsible for distributing funds and resources. This is a uniform application process that is shared by all committees and allows resources to be accessible to as many churches as possible. Applications have deadlines that allow grants to be reviewed on a standard schedule. Some grant or scholarship requests may be reviewed quarterly, others biannually or annually. The NCP Ministry Division will report to the presbytery quarterly on the amount and distribution of funds and resources to churches and projects.
INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLY FOR GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
The application for all grants consists of a Part I and a Part II (see descriptions below). To submit an application, click on the link to Part I and the appropriate Part II to open the forms. Complete both forms on-line. Save Part I and Part II to your computer. Add the name of your church in the file name. (For example: “Part I First Presbyterian” or “Part II Peacemaking First Presbyterian”) Email completed Part I and II, and any attachments, to the contact person for that grant with a copy to Carla Gorrell. Email addresses are listed at the bottom of Part II.
PART ONE of the Common Grant Application is the same for every grant, for any purpose, offered by every committee. It asks for basic information about the applicant, the local church and its connections to NCP, a brief summary of the proposed project, the amount of funding requested, and endorsement by the church session.
Click here for Part I of the application
PART TWO of the application is customized for a specific type of grant. This form describes the purpose of the grant and the grant criteria. Applicants will answer narrative questions specific to this grant. Some grants may require additional attachments such as a project budget or the church’s annual report. Part II application forms are attached to the specific grants listed below.
Before submitting an application, be sure your church meets the grant or scholarship criteria described in Part II. To assure a broad distribution of limited funds, priority will be given to churches that have not received funding in recent years. Matching grants and partial scholarships are intended to supplement what a church or individual will contribute from their own funds.
For more information about the grants or scholarships listed below, contact the person identified for each specific grant.
Church Development Committee Grants
Equipping Congregations for Ministry
Purpose: To provide resources that will strengthen, encourage and develop a congregation’s ministries. Resources may include consultant services, materials, training, equipment or talent and expertise such as Christian educators, musicians, web developers, or marketing services.
Criteria: All NCP churches are eligible to apply for resources or services valued up to $3,500 per church. DC churches are encouraged to apply for resources designated specifically for DC churches.
Deadline: Anytime.
Contact person: Carla Gorrell – cgorrell@thepresbytery.org
Click here for Part II
Equipping Leaders Scholarships
Purpose: Partial scholarships to strengthen and develop the ministries of pastors, educators, elders and future church leaders through attendance at conferences and training events related to church development, transformation, spiritual growth or evangelism.
Criteria: All NCP churches are eligible to apply. DC churches are encouraged to apply for funds designated specifically for DC churches.
Deadline: Anytime.
Contact person: Bernice Parker Jones revparker2@msn.com
Click here for Part II
Transforming Congregations Grants
Purpose: To assist a congregation to respond to a changing ministry context, embrace and initiate change, and develop innovative programs or projects that lead to increased outreach and vitality in the congregation. Grants are not intended to supplement the church’s annual budget, but to start a project that the church would not be able to do on its own. Grants may continue for up to three years. First year grants are limited to $8,000 per church, with amounts declining in the second and third year.
Criteria: The congregation’s pastor and a team of lay leaders must have participated in the one-year transformation training program. The congregation’s annual budget must contribute toward expenses for the proposed project. For information about enrolling in the Transforming Congregations training/grant program, contact the persons below.
Deadline: New and/or participating churches apply for grant continuation in October.
Immigrant Ministry Grants
Purpose: To provide support, training and encouragement to immigrant congregations affiliated with NCP as they prepare to become member churches of the PCUSA. NCP funds congregations that have the potential to grow to a level at which they can financially sustain their ministry and meet the requirements of a chartered church.
Criteria: Immigrant congregations must have been received as a Fellowship of NCP for a period of one year. The congregation must have retained the services of a pastor and a place to conduct regular worship services.
Deadline: Eligible congregations apply for grant continuation in October.
Contact person: Carla Gorrell cgorrell@thepresbytery.org
Mission Coordination Committee Grants
Global Partnership Grants
Purpose: Matching grants to enable congregations to initiate or strengthen partnerships for global mission. Projects must be interactive/hands-on and have an impact on the community served. Priority will be given to projects where there is an established relationship and a high level of confidence in the in-country team.
Criteria: All NCP churches are eligible to apply. See criteria described in Part II.
Deadline: March 31 and September 30 2011
Contact person: Judith Dahmann Jdahmann@mitre.org
Click here for Part II
NCP Mission Network Grants
Purpose: Grants to Mission Networks within the NCP to support actions to promote cooperative mission activities across congregations
Criteria: All NCP Mission Networks are eligible to apply, See information in Part II.
Deadline: Applications can be submitted at anytime
Contact person: Judith Dahmann Jdahmann@mitre.org
Click here for Part II
“One Such Child” Grants
Purpose: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5) Matching grants to strengthen congregational ministry with children and/or youth in need in the District of Columbia. Funds may be used to improve health, safety, family security, or academic success, and serve as a catalyst for mission by connecting congregations with local community partners that share common interests.
Criteria: Only churches located in the District of Columbia may apply. See criteria described in Part II.
Deadline: March 31 and September 30
Contact person: Gary Cook – gcook@bread.org
Click here for Part II
Affordable Housing Grants
Purpose: Matching grants to initiate or strengthen a congregation’s involvement in providing affordable housing in the local community. Projects may include repair or rehabilitation of existing housing; efforts to prevent people from losing housing; support of transitional or permanent housing programs; or activities to improve the livelihood of people living in such housing. Congregations are expected to be actively engaged in the project.
Criteria: All NCP churches are eligible to apply.
Deadline: March 31 and September 30
Contact person: Gary Cook – gcook@bread.org
Click here for Part II
Peacemaking Grants
Purpose: A portion of the Presbytery’s share of the annual Peacemaking Offering is available to churches, groups or individuals (in association with the session of their church) in the form of one time grants. Grants can be used to fund a program or project that enhances one or more of the areas listed below:
1. Bringing groups at odds with each other towards reconciliation of conflict. Such conflict can encompass civil war, war, activities that threaten the peace of a community, violence in society.
2. Raising our own awareness about conflicted situations, nationally and worldwide, leading to increased action and involvement in issues.
3. Developing skills that help people avoid conflict.
Criteria: NCP churches and affiliated groups or members.
Deadline: March 31 and September 30
Contact person: Gary Cook – gcook@bread.org
Click here for Part II
Garden Endowment Fund
Purpose: To help churches and other organizations start gardens to produce food for the tables of deserving and less fortunate people.
Criteria: Priority will be given to NCP churches. However, other religious and non-profit organizations within the Washington metro-area are also eligible to apply. Funds may be used for expenses related to gardening such as tools, equipment, seeds, and other supplies.
Deadline: March 1st of the year funds will be spent.
Contact person: Gary Cook – gcook@bread.org
Click here for Part II
Disaster/Emergency Assistance Grants
Purpose: Emergency assistance for a congregation may be available through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). The Disaster Response Team of National Capital Presbytery serves as the interface to PDA. PDA is a potential source of funds for emergencies not covered by insurance or other financial sources. There is a limit of $10,000 per congregation per disaster.
Criteria: Applications for assistance must be endorsed by a presbytery official and forwarded by the presbytery to General Assembly.
Deadline: Applications are accepted as needed.
Contact persons: Beth Goss jbethgoss@aol.com
Carla Gorrell cgorrell@thepresbytery.org
Click here for PDA application form.
Purpose: The PCUSA calls congregations to care for God’s creation and to aspire to live carbon neutral lives. The grant provides matching funds up to $2,000 per congregation to reduce the carbon dioxide output of NCP churches. Funds may be used to acquire an “energy audit” of the church building including lighting, weatherization, heating and cooling systems. Other energy conservation measures may include improving building insulation or installing energy saving equipment such as sensors, programmable thermostats, LED lights, or alternative energy systems.
Deadlines: March 31 and August 15, 2012
Contact persons: Tom Whitley, tom9754@verizon.net, or June Eakin, june.eakin@mac.com
Click here for Part II
Local Mission Initiatives Matching Grant
Purpose: Seed grants to congregations to start new local mission initiatives in the communities they serve. The project must include interactive/hands-on local mission with the people served. Impact on the community should be maximized with preference given to projects serving the largest number of people. NCP will match the congregation’s contribution toward the project (in money, in kind contributions and volunteer time) with a maximum grant of up to $7,500. See additional criteria in Part II.
Deadline: September 30, 2013.
Contact person: Peggy Sission, peggy@sissons.org
Click here for Part II
Community Organizing Matching Grant
Purpose: To encourage NCP congregations to become new members of AIM, VOICE, or WIN—faith based, grassroots organizations committed to training and developing neighborhood leaders to address community issues such as public safety, housing, jobs and services for neighbors in need. NCP will match a congregation’s contribution up to $500 per congregation toward first year dues or expenses for training leaders from the congregation in faith based community organizing.
Contact Person: Gary Cook, gcook@bread.org
Click here for Part II
Purpose: Grants or scholarships of up to $500 are available for clergy and Christian educators who wish to take time for self-care, receive spiritual care and/or leadership development.
Criteria: Priority will be given based on personal need, availability of other financial resources and ministry impact.
Deadline: June 15 and December 31.
Contact person: Kathy Harkness – harksk@aol.com
Click here for Part II
Maximum Grant is $2,500
Application deadlines: January 1, April 1, September 1.
The Synod of the Mid-Atlantic provides one-time grants to new and existing congregations of fewer than 250 members. The purpose of these grants is to further the mission of the church in partnership with the presbytery and session. Both the brochure and application have been revised. Go to http://www.synatlantic.org/ and click on “Grants – Small Church” in the menu on the left side of the page. The new brochure and application don’t have a separate link. You can fill out the application online.
Grants range from $2,000 – $5,000
Application deadline: September
This fund supports projects which address the root causes of poverty. It funds projects which support ministries of development. Such ministries rely on the collective strength of people, encouraging them to own and to be a part of the decision-making process. The projects will focus on the strengths and assets of low-income communities and people. They will foster the development of both human and financial resources for neighborhood revitalization. Examples of Ministries of Development may include: community development; training or job placement associated with transitional housing; cooperative enterprises such as worker-owned businesses; voter registration and education; self-help programs e.g. tutorial programs, life skills training and/or job training; advocacy efforts. Projects must raise substantial resources (dollars-in-kind) from other, especially, local resources.
PCUSA GENERAL ASSEMBLY GRANTS
These grants require written endorsement by presbytery prior to application.
Contact: Carla Gorrell cgorrell@thepresbytery.org
Presbyterian Hunger Program
Amounts range from $1,000 to $15,000
Through giving to the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering and year-round support of the Hunger Fund, Presbyterians provide the PHP with nearly four million dollars a year to support ministries of direct food relief, development assistance, public policy advocacy, education, and lifestyle integrity.
For more information click here.