Synod and GA Grants

Funding resources available through higher governing bodies…

Through the Synod of the Trinity

Peacemaking Project Grants

Deadline: Funds available throughout the year
The Synod has funds available to help finance peacemaking projects developed by presbyteries or congregations within its bounds. Normally projects will be funded only once.
Applicants must complete a project proposal form and submit an income and expense budget with their application. As a condition of receiving a grant recipients are required to report back following the event with a narrative on the event (including photos that can be used on our website), a financial report, and an evaluation of how the goals and objectives of the project were met.
Information about peacemaking grants may be obtained through the Synod offices or by visiting its website: www.syntrinity.org.

Network Grant

A network is a group of people responding to Jesus’ call who are passionate about a common interest or concern and connect with one another in a variety of ways.

Synod Network Grant applications are available for 2016. Preference is given to first-time applicants. Networks are expected to become self-funded over time. Click here to download the Network Grant Request Form.

New Initiative for Presbyteries Grant

In an era in which the Church is confronted with massive cultural and contextual change along with enormous opportunities to reach people for Jesus Christ, it is critical that we build the church’s capacity to respond faithfully to those opportunities through faithful innovation. The New Initiative for Presbyteries Grant process is intended to provide a means to provide funding and encouragement to presbyteries to stimulate innovation and creativity in mission and ministry through funds specifically designated for new initiatives.

The objectives of this program are:

To provide funding to presbyteries to stimulate new initiatives in mission and ministry.
To encourage financial stewardship by providing “partnering” dollars wherever possible.
To provide a source of funding outside of the Synod budget process for experimental and innovative initiatives attempting to address the challenges of our new context for mission.
To encourage opportunities for exploration and incubation without fear of failure.
To focus resources and creativity, as much as possible, on mission areas identified as priorities of The Synod of the Trinity.

Priority consideration will be given to those applications that:

Represent a new or innovative way of achieving stated results
Address an issue in the area of Leader Development, Missional Church Development, Campus Ministry or Communications
Be easily adapted and incorporated in other presbyteries
Grow out of partnership between two or more presbyteries
Seek to achieve specific and measurable results

The New Initiative for Presbyteries Grant application is available by clicking here.

Through General Assembly:

New Worshiping Communities Investment Grant Application

At least one year after receipt of a Seed Grant, a one-time Investment Grant of up to $25,000 is possible and will provide for the next eighteen months. Approval of Investment Grants is conditioned upon real progress toward completing the tasks set forth in Starting New Worshiping Communities. Investment Grants ordinarily require a dollar-for-dollar match provided by the combined contributions of the partner congregation, presbytery and/or synod. In-kind contributions for the match are acceptable. Waivers of the match will be considered on a case-by-case basis, upon request.

New Worshiping Communities Growth Grant Application

At least eighteen months after receipt of an Investment Grant, a one-time Growth Grant of up to $25,000 is possible and will provide for the next eighteen months. Approval of a Growth Grant is conditioned upon significant progress being made toward meeting the goals and objectives as outlined in the Investment Grant proposal. A dollar-for-dollar match provided through presbytery and/or synod is ordinarily required. In-kind contributions are acceptable and waivers of the match will be considered on a case-by-case basis, upon request.

The Growth Grant supports and encourages new worshiping communities whose process of faithful discernment has led them to establish a new ministry, responsive to the needs of a new group of people, with the ultimate goal of growing a viable and sustainable new congregation.

New Worshiping Communities Health Insurance Grant Application

This grant program provides supplemental funding to the partner congregation and/or presbytery in support of new worshiping community leaders who would not otherwise be able to afford health insurance. These grants are limited to new congregations and new worshiping communities that are related to the Presbyterian Church (USA), are located within the United States and Puerto Rico and were established no earlier than July 2010.

Presbytery Grant for Congregational Transformation

This grant is intended to provide funding to presbyteries in support of their efforts to develop a process for helping congregations to begin and continue a transformational way of life. Transformation is the process of intentionally moving into a new reality and way of being that helps congregations envision what God is calling them to be for their community and for the Kingdom of God. All churches are in some state of being transformed and presbyteries must have resources available to assist them.

The Sam and Helen R. Walton Award Nomination Form

In late December 1991, Sam and Helen R. Walton made a generous giftof $6 million through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Foundation. This gift included an endowment in the amount of $3 million, the earned interest to be used by new church developments that have placed an emphasis on site acquisition.

The Mission Development Resources Committee offers an opportunity annually to congregations, presbyteries and synods to nominate new church developments that are working in creative ways to bring the gospel to their local communities. Those chosen will receive a one-time financial award of up to $50,000.

DREAM Grant (Developmental, Risky, Experimental Adaptive Mission)

Designed to encourage new ventures rather than supporting existing, operating costs. Grant is meant to encourage risk-takers who are not afraid to fail in church cultures. (link to document here)

Unassigned Funds Grants – The 209th General Assembly (1997) approved a process whereby all governing bodies could apply directly for the use of certain restricted General Assembly funds. The report further provided that funds “identified as consistent with the ongoing mission of a General Assembly entity [assigned funds] … are generally not on the table for partnership consideration.” Those remaining funds that are unassigned are made available using an extensive process, which is mailed to all governing bodies and is posted on the Mission Budget and Financials Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) website each year by March

http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/financials/general-assembly-unassigned-funds/

Self Development of People – Social justice, economic self-sufficiency

The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP) is prepared to establish partnerships with groups in the United States who:

are oppressed by poverty and social systems,
want to take charge of their own lives,
have organized or are organizing to do something about their own conditions,
have decided that what they are going to do will produce long term changes for their lives or communities,
utilize some combination of the SDOP core strategies to promote justice, build solidarity, advance human dignity, advocate for economic equity,
will control the programs they own and will benefit from them directly.

Partnerships are initiated by applications to the Self-Development of People Committee and are evaluated using Self-Development’s funding criteria and overarching SDOP program measures.

Leadership training scholarships

Leadership development and training for additional skills are critical for pastors and key lay leaders to help small, rural and urban congregations be most effective in their ministries. In the area of Leadership Development, the Church Growth and Transformation Office provides the following resources:

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TRAINING EVENTS

For scholarships up to $300 for people to attend training events.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZING TRAINING

The Presbyterian Hunger Program provides scholarships for up to $500 to help Presbyterians attend training events run by the national networks of community organizing (such as IAF, PICO, DART and Gamaliel Foundation).

Scholarship applications are accepted throughout the year. All applications must include a current W-9 form.

Presbyterian Women Thank Offering Grant

Thank Offering grants range from $5,000 to $50,000. Grant requests come from a variety of sources, such as PC(USA) governing bodies, health agencies, overseas churches, ecumenical councils, community groups, educational institutions and church related groups. Projects must meet the criteria outlined in the grant application.

Download a Thank Offering grant application in Microsoft Word format.

Download

Applications for grants must be postmarked by September 15. The Creative Ministries Offering Committee of Presbyterian Women meets in the spring to review applications and make selections. Projects will be notified in April and will receive 70 percent of the funds in May. Upon receipt of the Interim Report by September 1, the remaining 30 percent will be released by December 1.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Provides support grants in three areas of ministry: disaster preparation and response (including environmentally related crisis), refugee resettlement and asylum ministries, and community development (including church-based community organizing and affordable housing ministries). Priority is given to ministries showing connection to ecumenical and/or local church bodies.

Presbyterian Hunger Program

The PHP Advisory Committee meets every year in October to review proposals. Proposals submitted in the current year should reflect plans for the following year. There are different criteria, application processes and forms for Joining Hands, International Projects, National Projects and Congregation-Based Community Organizing. Please see the appropriate link below.

Criteria and Applications