Church Development New Congregation Grant

Description

Purpose of This Grant

Application

Ready to start the application process?
Begin with the Church Snapshot Assessment:

Adobe PDF | Microsoft Word

New congregation grants are offered by the North Indiana Conference to its districts and local churches for the purpose of establishing new congregations (stand-alone or off-site/second campus).

Grant Amounts

STAND-ALONE CHURCH PLANTS. District or churches helping to establish new churches that average more than 200 in average weekly worship could be eligible for the following funding package: 3/4 the cost of the church planter in year one, 1/2 the cost of the planter year two, 1/4 the cost of the planter in year three. Also, the churches could be eligible for up to a $75,000 grant for the new congregation, which would be paid out as the church determines it's needed.

OFF-SITE/SECOND CAMPUS. Churches establishing a congregation at an alternative location that averages 200 or more in weekly worship attendance is eligible for a grant of up to $100,000, which would be paid out usually over a three-year period. A church establishing a congregation averaging 50-200 in average weekly worship attendance at an alternative location would be eligible for a grant of $10,000-$50,000.

Funding Criteria

A project that receives funding through this grant must meet the following criteria:

Have the approval and support of the district superintendent and strategy committee, and church administrative board/council in the case of a church.
Be targeting a population group unreached by an existing local UM church.
Have a qualified, trained team leading the implementation of the project.
Have benchmarks by which the project’s success can be measured.
Have a consultant hired to coach the project and report monthly as to its progress.

Overview of Grant Process

Church completes the Church Snapshot Assessment and submits it with $5.00, and letters of support from district superintendent and strategy committee.
Church Development Ministry Team (CDMT) representatives meet with church; representatives give the church the grant application and walk through it.
The project leader is screened and assessed.
The project’s leader is trained.
The church (or district) hires a coach and adopts a Racial Equality Action Plan.
The church and coach develop the project’s plan and set benchmarks; the grant application is completed and submitted.
The CDMT representatives, DS, coach, project leader, church and district leaders meet to review the plan and its benchmarks, making changes if necessary.
The completed application is reviewed by the Cabinet.
If supported, the application is considered by the CDMT for approval.
If approved, the funding begins, the plan is implemented, and coaching begins.
The project’s effectiveness is evaluated at the end of each funding phase.

Detailed Grant Process

STEP ONE:

(For churches only; districts start with Step Two.) Conduct a simple self-administered ministry audit using the Church Snapshot Assessment. Submit the completed audit along with $5.00 (make checks payable to North Indiana Conference) to Ed Fenstermacher, P.O. Box 869, Marion, IN 46952. This assessment is to determine whether or not your church is healthy enough to take on a new-congregation project. If it is, you will go to Step Two.

The church should also submit, with the Church Snapshot Assessment, letters from its District Superintendent and Strategy Committee indicating their initial support.

Deadlines: In order for a grant request to be dealt with in March, the Church Snapshot Assessment and letters from the district must be submitted by December 1st. For grants dealt with in June, the assessment must be submitted by March 1st. For grants dealt with in September, the assessment must be submitted by June 1st.

STEP TWO:

If the assessment indicates your church is capable of establishing a congregation, CDMT representatives will set up an appointment to meet with your leadership team. They will do the following:

bring you a grant application and explain the application process,
give you suggestions for a consultant who can coach your project,
suggest a process/person that can assess the project’s leader, as well as training opportunities for the team.

STEP THREE:

In a church-planting situation, the project’s leader must be assessed by a process/person approved by the CDMT. This is to insure that the leader possesses the aptitude and characteristics needed to effectively start a new congregation. It also makes sure the leader is a good match with the project’s target group. All of this is to give your project the best chance for success.

STEP FOUR:

The project leader must receive training appropriate for the project. This training must be approved by the CDMT. Contact Ed Fenstermacher for approval.

STEP FIVE:

The church (or district) needs to hire a CDMT-approved consultant to coach the project. Contact Ed Fenstermacher for approval. It also needs to make sure the church (districts are exempt) has adopted a Racial Equality Action Plan.

STEP SIX:

The church, with the help of the coach, develops its plan which includes benchmarks by which the project’s success can be measured. The church (or district) completes the application that it received in Step Two, and submits it to Ed Fenstermacher.

Deadlines: In order for a grant request to be dealt with in March, the grant application must be submitted by February 1st. For grants dealt with in June, the assessment must be submitted by May 1st. For grants dealt with in September, the assessment must be submitted by August 1st.

STEP SEVEN:

Once the application has been submitted and preliminary benchmarks have been set, the church (or district) calls a meeting (telephone conference call is okay) that includes its DS, project leader and spouse (if applicable), church pastor and Administrative Board/Council chair (in the case of a church), District Strategy Committee representative, and CDMT representatives. The purpose of this meeting is for all parties to agree upon the plan and its benchmarks. This is important because continued funding for the grant will be contingent upon the plan being followed and its benchmarks being met.

STEP EIGHT:

The church (or district) then submits the final draft of the application to CDMT through Ed Fenstermacher. They in turn share it with the Cabinet for its support. The purpose is threefold: a) to make sure the Cabinet is aware of the project, b) to find out if the Cabinet considers it a funding priority, and c) to affirm that the Cabinet will strive to provide stable appointed pastor leadership during the project’s implementation.

STEP NINE:

If supported, the grant application is distributed to CDMT members and the CDMT representatives in Step Seven will make a recommendation to the team as to whether or not the grant should be approved. The church (or district) will be notified shortly thereafter as to the CDMT’s decision.

STEP TEN:

If approved, the grant will be paid out in regular (e.g. monthly) payments. The team must have a consultation (via email, phone or in person) at least once a month with their consultant, and provide the CDMT (through Ed Fenstermacher), coach, and DS with monthly status reports. Failure to have at least monthly consultations with the coach and monthly reports to the CDMT will result in a loss of funding.

STEP ELEVEN:

The grant will be paid out in two to three funding phases (determined by the CDMT). At the end of each phase the project will be re-evaluated and funding will be adjusted (or stopped) depending on how the benchmarks are being met.

Grant Timeline

How to Get Started

Churches: Complete Step One above. Complete and return the Church Snapshot Assessment and return it to Ed Fenstermacher with a check for $5.00 and letters of support from the district superintendent and district strategy committee.

Districts: Complete Step Two above. Contact Ed Fenstermacher and he will arrange for CDMT representatives to meet with the district superintendent and district strategy committee to review the grant-application process.

Application

The following documents are available for download in the following formats:

Church Snapshot Assessment Form: Adobe PDF | Microsoft Word
Complete Grant Description: Adobe PDF | Microsoft Word
Racial Equality Action Plan: Adobe PDF

NOTE: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 4.0 or higher in order to view or print the PDF version of this form. This is free software. You can download it from Adobe's website.