Church Development Relocation Grant-Loan

Description

Purpose of This Grant

Application

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

Adobe PDF | Microsoft Word

Relocation grant-loans are offered by the North Indiana Conference to its local churches for the purpose of helping them relocate to a new, more favorable location. Growing churches that are likely to become regional are eligible for up to a $50,000 grant.

The grant, however, will begin as a loan. If the church is holding a weekly worship service in a facility on the new site within three years of the date the loan is issued, up to $50,000 of the loan will revert to a grant. However, if the church doesn’t, it will need to pay the loan off according to the terms described within the loan agreement.

Terms of the Loan & Funding Limits

It is the intent that all loans will carry an interest rate of one (1) point over the current prime rate as published by the Wall Street Journal at the time such loan is made.

The lending limit of any borrower is currently $200,000. This limit will be reviewed and revised as necessary by the Church Development Ministry Team.

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.
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 relocation grant-loan application and walk through it.
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 loan is released, the plan is implemented, and coaching begins.
If within three years, the congregation is holding a weekly worship service in a facility at the new site, up to $50,000 of the loan will revert to a grant.

Detailed Grant Process

STEP ONE:

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 relocation 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 relocation grant-loan request to be dealt with in March, the Church Snapshot Assessment along with the district letters 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 relocating and growing into a regional church, CDMT representatives will set up an appointment to meet with your leadership team. They will do the following:

bring you the relocation grant-loan 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:

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

STEP FOUR:

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 completes the application that it received in Step Two, and submits it to Ed Fenstermacher.

Deadlines: In order for a relocation grant-loan 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 FIVE:

Once the application has been submitted and preliminary benchmarks have been set, the church 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, District Strategy Committee representative, and CDMT representatives. The purpose of this meeting is for all parties to agree upon the plan and benchmarks.

STEP SIX:

The church 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 SEVEN:

If supported, the 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 relocation grant-loan should be approved. The church will be notified shortly thereafter as to the CDMT’s decision.

STEP EIGHT:

If approved, the loan will be paid out in one lump sum, unless the church prefers otherwise. The church leadership 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 the loan reverting to a grant.

STEP NINE:

If within three years of the date the loan was released, the church is holding a weekly worship service in a facility on the new site, it should request to the CDMT (through Ed Fenstermacher) that up to $50,000 of the loan revert to a grant.

Grant Timeline

How to Get Started

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.

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.