Conversation circle creates space for openness
A Restorative Justice (RJ) “talking circle” was held at Maple Park United Methodist Church on October 18. The 20 people who participated in the circle included community organizer…
NIC - Local Church Grant Opportunities
In the summer of 2018, The Office of Connectional Ministries in conjunction with Program Ministries of the Annual Conference launched new and redeveloped grant opportunities for local churches in the NIC. The three grants are: Social Reform, Congregational Redevelopment, and Creative Ministries.
Grant Descriptions:
Social Reform:
This grant aims to provide financial empowerment to persons/ministries/churches in the Northern Illinois Conference who have a passion and proposed plan for how to address a specific social justice-related issue. These funds can be used for both domestic and international social justice work and must address root causes of injustice while extending God’s grace and mercy to all people. The primary consideration is given to applicants that build partnerships between different ministries.
Congregational Redevelopment:
This grant aims to encourage congregations to deepen their effectiveness in ministry. Grants will support projects that seek to increase engagement with faith or the church, help the congregation rediscover its unique call to mission in the community, and/or reimagine congregational life for greater fruitfulness in ministry. Projects may focus on a specific area of congregational life or mission, but should ultimately contribute to a larger vision of revitalizing the church’s mission and ministry. Grant priority is given to churches that have done a goal-setting process, and have sent a team to at least one relevant workshop. The Northern Illinois Conference offers many church redevelopment and revitalization workshops each year. A schedule can be found on the Northern Illinois Conference calendar.
Creative Ministries:
This grant aims to encourage creative, collaborative, ministry programs throughout the Northern Illinois Conference. Grants will support new, risk-taking initiatives that seek to impact your community and fulfill the mission of the church, for the transformation of the world. This grant may be used for projects whose success is not necessarily guaranteed so that you are free to explore new ways for your community to learn and be transformed in mission and ministry.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Fall Grants Applications: now through October 15, 2018, for the first round of award. Fall Awards will be released on November 15, 2018.
Spring Grant Applications: January 1, 2019, through March 15, 2019. Spring Awards will be released on May 6, 2019.
PROJECT EVALUATION
One year after the grant is awarded, or sooner if your project timeline is less than a year, we will ask recipients to answer the following evaluation questions:
1. What celebrations or joys occurred because of the ministry in your grant proposal?
2. What did you learn from things that didn’t go as you planned or expected, or even failed?
3. How many lives were touched because of this work, and in what way? (Include the broader community, too.)
4. How did this grant build new capabilities or capacities for this ministry?
5. How will this ministry continue in the future?
6. How were the funds from this grant used? (Provide dollar amounts and attach copies of receipts wherever possible.)
