Being United Methodist means being connectional, which means all local United Methodist churches working together. The main way we can be connected is by paying apportionments to support the Northern Illinois Conference and the worldwide United Methodist Church.

Do you know that in the 2025 budget (which was passed unanimously by the members of the annual conference in session):

• 16 percent benefits local churches and districts through equitable compensation, creation of new faith communities, and congregational redevelopment
• 30 percent funds programs that support the NIC’s ministries, including the Board of Ordained Ministry and the Annual Conference Shepherding Team
• 29 percent supports clergy leadership for conference, districts and local churches
• 25 percent makes possible conference services, including the Board of Trustees, Archives and History, and Finance and Administration

The ministries that these funds support help to keep our conference working together to grow, supporting and helping local churches to become vital congregations as well as to develop new leaders and make new disciples of Jesus Christ.  

Your apportionment giving is essential to keeping our churches connected and growing so we can keep the future of the UMC vital.

On our Apportionments page, you can view Bishop Dan Schwerin’s video “Run the Race” and more detailed information on how our shared giving strengthens ministry in our churches.

Our apportionments to the worldwide UMC (sometimes called “the general church”) contribute to the World Service Fund, Episcopal Fund, Ministerial Education Fund, Black College Fund, General Administration Fund, Africa University Fund, and Interdenominational Cooperation Fund. These funds support ministries that benefit our churches and our shared witness across the globe. To learn about general-church apportionments and stewardship, click here.

When budgeting for ministry, churches should plan for their apportionment first. Apportionments—“a portion meant for others”—is the priority for all UMC churches. Churches that don’t contribute their apportionments in full pass their responsibility to other churches in the conference. This is how a connectional system works.

Connectional Giving Update

By Nov. 30, the NIC apportionment collection rates are as follows:

• NIC ministries: 70%
• General Church ministries: 36%
• Health & Pension Benefits: 79%
• Property Insurance: 79%

Learn more here.

Churches that paid their apportionments in full have additional opportunities to transform the world through generous giving to UMC missions. Seven categories of ministries are listed as NIC Mission Links opportunities: Special Sundays, Global Advance Projects, Missionary Support, UMCOR/Emergency Relief Projects, U.S.-Based Advances, NIC Conference Projects and NIC District Projects.

Churches that pay their apportionment in full and contribute to Mission Links are recognized as a Mission Link churches by paying 100% Apportionments and contributing to Mission Links.

In the past three years, NIC churches have remitted 75 to 79 percent of their conference apportionments and 34 to 38 percent of their general-church apportionments. This year, the conference will return to its previous practice of combining conference and general church support in one apportionment figure. All annual conferences support their own and our shared general church ministries. UM general church funds offer resources and consultation to churches and help represent the denomination around the world.  

Local churches, please pay your apportionment at 100 percent, if possible. Your faithful contributions benefit all NIC churches. By working together, we are much stronger than we would be as an individual church. This helps all of our sibling churches grow and make new disciples of Jesus Christ.