Jan. 10 deadline to apply for Ethnic Local Church grant
To strengthen ethnic minority churches as they engage in social justice.


WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jan. 10 is the deadline to apply for an Ethnic Local Church Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). The grants program is to strengthen ethnic minority local churches through education, advocacy or leadership training and development as they engage in social justice.

To qualify for grant consideration, applicants must be either:

• a United Methodist local church, district, annual conference, racial/ethnic caucus, or other affiliated ethnic group/organization; or

• an ecumenical group/organization working with and through at least one United Methodist agency or organization, whose program impacts at least one United Methodist ethnic local church.

Two funding periods are available for consideration: Jan. 10 for the March cycle and Aug. 10 for the October cycle. The Ethnic Local Church Committee makes grant recommendations to GBCS’s Board of Directors.

Grant recipients must be programs initiated by or developed in partnership with one or more United Methodist ethnic local churches. Racial/ethnic persons shall be the majority of those served by the program.

The project must focus on needs identified by ethnic local churches as they address one or more chronic social problems or concerns, such as housing, employment, health care, human rights, education, the environment and racism. "The Social Principles" of The United Methodist Church contained in its Book of Discipline, (¶¶s 160-165) can provide more information on denominational social justice positions.

All applicants must have a supervisory board composed of a majority of ethnic persons that shall make all policy decisions.

Each funding request will be considered on its own merits with no required minimum or maximum amount. All funding from GBCS must be used for programmatic components and not for salaries, purchase of equipment, purely administrative costs, and direct delivery of services or building construction.

Intent of the grants program is to provide start-up money. Therefore, priority goes to first-time applicants.

Priority consideration shall be given to programs that are part of a Comprehensive Plan of an Annual Conference.

Applications may be downloaded at Ethnic Local Church Grants or may be obtained from Marvlyn Scott, (202) 488-5643.