Grant & Loan Opportunities
There are many grants available to congregations to support ongoing mission and ministry throughout the year, both within and beyond our diocese.
Loans & Grants Program
It is the policy of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan to consider applications for financial assistance from any congregation in the diocese in the areas meeting the qualifying factors. Congregations within the Diocese of Eastern Michigan have a responsibility to implement effective stewardship practices related to their mission and facilities including a provision for regular maintenance programs within their annual budgets.
Click to download the updated Loans and Grants Application Packet
For a Congregation or Ministry Center to be eligible to receive financial assistance from the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan, they must meet all of the qualifying factors.
MISSION OR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS
Applications for financial assistance are reviewed by the Bishop’s office to determine if the project is mission related. An assessment of the congregation health is completed using concepts outlined in the Mutuality, Vitality and Viability document. This document sets forth both a covenant of mutual interdependence and two sets of characteristics, one for vitality and one for viability, with the vitality characteristics organized according to the themes of praying, learning, serving and growing by which we join one another in God’s mission.
Applications are then reviewed by the Finance committee and a recommendation of the amount of financial assistance must be passed by a simple majority vote before going to Diocesan Council for final approval.
Qualifying Factors
- Application must meet the definition of:
- Repairs and/or improvements to the facility including building or associated grounds.
- Repairs required to enable a facility to meet current building codes.
- Improvements to a newly acquired facility to allow it to be used for its intended purpose.
- Congregations must be current on tithes to the Diocese, or in conversation with Diocesan Council about becoming current.
- Congregations must be current on submitting parochial reports and audit reports to the diocesan office.
- Congregations must be current on any loans with the Diocese or third party agencies.
- Ability to repay any requested loan must be demonstrated with the use of financial statements.
- If a congregation has received emergency financial assistance, it doesn’t exclude them from being eligible for additional financial assistance in that same year.
Congregations are required to pay at least 20% of the total cost of the project from their own funds. Financial assistance from the Diocese is available in the form of a loan, a grant, or both. The availability of funds for loans and grants is subject to the monetary balance of The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan Loans & Grants fund, the financial strength of the congregation, and the size of the project. All approved financial assistance will be paid from The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan Loans and Grants fund.
The total amount of funds available for financial assistance grants is established by Diocesan Council and incorporated within the Diocesan Office annual budget. It is recommended that up to 10% of The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan Loans and Grants fund to a maximum of $50,000 be made available for grants each year. Each approved grant request is eligible for up to a $5,000 grant. Additional grants may be available at the discretion of the Finance Committee and Diocesan Council.
Any single loan request cannot exceed 10% of The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan Loans and Grants fund balance. Approved loans are subject to an interest rate of not more than 3%.
Financial assistance applications are classed as:
Emergency – requires action in less than thirty (30) days. A major event such as, but not limited to, the freezing of a water system and/or the failure of a heating system would qualify for an emergency loan.
Non Emergency – time frame allows for the request to come before the Finance Committee, with documentation supporting the request. After the Finance Committee has reviewed the request, at a regularly scheduled meeting, it will make a recommendation and forward the request to Diocesan Council for action.
- A call will be placed to the office of the Finance Manager, notifying the Diocese of the need and the immediacy of that need, after consulting with a skilled tradesperson.
- The telephone request will be followed up with a formal written financial assistance request and a quotation for the contractor(s). The request is to be signed by any two members of the congregation’s leadership. A copy of the congregation’s current financial statements and budget are to be submitted with the written request.
- A representative of the Finance Committee, or the Diocesan Administrator on behalf of the Finance Committee, will make a recommendation to the Executive Committee of the Standing Committee for a decision.
Non emergency applications for financial assistance are normally for future spending plans and should be made on the Loan/Grant Request application available from the Financial Manager. The completed application is to be submitted 90 days prior to the need for funding, and will include the following:
- A call will be placed to the office of the Financial Manager, notifying the diocese of the need and the immediacy of that need, after consulting with a skilled tradesperson.
- The applicant shall fully define its financial participation in the project. Normally, the applicant will provide a minimum of 20% of the total cost of the project.
- Copies of the current budget and financial statements for the congregation or ministry center.
The Bishop’s office and Finance Committee will review the application, and if necessary, may request a telephone conference call with representatives of the congregation making the request. The Finance Committee will make a recommendation to the Diocesan Council as to the amount of the loan and/or grant after the Bishop’s office has determined if the application is for a “Mission Project” or ”Maintenance”.
Before any work may commence, all contractors/suppliers shall provide certificates of insurance naming the applicant and the Diocese of Eastern Michigan as co-insured. The certificate of insurance will indicate that all persons to be employed on the project will have worker’s compensation coverage, and that the contractor has general liability insurance.
Payments to the congregation or ministry center will be made in accordance with standard business terms. Other terms must be mutually agreed upon by the congregation, the Diocese and the contractor/supplier.
Loan Repayment Agreements will normally be executed by all parties prior to disbursement of funds. Standard terms include:
- Interest will begin to accrue from the 1st of the month following disbursement of funds. The interest will be calculated at the end of each calendar month.
- Every effort will be made to complete the disbursement of the total loan amount not later than one month after approval of the loan by the Diocesan Council.
- The first payment of principle and interest will begin approximately one month after the first disbursement of funds.
Approved by Diocesan Council, August 13, 2015
Social Service & Ministry Network Grants
All congregations are invited to submit a grant request to fund collaborative outreach projects for the next fiscal year.
Social Service and Ministry Network Grants fund new network ministries that are collaborative beyond traditional geographic and congregational lines and initiatives that expand existing ministries. The grants are indicative of our value of collaborative ministry that reaches beyond ourselves and fund initiatives focused on mercy and justice, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus.
The total amount available is $100,000. Previous grant awards have varied between $1,500 and $20,000 per application.
Please contact the Rev. Paul Brunell (Owosso), Chair of the Social Service Grant Committee, with any questions. His email is pbrunell_grayling@hotmail.com.
GRANT REQUIREMENTS
Whereas traditional Social Services grants primarily fund much needed programing in a specific geographic area, Networking is about relationships and finding innovative ministry connection possibilities across the diocese not bound by miles and accessibility.
It is the primary intention of the Social Services and Ministry Networks Grant Team that this funding:
- Supports new network ministries that are collaborative beyond traditional geographic and congregational lines (or)
- Expands existing ministries. Ongoing funding will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Successful applications…Reflect diocesan initiatives: addictions and recovery ministries, poverty, literacy, hunger, anti-racism, and anti-violence.
Include one or more of the following: human rights advocacy, health or human service program, lay leadership empowerment.
Look outward in the best missionary tradition of the church – outreach to new people and populations that we do not ordinarily reach or see in our own pews.
Are sustainable after the Ministry Network grant has expired – The organization applying for funds must demonstrate plans to sustain the ministry after the grant concludes.
Are supported by at least one congregation of the diocese with both financial and people resources. The ministry should encourage collaboration and networking among congregations and/or agencies and increase the mission initiatives by the people of the diocese.
Are available to share as a model for other congregations/networks in the diocese and in the Episcopal Church.
Networking grants will facilitate addressing these societal concerns, common to all our communities, from Indian River to Harsens Island.
Previous grant amounts have varied between $1,500 and $20,000.
2020 Grant Awards
- Crossover Downtown Outreach Ministry (St. Paul’s, Flint)will receive $14,250 to help folks with emergency needs and expand their youth programs.
- Helping Hands (St. Mark’s, Atlanta) will receive $1,500 to help neighbors in need of food, clothing, heating assistance, and Christmas gifts for children.
- #MovingMarket4Life (Grace, Port Huron) will receive $6,080 for the mission of empowering people to be able to have healthy eating by increasing access to locally produced healthy food and education.
- G.R.A.C.E. Center (St. Francis’, Grayling) will receive $19,000 to expand their licensed psychological counseling and prevention education services to the economically disadvantaged.
- St. Andrew’s Soup Kitchen (St. Andrew’s, Flint) will receive $19,000 to serve neighbors in need with food and clean clothing as well as attending to their spiritual and emotional welfare.
- Family Promise (St. Paul’s, Flint) will receive $14,250 to further expand their mission in ending homelessness one family at a time through shelter, education, and counseling.
- The Community Assistance Program (St. Jude’s, Fenton) will receive $14,250 to seek to deepen relationships with their neighbors in meeting their urgent food needs and by education to help them grow towards self-sufficiency.
- The Food Bank at St. Bartholomew’s, Mio, will receive $4,750 to serve their food insecure neighbors with urgent needs and attend to their spiritual and emotional welfare.
- St. Christopher’s, Grand Blanc, will receive $9,500 to partner with multiple others in providing a central location for community ministries and social services in the area, including food, clothing, and utility aid. Plans are in the works to expand services to include senior services as well as career, financial, nutritional, education and counseling.
Grants Beyond the Diocese
Episcopal Church Building Fund loans. Rolling submissions.
Province V Event Scholarships. Rolling submissions.
