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 has an impact on at least one United Methodist ethnic minority local church.
Two funding periods are available for consideration: Aug. 10 is deadline for the October cycle and  Jan. 10 for the March. The Ethnic Local Church Committee makes grant recommendations to GBCS’s Board of Directors.

Chronic Social Problems

Grant recipients must be programs initiated by or developed in partnership with one or more United Methodist ethnic minority 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 consisting of a majority of ethnic minority 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.

Start-Up Money

The 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.

For more information, contact the Rev. Neal Christie, GBCS assistant general secretary, Education & Leadership Formation, at (202) 488-5611 or visit www.umc-gbcs.org: click on Leadership Development tab, and then GBCS Grants.