Presbyterian Mission Agency receiving grant applications in May, June and throughout the year

New webpage centralizes grant opportunities for individuals, communities and mid councils

by Beth Waltemath | Presbyterian News Service

Photo by Romain Dancre via Unsplash

Throughout the year, the Presbyterian Mission Agency offers more than 20 grants and scholarships ranging from $100 to $50,000 awarded to individuals, communities and mid councils.

These opportunities are described in detail on the webpages of the programs and ministry areas that run them. They can also be found on the grants webpage that centralizes all the opportunities and lists their key attributes, such as application date, eligibility and purpose.

Scholarships are decided annually in May and June. The Presbyterian Study Grant, which deadline passed on May 15, serves about 100 seminarians per year. The Presbyterian Scholarship for Undergraduates offers $4,000 for college students who belong to PC(USA) congregations with another $2,000 available to students of color.

In order to meet the ongoing needs of partners, many of the grant committees meet throughout the year, so the application deadline remains open. A primary example of grants such as these designed for optimal responsiveness are the 1001 New Worshiping Communities and Presbytery Level Transformation Grants, which make funding available for establishing new worshiping communities and congregation transformation.

The Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries area sponsors grants that are considered monthly up to 10 times each year. They are intended to serve leaders of color, congregations, new worshiping communities, mid councils, institutions, and other related organizations to equip, connect and inspire. They’re also awarded to help develop and empower leaders to serve effectively in Christ’s mission.

Upcoming deadlines include the Katie Cannon Scholarship on June 1. This grant intends to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, a pioneer in womanist theology and the PC(USA). Scholarships of $3,000 go to support individual Presbyterian women of color and college students or clergywomen.

On June 14, the Mission Program Grant committee will review three tiers of grants for new worshiping communities: Seed Grants for $10,000 in their first year, Investment Grants for $30,000 after the first year, and Growth Grants for $30,000 after the first 30 months.

Family ministry programs or camp and conference centers wishing to expand their ministry to families can also apply in June for the Mariners Family Ministry Grant of $2,000. This grant is available quarterly to existing programs in congregations, new worshiping communities or presbytery-related camps and conference centers. Grants related to teaching the Bible in Presbyterian-related schools and colleges also have deadlines at the end of May and in June.

All applications are hyperlinked to the central grants page for ease of use.

Representatives from the grants administration centralization project team in the Presbyterian Mission Agency hope that by centralizing all the grants, including one-time grants, on a single webpage, that individuals and partners will be able to more easily access PMA grant offerings as a means of encouraging more PMA constituencies to apply for necessary grant funds. That’s designed to increase the impact the PC(USA) is able to have on education, spiritual formation and ministry under the rubric of the PMA’s Matthew 25 vision.

Learn more here.