Social Action Outreach Grant Process
Each year, The Plymouth Church in Framingham allocates 5% of Pledged Giving to “Outreach.” The intent is that the money be spent on justice and charitable efforts beyond the congregation. These funds are distributed in four ways.
External Requests. Local organizations and nonprofits submit a Grant Application. Applications are submitted annually and grants are distributed on a quarterly basis. These applications come from outside the congregation.
Internal Requests. Church members approach Social Action with proposals. These applications are reviewed quarterly.
Emergency Appeals. In response to natural disasters or other urgent needs in the wider community, Social Action may distribute funds.
Gift Cards. As part of our relationship to local shelters, Social Action distributes gift cards for dispersal on a quarterly basis.
External Requests
Application Deadline is November 1, 2022
Decision-Making
Applications will be submitted to the Social Action Coordinating Committee. Adjudication of the grant applications will be carried out by Social Action or a Task Team appointed to this purpose. Decisions will be made based on the timeliness and completeness of the grant application, as well as its connection to church values, and the availability of funds.
In its deliberation, these are some of the values to consider. Does this project or service:
● align with the church’s mission? For example, our commitment to children & families, Open & Affirming, Racial Justice, Climate Justice, etc.
● help people
● have a local presence or connection
● offer our membership volunteer opportunities or expand discipleship
● grow our church’s impact for the better in our community
Not every organization may align perfectly with every expectation and value, but significant discussion should be had when evaluating each grant application. As the church clarifies its values over time, this list should grow and shift accordingly.
Additional questions for consideration may be:
● How much money is the request?
● How large is the organization? What percentage of their funding will this grant equal?
● How many awards should be given in a particular year?
● Do we plan to give away all of the available $8-10,000 in a given year? Specifically in years where there may be fewer applications.
Internal Requests
Members of the Congregation may also submit Grant Applications to the Social Action Committee. Applications will be reviewed quarterly in March, June, September, and December.
The same evaluation process will be used in assessing these applications as with external submissions.
It is asked that church members submit only one application per quarter.