ECSF awards 45 grants for community ministry in 2008

Meeting Jan. 12, the trustees of the Episcopal Community Ministry Foundation awarded $120,160 in grants to 45 different projects involving members of more than half the Episcopal congregations of the diocese. Funding for these grants comes from the freewill gifts of individuals and churches throughout the diocese who are generously reaching out to support each other’s response to human need throughout the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to be able to empower such great ministries,” said the Rev. David Halt, ECSF Board President, at the conclusion of the trustees’ meeting. “It couldn’t be done without the generosity of many individuals and congregations.”

A $20,000 matching challenge by the Bishops and 33 other clergy in November generated over $37,000 in gifts from laypeople by the end of the year. In addition, 70 congregations contributed or pledged to ECSF in 2007, the highest number ever. This generosity enabled the board to grant the full amount requested to two thirds of the projects.

Grants respond to the discernment of local churches on the needs God has best equipped them to address. Here’s how the funding will be used, by focus:

• Multi-service ministries: $36,500
• Food pantries and free meals: $30,250
• Shelter and transitional housing: $13,500
• Education (adult and child) and ministry to children: $25,110
• Health: $11,800
• Prisoners and ex-offenders: $3,000

Feel free to email ECSF’s executive director Ariel Miller to learn more about the funded projects and other anti-poverty initiatives throughout Southern Ohio: ecsf@eos.net

Episcopal churches and groups in the Diocese of Southern Ohio are eligible to apply to ECSF for grants to aid their response to community need within the boundaries of this diocese.

Grants to support ministry beyond the diocese (including overseas) are available through the William Cooper Procter Fund. The National and World Mission Commission awards grants for Millennium Development Goals projects.

To submit a grant request:
1. You can download our guidelines and application here. Please read this document thoroughly and follow all instructions. Applications are accepted once a year on Sept. 15. When possible, the board allocates additional funds to help with start-up ministries in the middle of the year.

2. Once you apply, the ECSF grants committee will contact you to set up a site visit. The board allocates grants in January once the results of the Advent fund drive are tallied. Read about our current grantees here.

ECSF is an independent charity whose grants are made possible by the voluntary contributions of churches and individuals. The growing number of supporters has enabled us to more than double the grants budget between 2005 and 2007. If you are already an ECSF donor, thank you! You can join this great cause at any time, and help equip your local saints by donating online.

We welcome questions and would be glad to help you think through your project design: just contact ECSF’s executive director Ariel Miller at ecsf@eos.net or 513-221-0547. We’ll be glad to connect you to other Episcopal churches working on the same issue, or send you stories of the effective ideas they are putting in place. Check out our grantees’ success stories: these may come in handy as you design and build support for new ministry in your congregation.