Which grant fits my idea?


Catalyst grants help congregations take a risk, as the members stretch into new good works in partnership with others from your local community.

  • Catalyst Grants for Short-Term Initiatives: Your idea adds or expands a ministry that partners with people outside the congregation.  You build new relationships and experiences between local congregation(s) members and people nearby, as you work together to address a local need.  The idea will be implemented within one year.  We grant up to $5,000.  Your request should typically be no more than 50% of the estimated total expense.
Examples of past projects
      • Organizing a community concert and entertainment series whose proceeds support a local free clinic as well as a food pantry.
      • Rebuilding a local meal program in a way that generates wider support from other community organizations.
      • Starting a free clothing closet for the county in a nearby unused building through efforts of both congregation and community.

See portions of an example grant application.

  • Catalyst Grants for Community Conversations: Your idea nurtures conversations about sensitive topics.  The goal is learning from one another and from invited guests through discussion groups, book studies, speaker series, workshops, etc.  We grant up to $1,500.  Your request should typically be no more than 50% of the estimated expense.
Examples of past projects
      • Lenten speaker series on Racial Justice, a collaboration of two urban and three suburban congregations, expanding the perspectives of all involved
      • An educational series on the Doctrine of Discovery, including PhD guest speakers from indigenous cultures.
  • (coming soon!  Catalyst Grants for Long-Term initiatives, using funds from the Leadership Forward capital campaign happening now.  These grants encourage you to try out big ideas that require up to three years to implement between congregations and local community groups.)

Due dates throughout the year are on the Applying page.

 

If the Catalyst grants don’t seem to fit your idea, check into other UCC grant programs.

Catalyst grants help transform lives through innovative ministry for the 21st century. The strongest applications include members collaborating with people outside your UCC faith community.  The ideas have an impact and a vision that reaches beyond the local congregation to benefit the wider community context to which the congregation is called to respond.

Looking to inspire new ideas in your congregation?  Use the Catalyst Day worship materials created by Rev. Beth Abbott.

 

Looking for more examples of Catalyst projects, perhaps some local to you?  Check out the links here.

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