Grants

Each year, a range of grants are available to individuals, congregations, presbyteries and affiliated agencies and Ecumenical bodies throughout Victoria and Tasmania.  There are three main categories of grants:

• Educational
• Missional
• Financial Assistance

All grants have specific qualifying criteria, application processes and evaluation requirements.

Some are funded from donations or bequests from generous individuals to be used for specific or general purposes. We are very grateful for such kind support. To honour these gifts, much time is given to matching the funding source/s with the projects.  It is essential that funding is used for the approved purpose, and each project is reviewed at the end to ensure this has happened.

 

Educational grants and scholarships

There are many grants and scholarships available for individuals (ordained and lay) and groups. There are also many types of grants available, including theological education, youth ministry, lay education, continuing education, regionalisation, tertiary education, secondary education and bursaries for ministers’ children.

For further information, go to Educational grants and scholarships.

 

Mission grants

Mission Grants assist UCA congregations and Uniting agencies in the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania with the cost of mission programs, ministries, and capital works projects.  Grant programs are generally held annually, unless advised otherwise, and are approved through the Mission Grants Executive committee.  Specific grant programs are held for:

Ministry and Mission programs

Grants may be available to support ministry or mission projects, to assist with the cost of lay or ordained personnel and program costs over a period of up to five years.

Capital works programs

Grants may be available to assist with mission-focused building projects.

Small grants for small rural congregations

Grants may be available to small rural congregations in townships of less than 5000 people, to assist with ministry or facilities projects that will build community either as a congregation or in connecting with the wider community.

Congregational Debt Relief Grant

Grants are available to assist congregations with the repayment of loan debt held with UEthical.

For further information, go to Mission grants.

 

Financial assistance

Several other grants and funding opportunities may be available to assist congregations in need.   These include:

Emergency grant (Capital Works)

Limited grants may be available from the Capital Works Fund, to assist congregations with urgent capital repairs they are unable to cover themselves.

Emergency grant (Stipend Support)

Limited grants may be available from the Sustentation Fund, to assist a congregation in financial crisis with the cost of stipend for a minister in placement, which the congregation is unable to cover itself.

Disability Access Grant

Grants are available from the Disability Access Fund, to assist a congregation with up to 50 per cent of the cost of disability access works, such as accessible toilets and ramps, up to a maximum amount of $50,000.

For further information, go to financial assistance.

Other

Other funding opportunities may be available to congregations, including:

• Access to proceeds from a property sale to assist with capital projects and, if eligible, some missional or operational projects
• Access to proceeds from a property sale to invest in an interest-only Mission Fund (IOMF) where the interest earned may be used for a mission project, or in the Money for Mission Fund (MFMF) where interest earned may be used as determined by the UCA responsible body.

For further information, go to financial assistance.

Need help?

Contact our grants coordinator, Natalie Brown, on (03) 9116 1960 or [email protected]