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IMPACT CHURCH MINISTRY GRANT
These grants are specifically designed to empower and support impactful ministries within our church community, and are only available in the United States and Territories.
We believe that each person has a unique gift end talent, and this is an incredible opportunity to make & difference.
Whether you have a passion for outreach programs, youth ministries, or any other area that touches hearts and lives. Together, we can build stronger and more vibrant church communities, reaching out to those in need with love, compassion, and faith.
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Campus Ministry Grants
Campus Ministry Strategic Growth Grants
Development, Redevelopment, & Capacity Building GrantsCampus Ministry Strategic Growth Grants are designed to aid in the development of new ELCA Campus Ministry organizations, the redevelopment of sites that need support as they continue to serve students, and to support capacity building, especially for fund development, in established campus ministry organizations.
Grants must be applied for on an annual basis, and grantees may receive funds for up to 6 years. Each year, up to 80% of the funds awarded in the previous year may be awarded. The maximum initial award for site development or will be $60,000. The maximum initial award for redevelopment or capacity building will be $30,000.
Sites applying for strategic growth grants are encouraged to also apply for site grants.Campus Ministry Site GrantsOngoing Financial Support for ELCA Campus Ministry OrganizationsCampus Ministry site grants share Churchwide Budget funds with all campus ministry organizations in good standing. In 2025, we project that these grants will be in amounts from about $1000 to $6000, depending on the number of campus ministry sites that apply.
Campus Ministry site grants must be applied for on an annual basis, and there is no limit to the number of consecutive years that sites can receive grants. As we continue to shift funding away from site grants and toward strategic growth grants, we anticipate that these grants will continue to get smaller.
Sites applying for strategic growth grants may also apply for Campus Ministry Strategic Growth grants.
Development, Redevelopment, & Capacity Building GrantsCampus Ministry Strategic Growth Grants are designed to aid in the development of new ELCA Campus Ministry organizations, the redevelopment of sites that need support as they continue to serve students, and to support capacity building, especially for fund development, in established campus ministry organizations.
Grants must be applied for on an annual basis, and grantees may receive funds for up to 6 years. Each year, up to 80% of the funds awarded in the previous year may be awarded. The maximum initial award for site development or will be $60,000. The maximum initial award for redevelopment or capacity building will be $30,000.
Sites applying for strategic growth grants are encouraged to also apply for site grants.Campus Ministry Site GrantsOngoing Financial Support for ELCA Campus Ministry OrganizationsCampus Ministry site grants share Churchwide Budget funds with all campus ministry organizations in good standing. In 2025, we project that these grants will be in amounts from about $1000 to $6000, depending on the number of campus ministry sites that apply.
Campus Ministry site grants must be applied for on an annual basis, and there is no limit to the number of consecutive years that sites can receive grants. As we continue to shift funding away from site grants and toward strategic growth grants, we anticipate that these grants will continue to get smaller.
Sites applying for strategic growth grants may also apply for Campus Ministry Strategic Growth grants.
Lutheran Campus Ministry Staff or Board Members
May 15 to August 15, 2024
See Instructions to Register
DECISIONS COMMUNICATED: October 1, 2024Grants selected in this timeline will be funded in FY 2025 (February 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026)
See Instructions to Register
DECISIONS COMMUNICATED: October 1, 2024Grants selected in this timeline will be funded in FY 2025 (February 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026)
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Digital Ministry
The Digital Ministry Grant is provided as a result of the partnership between preferred online giving vendors and the ELCA awarded to congregations nominated by Synod to promote electronic giving in the congregation, encourage digital ministry creativity, and help fulfill the mission of the ELCA to reach new, young, and diverse people in the name of Jesus Christ.
Nominees include ELCA congregations proposing to start or enhance ongoing innovative digital ministry strategies that work to serve their mission and are in keeping with the objective of the Digital Ministry Grant.
Congregations nominated by their Synod will have to complete the below grant application in order for them to be eligible to receive the grant.
Nominees include ELCA congregations proposing to start or enhance ongoing innovative digital ministry strategies that work to serve their mission and are in keeping with the objective of the Digital Ministry Grant.
Congregations nominated by their Synod will have to complete the below grant application in order for them to be eligible to receive the grant.
Only by nomination
Nominations go live in June
See Instructions to Register
See Instructions to Register
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Disability Ministries
Thank you for considering Disability Ministries to potentially help fund your request or initiative via grant. Grant applicants are required to follow the guidelines below to be eligible to receive grant funding through Disability Ministries.
All applicants seeking funds from Disability Ministries must demonstrate how the request or initiative addresses at least one of the following goals:
- Raising up people with disabilities for leadership positions, encouraging the participation of those with disabilities in the wider church, and preparing leaders for serving people with disabilities.
- Equipping our synods, congregations, and members with relevant and practical information that enables them to welcome and support individuals with disabilities so that they might participate fully in the life of the congregation, and that, together, all might experience being the body of Christ.
- Gathering and connecting those with disabilities and various groups within the church so that they might help us become an inclusive, supportive, and whole community of faith.
Additionally, all applicants must show that there is a current relationship, or that they are actively building a relationship, with people living with disabilities in their settings.
We want to recognize that we are moving beyond having an attitude of “If we build it, they will come” in the church. So, for example, not requesting funding for a ramp simply for the sake of having a ramp. But rather explaining how the ramp (or whatever your project may be) would be of a benefit to the disabled people in your setting and your ministry.
We will be funding a total of $50,000. Grant applicants can apply for a grant in the range of $5,000-$10,000. Previous applicants who were not funded may reapply.
The application will open on May 28th, and close on July 31st , or earlier if we have received 30 completed applications. Projects receiving grants will be announced before the end of October 2024.
All applicants seeking funds from Disability Ministries must demonstrate how the request or initiative addresses at least one of the following goals:
- Raising up people with disabilities for leadership positions, encouraging the participation of those with disabilities in the wider church, and preparing leaders for serving people with disabilities.
- Equipping our synods, congregations, and members with relevant and practical information that enables them to welcome and support individuals with disabilities so that they might participate fully in the life of the congregation, and that, together, all might experience being the body of Christ.
- Gathering and connecting those with disabilities and various groups within the church so that they might help us become an inclusive, supportive, and whole community of faith.
Additionally, all applicants must show that there is a current relationship, or that they are actively building a relationship, with people living with disabilities in their settings.
We want to recognize that we are moving beyond having an attitude of “If we build it, they will come” in the church. So, for example, not requesting funding for a ramp simply for the sake of having a ramp. But rather explaining how the ramp (or whatever your project may be) would be of a benefit to the disabled people in your setting and your ministry.
We will be funding a total of $50,000. Grant applicants can apply for a grant in the range of $5,000-$10,000. Previous applicants who were not funded may reapply.
The application will open on May 28th, and close on July 31st , or earlier if we have received 30 completed applications. Projects receiving grants will be announced before the end of October 2024.
ELCA Churches and Campus in the USA
May 28th-July 31st
See Instructions to Register
See Instructions to Register
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Grants for Innovation
Grants for Innovation are provided by the ELCA Innovation Lab to assist in the implementation of user-centered experiments within congregations, synods, or other organizations. These grants provide monetary support for organizations who have worked with the ELCA Innovation Lab to define, prototype, test, and evaluate their innovative project ideas. Currently, grant applications are available by invitation only.
Congregations Lead Initiative Experiment Grants to members of the current Congregations Lead Initiative Cohort. These grants are awarded to congregations who are in the process of testing a prototype or implementing a ministry experiment.
Congregations Lead Initiative Experiment Grants to members of the current Congregations Lead Initiative Cohort. These grants are awarded to congregations who are in the process of testing a prototype or implementing a ministry experiment.
Grant applications are available by invitation only
Members of the current Congregations Lead Initiative Cohort
Members of the current Congregations Lead Initiative Cohort
All year round.
See Instructions to Register
See Instructions to Register
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Horizon Apprenticeship Program
Program Description: In Baptism all young people are called by God into the community of Jesus, the church. From Baptism and beyond it is the responsibility of the young person's family and church community to help them grow in faith and reflect on what it means to be in school and be a Baptized child of God. This program is designed to help young people acquire a missional imagination that will help them begin to discern their future, and the role that Jesus and the church will have in their life. Each student participant will receive a stipend of $1,800 for the summer.
Program Expectations: This program is intended for high school seniors and first year college students. Nominees must be at least 16 years of age at the program start and no more than 20 years of age when the program concludes.The commitment is for nearly 2 months, beginning June 2nd - July 28th, at 20+ hours per week.The pastor will serve as the student's mentor, including them in worship, bible study and other aspects of life of the congregation.
Each student participant will work with their mentor to develop and implement a project for the summer (i.e. Bible study, sermon, community or congregational project).
The student will attend a two-day virtual retreat in July.
Each student participant will work with their mentor to develop and implement a project for the summer (i.e. Bible study, sermon, community or congregational project).
The student will attend a two-day virtual retreat in July.
February
See Instructions to Register
See Instructions to Register
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Ministry with Children Grants
Ministry with Children of the ELCA serves under Christian Community, Leadership and Mission.
Christian community and Leadership Purpose: Recruit, train, and deploy leaders who will establish and grow Christian Communities.
Christian community and Leadership Purpose: Recruit, train, and deploy leaders who will establish and grow Christian Communities.
Ministry with Children Grants are for ELCA partners that engage in faith formation with and for children (birth through age 11) that further the ELCA's mission and purpose.
May 1st to June 30th
See Instructions to Register
See Instructions to Register
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
New Ministry Development and Evangelism Grants
Evangelism Initiatives — The Gospel compels the Church to always share the good news of Jesus Christ. Evangelism initiatives are meant to add and enhance more ways God’s people can engage in evangelism through congregations and synod work. These grants support Congregations, conferences and/or synods throughout the ELCA as they share the good news of Jesus Christ. Preference is given to lay-led initiatives and training opportunities for evangelism.
Congregational Outreach Ministry (COM) — The purpose of a Congregational Outreach Ministry (COM) is evangelism. These are congregation-based and centered in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through intentional, invitational discipleship and/or outreach ministries located in congregations.
Synod Authorized Outreach Ministry (SAOM) — The purpose of a Synod Authorized Outreach Ministry (SAOM) is evangelism. These are synod-based and authorized, centered in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through intentional, invitational discipleship and/or outreach ministries.
Synod Authorized Worshiping Community (SAWC) / SAWC Exploration — Accompanying synodical initiatives to expand the reach of our church through the development of new congregations. These new communities of faith reflect our ELCA commitments to be evangelical, diverse, inclusive, and ecumenical working for peace and justice in society.
Strategic Ministries — A mechanism to partner with churches in ethnic communities, communities experiencing poverty and others located in strategically important places to strengthen innovative, resourceful ministries enriching the whole church.
Synod Vitality Strategies — A plan created in the synod that involves groups of churches working together to form a learning community and network for ministry over a specified amount of time (e.g., 1-3 years).
Anchor Churches — An Anchor Church is one congregation willing to partner with one, two or several churches (which may include one or more new starts) or other ministries. They learn, collaborate and resource one another to move together into the future.
Holy Innovations — Gifts through the ELCA Campaign have enabled investment in exciting ministry collaborations and experiments within and among synods.
Congregational Outreach Ministry (COM) — The purpose of a Congregational Outreach Ministry (COM) is evangelism. These are congregation-based and centered in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through intentional, invitational discipleship and/or outreach ministries located in congregations.
Synod Authorized Outreach Ministry (SAOM) — The purpose of a Synod Authorized Outreach Ministry (SAOM) is evangelism. These are synod-based and authorized, centered in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through intentional, invitational discipleship and/or outreach ministries.
Synod Authorized Worshiping Community (SAWC) / SAWC Exploration — Accompanying synodical initiatives to expand the reach of our church through the development of new congregations. These new communities of faith reflect our ELCA commitments to be evangelical, diverse, inclusive, and ecumenical working for peace and justice in society.
Strategic Ministries — A mechanism to partner with churches in ethnic communities, communities experiencing poverty and others located in strategically important places to strengthen innovative, resourceful ministries enriching the whole church.
Synod Vitality Strategies — A plan created in the synod that involves groups of churches working together to form a learning community and network for ministry over a specified amount of time (e.g., 1-3 years).
Anchor Churches — An Anchor Church is one congregation willing to partner with one, two or several churches (which may include one or more new starts) or other ministries. They learn, collaborate and resource one another to move together into the future.
Holy Innovations — Gifts through the ELCA Campaign have enabled investment in exciting ministry collaborations and experiments within and among synods.
Only Directors for Evangelical Mission.
All year round.
See Instructions to Register
See Instructions to Register
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Quality of Call
Pop-up Grants
Quality of Call for Women in Ministry Pop-up Grants are small grants that support small steps toward positive change for women in ministry. Pop-up grants are short-term, collaborative, and designed to empower women in ministry to initiate change within their synod.
Quality of Call for Women in Ministry Pop-up Grants are small grants that support small steps toward positive change for women in ministry. Pop-up grants are short-term, collaborative, and designed to empower women in ministry to initiate change within their synod.
Women in Ministry
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Strategy Toward Authentic Diversity Grant
Since its inception, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has grappled with the profound challenge of achieving authentic racial diversity. This struggle, deeply rooted in our history, has led to a church membership that currently represents less than 10% of People of Color. In 2016, a resolution was presented to the Churchwide Assembly to create a task force to develop recommendations to assist the church in increasing more diverse representation.
The task force, composed entirely of people of color and those whose primary language is other than English, listened to the experiences of communities historically underrepresented within the ELCA and society. Mindful of working constructively with white allies within the church, the European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice (EDLARJ), now known as the Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice, worked alongside the task force as allies. Working in partnership with the staff of the Churchwide Organization, the task force developed a series of recommendations and actions to engage the whole church in removing inequitable barriers, recognizing the diversity already within this church, the importance of leadership development, the woundedness of racism, greater accountability of policies, programs funding, and governance to ELCA People of Color. The document, How Strategic and Authentic is Our Diversity: A Call for Confession, Reflection, and Healing Action (STAD), was adopted by the fifteenth triennial Churchwide Assembly on August 9, 2019, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To view the document, visit: Strategy_Toward_Authentic_Diversity.pdf (elca.org)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is pleased to announce the Strategy Towards Authentic Diversity Mini-Grants. $33,000 has been allocated to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the ELCA. Faithfulness to the Biblical mandate to proclaim the Gospel requires fostering actions that promote equity, fairness, and justice across all three expressions of the ELCA and society.
Grant-funded projects, activities, programs, events, and plans must relate to an area of focus named in the STAD: Theological Education, Leadership Development, Partnerships with Ecumenical and interreligious partners, Healing Actions from racism and other forms of oppression, Antiracism education, and Structural Accountability through policy and/or programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Mini-grants are seed grants designed to launch and support new or existing projects, policies, and events that promote or relate to the Strategy Towards Authentic Diversity themes. Individuals, associations, congregations, synods, and organizations affiliated with the ELCA are eligible to apply. Mini-grants in the requested amount of $500-2,500. The total funding disbursement amount is $33,000, and the average grant funding amount will be $800.
The task force, composed entirely of people of color and those whose primary language is other than English, listened to the experiences of communities historically underrepresented within the ELCA and society. Mindful of working constructively with white allies within the church, the European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice (EDLARJ), now known as the Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice, worked alongside the task force as allies. Working in partnership with the staff of the Churchwide Organization, the task force developed a series of recommendations and actions to engage the whole church in removing inequitable barriers, recognizing the diversity already within this church, the importance of leadership development, the woundedness of racism, greater accountability of policies, programs funding, and governance to ELCA People of Color. The document, How Strategic and Authentic is Our Diversity: A Call for Confession, Reflection, and Healing Action (STAD), was adopted by the fifteenth triennial Churchwide Assembly on August 9, 2019, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To view the document, visit: Strategy_Toward_Authentic_Diversity.pdf (elca.org)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is pleased to announce the Strategy Towards Authentic Diversity Mini-Grants. $33,000 has been allocated to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the ELCA. Faithfulness to the Biblical mandate to proclaim the Gospel requires fostering actions that promote equity, fairness, and justice across all three expressions of the ELCA and society.
Grant-funded projects, activities, programs, events, and plans must relate to an area of focus named in the STAD: Theological Education, Leadership Development, Partnerships with Ecumenical and interreligious partners, Healing Actions from racism and other forms of oppression, Antiracism education, and Structural Accountability through policy and/or programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Mini-grants are seed grants designed to launch and support new or existing projects, policies, and events that promote or relate to the Strategy Towards Authentic Diversity themes. Individuals, associations, congregations, synods, and organizations affiliated with the ELCA are eligible to apply. Mini-grants in the requested amount of $500-2,500. The total funding disbursement amount is $33,000, and the average grant funding amount will be $800.
Individuals, associations, congregations, synods, and organizations affiliated with the ELCA are eligible to apply.
September 3 - November 1, 2024
Funding decisions will be made through the STAD Advisory Committee. Funding will be announced on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the National Day of Racial Healing.
See Instructions to Register
Funding decisions will be made through the STAD Advisory Committee. Funding will be announced on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the National Day of Racial Healing.
See Instructions to Register
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Total Inclusion
The Total Inclusion Grants are provided by the Total Inclusion program and are awarded to overnight youth camps to increase the understanding of and commitment to inclusion of historically marginalized groups including people of color, people who identify at LGBTQIA+, and people living with disabilities.
Overnight Youth Camps
Grant Type
Description
Who Can Apply?
Registration Open
Young Adult Community Resource Grant
The Young Adult Community Resource Grants are provided by ELCA Young Adult Ministry and are awarded to organizations whose mission serves to connect young adults (ages 18-35) from a defined region, for in-person gatherings centered on community, justice, and love. With plans to develop a sustainable forward-thinking platform for community building and engagement of Young Adults.
Applicants, include any ELCA organizations whose mission serves to connect young adults (18-35) from a defined region, are invited to submit proposals for projects created by and for young adults specifically that demonstrates how young adults (18-35) can gather in a community faith.
International
Impact Church Ministry Grants are not offered to International organizations.
