In 2005, the Trinity Endowment Board initiated a grant program to support
projects that would lead to growth, vitality and enthusiasm of the Trinity congregation...
Trinity Vitality and Capital Grant Program
Grant Criteria and Process
August 26, 2008
This memorandum details Trinity's Endowment Board's (the "Board") criteria for evaluating
a grant and the process for requesting grants.
- Two types of projects will be considered: 1) Vitality Grants, defined as requests
to fund programs that are expected to lead to the growth, vitality and enthusiasm
of the Trinity congregation (e.g. Reverberations concert series, Equipping ministry
position); and 2) Capital Expenditure Grants: requests for capital improvements
that are beyond the scope of the Church's operating budget (e.g. refurbishing of
the church's organ).
- Grant requests may be submitted by any Trinity organization or ad hoc groups. Requests
must be for projects needing a minimum of $5,000.
- All grant requests must first be submitted to the Corporate Affairs Committee of
the Session (the "CAC"). The CAC will make a recommendation to the Session regarding
the source of funding (e.g. special fund-raising, current year operating budget
surplus, Church savings, Endowment, other). Only those requests approved by the
Session as appropriate for Endowment will be consideration by the Board. The CAC
will be responsible for conveying the decision and the grant request to the Endowment
Board.
- For Vitality Grants, the Board's focus will be upon sustainable, longer-term growth,
rather than short-term programs and fixes. The Board wants to encourage Trinity
organizations and ad hoc groups to consider what might be and work out a plan to
get there. Larger, more meaningful grants are encouraged, rather than modest grants
that are unlikely to have a lasting impact.
- For Capital Expenditure Grants, the Board will focus on whether the proposed project
is central to allowing the Church to continue in its mission and/or will allow the
Church to broaden that mission. The project should a have meaningful impact, not
just be a "nice to have".
- Grant requests will need to include a proposed budget with sufficient detail so
that the Board can understand exactly how the money is to be used and determine
that the proposed level of funding is prudent and reasonable. The funding explanation
will need to include why the proposal cannot be funded out of the church budget.
Conceivably, a grant could include a matching funding arrangement (e.g., part church
budget, part Endowment Fund grant). Grant funding might also be in stages as various
milestones are achieved.
- The grant request will need to include an explanation of how the project will be
implemented, including who has committed to take actions with respect to the project,
anticipated follow-up, and anticipated results.
- The group receiving a grant will be expected to provide a follow-up report after
the grant.
- A group's track record in executing grants will be factor in determining if it is
awarded future grant requests.
- Grants requests will be reviewed quarterly by the Endowment Board. Rush requests
are not expected to be considered under this program.