A Chalice Lighter grant provides funds for programs, projects, capital
improvements, and/or staffing to grow and strengthen Unitarian Universalism in
the District. The responsibility lies with the congregation to show how its
project will enhance and grow Unitarian Universalism.
Grant Policy
The Chalice Lighter Committee concentrates its
efforts on those congregations, regardless of size, where there is demonstrated
intention to grow in numbers and in justice, compassion, and spirituality, and
where other favorable factors are present and there are specific realistic long
range plans to enhance them. The most significant demonstration of intention to
grow is a realistic long range plan adopted by a congregation, cluster of
congregations, or regional group of congregations. As a part of the long-range
plan, the Chalice Lighter Committee looks for programs and initiatives in the
congregation that are directed toward anti-racism, anti-oppression and a
multicultural membership.
Who May Apply
The grant may be awarded to:
- A congregation
- A group of congregations
- The District or a designated committee or program of the District
Eligible Grants Projects/Programs
In an effort to encourage congregations to plan
intentionally for growth and to experiment with new, modern ways, the criteria
for grants are extremely flexible. The Committee encourages congregations to be
creative in their plans for growth. Congregations must demonstrate how
the projects will grow and strengthen Unitarian Universalism.
Grants for Staff Positions
Grants may be given to establish and fill for the first
time professional staff positions of minister, religious educator, music
director, administrator and membership coordinator or director. Grants may also
be given for an additional minister or religious education professional if a
long range plan shows how this additional ministry will help the congregation
grow in the various aspects of larger or stronger congregations. Minimum half time is recommended for
positions. Staff grants can be made for
moving from part-time to full-time. All positions for which a grant is sought
must be paid fair compensation and benefits consistent with current UUA
guidelines. All positions for which a
grant is sought must be permanent positions, unless it is appropriate for the
position to be time-limited and it is so described in the application.
Grants for land, building and increase in space
Grants for land, buildings or a significant
increase in space are capped so as to be no more than 20% of the total cost of
the project.
Grants for innovative growth projects
Grants may be given to fund
creative projects that do not fall into either of the categories listed
above. The project should clearly show how it will result in
congregational and/or regional growth. Included in this category may be
grants to:
- Assist a congregation, or group of
congregations, or the District to launch an information or advertising program,
including developing or improving websites.
- Assist a congregation to launch a youth,
young adult or adult program specifically directed at attracting and retaining
new members.
- Assist a congregation to launch a mission
outreach project in the local community, including satellite or branch church
or video broadcasting of program(s).
- Assist a congregation launching an
outreach program to enhance diversity in congregation.
If the grant involves staffing,
the application must conform to the financial contributions and requirements
included in the above section Grants for Staff Positions.
Grants for organizing a new congregation
Applications for new congregation organizing
grants should be prepared in conjunction with the District Executive before
being submitted to the Committee. New
congregation organizing grants may be for an “organizer” or for other
organizing activities; the plan and application should indicate other sources
of support for the project. Organizing
grant applications must be accompanied by an organizing plan showing favorable
demographics, commitments of financial and organizational support from
sponsoring congregations, and the composition of a steering committee including
members with UU experience and commitment to attending training in new
congregation organizing. The most effective way to build an anti-racist,
anti-oppressive and multi-cultural congregation is to start with this objective
at the organizing phase. Thus, we encourage the steering committee to establish
welcoming all oppressed groups named by UUA as a goal and include members
highly committed to this work. We encourage a commitment to training of the
congregation in anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural work.
Grants for a cluster of congregations
A cluster must have a long-range plan for the
project for which they seek a grant. The plan should describe the project, how
they will carry it out, and how they will measure results. There is no requirement that each
congregation in a cluster that applies for a grant must have a long-range
plan. The cluster must have a fiscal
agent. The application from the cluster must show the sources and amounts of
financial support in addition to the grant. The cluster must supply a list of
congregations involved and indicate which ones are Fair Share to the UUA and
the District. The application must
indicate that all congregations in the cluster have been fully informed of the project.
Grant Process
During the district’s fiscal year (July 1 through
June 30), up to three applications are accepted from congregations followed by
calls for funds and the presentation of grants. Over the years the demand for
grants has greatly increased and so a congregation’s application may compete
with others.
Application Deadline Award Made For the Call Period
- 15
August for the Fall Call (October)
- 15
November for the Winter Call (February)
- 15
March for the Spring Call (May)
Selecting a grant candidate
Southeast District Executive and Chalice Lighter
Committee review the applications with the Chalice Lighter Committee making the
final decision. The Chalice Lighter
Committee notifies the congregation that it will receive a grant and the date
the Committee will award the grant. The amount
of the award will be determined by the request and the donations.
Preferences given for certain types of grants
The Committee gives priority to congregations who are:
-
Applying for the first time
-
Demonstrating clearly their commitment to growth, and
-
Demonstrating their support of the Chalice Lighter Program by maintaining a significant percentage of Chalice Lighters in their congregation
Grant amounts
SED Chalice Lighter grants have averaged more than
$20,000. No congregation should expect a specific amount because SED Chalice
Lighters are free to choose the calls to which they contribute and how much
they contribute. Additionally, the Chalice Lighters Committee may decide to
select two congregations as grant candidates and split the award with them
based on the request and the amount raised.
Purpose of the Grants
- Long Range Plan. An application must include a long range plan
written or updated within one year prior to submitting the Application. The
Long Range Plan must be accepted by the congregation or, in the case of an
update, accepted by a formal vote of the board.
- Budget. The plan must include a five year
budget projection showing the anticipated growth and how the congregation will
fund the various initiatives outlined in the plan.
- Fair Share.
- A single congregation applying for a grant must be full fair share to the UUA and District for the previous full fiscal year. Also, they must commit to stay fair share for the duration of the grant.
- There will be an annual review by August 15; if a congregation holding a grant has not maintained full fair share
status, the grant will be reviewed by Committee and may be suspended.
- A cluster applying for a grant has no requirement for its member congregations to be Fair Share. However, the
Committee will use this information as part of the evaluation of an
application.
- Chalice Lighter support.
- The Congregation must show support to the
Chalice Lighter program measured by percentage of members who are Chalice
Lighters. The Congregation should, at a
minimum, equal the District average of Chalice Lighters.
- The congregation leadership is expected to
promote membership in the Chalice Lighter Fund and launch a campaign to recruit
additional members from the congregation during the year following the receipt
of the grant.
- Support of the Grant Proposal. For newly forming congregations, a planning
committee must approve the grant proposal.
For a cluster of congregations, each congregation or Board must approve
the grant proposal. For a District Committee, the application must include a
copy of a letter sent to all involved congregations informing them of the
project and outlining the details. The application must
describe the level of participation expected from the participating
congregations and include a statement from at least 25% of the congregations as
to their expected participation.
- Minimum average pledge. The application from an individual congregation
must include information on the average median pledge per pledge unit. There is
no average pledge requirement. The Committee will use this information as part
of the evaluation of the application.
- An anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicutural congregation. The application from an individual congregation
must include information on its current and planned programs on anti-racism,
anti-oppression, and multiculturalism. There is no requirement that the
congregation has such programs, however, the Committee, in responding to the
goals of UUA and the District, will use this information as part of its
evaluation of the application.
- Financial contribution to the project.
- The congregation, group of congregations, or
District shall provide matching funds in the amount of at least 25% of the
total program or project expenses. In-kind work may be accepted, provided
realistic cost projections are used and, where possible, a bid or quote or
price cost can be obtained to determine the value of the in-kind work.
- A Staff position should be planned as a
permanent position that is reflected in the congregation’s long-range plan. A
5-year financial projection is required that describes salary and benefits
(including COLA and potential merit increases), and the assumptions that are
the basis for the projection. The usual payout schedule for a staff position is
50%-30%-20% over the three years. The grant recipient can negotiate a different
payout if there is a reason to do so.
- No minimum contribution is
required for an innovative growth grant but the level of financial contribution
by the applicant will be considered in the evaluation of a grant.
- Clusters may be the “organizer”
for new congregation organizing grants; their plan and their application should
indicate other sources of support for the project. Committee will not require
specific levels of other support, but will want to see in their plan how they
expect to fund the overall project.
- For a grant to help purchase land or construct
or significantly expand a building, the application should include the results
of a Capital Campaign or any other sources of financing available to the
congregation.
- Project manager. The grant application must
identify the Project Manager for follow-up on grant implementation/results.
This Project Manager should be someone who is available for the life of the
project. The District and the Grant Manager are to be notified immediately if a
Project Manager changes.
- Efficacy. The application will detail how the efficacy of
the grant will be measured including statistics on membership and attendance.
- Annual Reports. As a condition of receiving a grant, the Project
Manager is required to provide an annual grant implementation report. The
report will describe the efficacy of the grant, including measures of
memberships, attendance and growth. An individual congregation will also send
the congregation’s newsletter to the Grant Manager.
- Deadline. Grant activity must be initiated within two
years of the awarding of the grant. Grant recipients that do not initiate grant
activity after two years will forfeit use of monies.
Limits on Calls
A congregation may not receive funding for a new project or program more than once in any two-year period, except
that a second Call may be approved for a planned, multi-year or high cost
project/ program.
Grant application form
View and download a grant application form in the document library below or request a form from the SED office via email or (800) 549-0751
Additional information
If you have questions or need additional information, contact the Chalice Lighter program chair at: chalicelighters@gmail.com.
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