Episcopal Community Services Foundation
2017 Grant Application Instructions
Who may apply for an ECSF grant?
Applications to help support a ministry will be accepted from Episcopal congregations and/or institutions within the Diocese of Southern Ohio.The ministry must address a community need within this diocese and may be a resident ministry of the congregation ora collaborative partnership with another community nonprofit ministry/organization.
What types of programs are eligible for funding?
ECSF provides funding for applications that address:
- Housing Security – increasing the ability of individuals and families to achieve and maintain permanent,stable housing, connecting clients to services and programs that equip them to overcome barriers tosecuring housing for the long term. Examples of ministries in this area include: emergency shelters;utility, rent or mortgage assistance; assistance in applying for government programs, such as Section 8housing and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).
- Income Security – increasing the ability to acquire stable income sufficient to meet basic needs,including job readiness skills, GED classes, applying for government assistance programs and jobplacement programs.
- Life Skills – increasing the ability to achieve basic life skills essential to achieving success in work andfamily relations, including counseling or training, mental health counseling and assistance, study skills,health and nutrition, tutoring (especially for children/youth at risk) and literacy programs.
- Emergency Assistance – meeting the immediate needs of individuals and families, such as providingfood, clothing, personal needs and household necessities. Examples of ministries include: food pantries;clothing assistance programs; transportation programs; food insecurity programs; and disaster relief.
A congregation/institution may submit more than one application, but each ministry must have its ownapplication and site visit.
ECSF does not provide funding for the following*:
- Capital Campaigns
- Construction/Remodeling, or capital improvements
- Special Projects focused solely on capacity building, such as training programs, conferences, etc.
- Projects appropriately addressed by some other diocesan funding source(i.e. COCL, the Procter Fund)
- Start up ministries that will not be functioning during the grant period
* If you have any question about whether your request would be fundable, please contact us in advance of your application.
What criteria does ECSF use to evaluate an application?
All applications are reviewed by our Grants Committee and include a site visit. The committee and site visitorswill evaluate the application and ministry on the following criteria:
- Congregational Support – the sponsoring congregation or Episcopal institution demonstrates committedand impactful support of the ministry both financially and through the active and significantparticipation of its parishioners.
- Addresses a documented need – the ministry addresses local, current, and documented needs of thecommunity, and includes a built-in evaluation process that addresses the ministry’s strengths andchallenges.
- Effective use of Community Resources – the ministry demonstrates knowledge of community resourcesand effectively collaborates with those resources, including other congregations and communityorganizations.
- Biblically and Spiritually Grounded – the ministry empowers both the people served and those whominister to live into their Baptismal Covenant demonstrating a “love of neighbor as we are loved”through prayer, compassion, mercy, advocating for justice and peace, respecting the dignity of everyperson.
- Empowers those in need to address their situation – the ministry gives those in need the courage, tools, support and care to addressthe underlying causes of their situation by providing access and connection to resources and services,such as: referral systems like the Ohio Benefits Bank; tax credits; training programs; governmentassistance programs; etc.
- Effective use of Ministry Resources – the ministry demonstrates good stewardship of the resourcesavailable and actively strives for best practices for its operation.
In addition, applicants are asked how planning is used to document needs and resources, as well as how faith, prayer, and study are integrated into the process. This includes: listening to the needs of those served, those whoparticipate in the ministry, and the community; assessing collaboration opportunities; discerning gifts forministry; evaluating ministry impact; discerning opportunities for improvement; and the use of outsideresources and expertise.
How are applications submitted?
The Grant Application deadline for regular cycle grants is September 15. Electronic submission is preferred (emailed) to . However, if this is not possible, they may be mailed to:
Episcopal Community Services Foundation
Grant Application
412 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Applications mailed to ECSF must be postmarked on or before September 15th.
Incomplete applications will not be accepted. However, if you are experiencing any difficulties, please let us know prior to the deadline.
An email confirmation will be sent verifying receipt of the application. Applicants are asked to pleasecontact the Administrator or Ministry Leader immediately if you do not receive a confirmation.
What happens once an application is submitted?
A member of our Grants Committee will contact you to arrange a site visit, usually in October or November. Each applicationis evaluated on its own merits and the results of the site visit. The Grants Committee submits its grantrecommendations in January to the ECSF Board of Trustees for approval. Announcement of the awards usually is madesometime in February by email. If the contact email in your application changes, please notify us immediately.
We’re here to help you!
ECSF’s Board, Grants Committee, and staff are committed to supporting your ministry and would be delighted toassist with your applications, as well as with the ministry. Feel free to contact ECSF’s Ministry Leader, theRev. Terri J. Thornton at , or 800-582-1712, 513-421-0311, for assistance or with any questions.
Visit ECSF’s website at to see ministriesthatwere funded in the past and therange
of grant awards.
Episcopal Community Services Foundation
2017 Application for Funding
Requests for $1,000 or Less
Ministry Information
Sponsoring Congregation: ______
Ministry Name: ______Amount Requested: $ ______
Ministry is: ☐new ☐ongoingIf ongoing, how many years? ______
ECSF funding category addressed by this ministry:(please check all that apply)
☐Housing Security☐Income Security☐Life Skills☐Emergency Assistance
(see application instructions for category descriptions)
Is this a ministry of your congregation only?☐yes☐no
(i.e. the ministry takes place within the church, such as a food pantry located in the Undercroft.)
Is this a request for funding and for ministry activities that support, and☐yes☐no
occur at, the location of another nonprofit organization?
(i.e., your grant will be forwarded to another community nonprofit to supporttheir budget.
**If yes, the section below must be completed.**)
Is this ministry a collaborative effort with other organizations,
especially other congregations, including non-Episcopal congregations?☐yes☐no
If yes, please list them: ______
If a ministry of your congregation, total # of individuals served last year______
(Please count each person just once, even if they come several times a year)
Total number of individuals you expect to serve next year______
(Please count each person just once, even if they come several times a year)
Sponsoring Congregation Information
Address: ______
City: ______Zip: ______County: ______
Phone: ______fax number:______
Web site:______
Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge: ______
Email address: ______Phone: ______
Senior Warden: ______
Email address: ______Phone: ______
Congregational Contact for this Ministry: ______
Email address: ______Phone: ______
Number of congregants involved in the ministry as staff ______and volunteers ______
Average Sunday attendance from this year’s Parochial Report:______
Total operating budget for last year (if a church, Line E from parochial report) $______
Total spent on local community ministry from operating budget last year:$______
Amountcontributed to this ministry from the operating budget$______
Estimated total of individual donations by parishioners or team members $______
in addition to funds from the operating budget
Amount raised by special collections or fundraisers for this ministry$______
If you are currently applying to any other funding source affiliated with the Diocese of Southern Ohio for this project or ministry, (such as the William Cooper Procter Fund or the Commission on Congregational Life), please state the name of that fund and the amount requested. We will discuss with you which source is the best fit for your ministry. Applying to more than one diocesan funding source in the same year for the same ministry or program is not encouraged.
Funder:______Amount: $ ______
**Independent Non-profit Organization Information
(This section is required if the grant allocation will be forwarded to another organization for operating support.)
Name of organization: ______
This is a 501(c)3 organization☐yes☐no
Address: ______
City: ______Zip: ______County: ______
Phone: ______fax number:______
Web site:______
Contact person at this organization: ______
Contact’s email: ______Phone number: ______
Organization’s total operating budget for its last fiscal year:$______
Please attach a copy of the most recent actual budget to the back of this application.
How much is this organizationbudgeting for this ministry this year? $______
How many people does the organizationexpect to serve this year? (all programs): ______
(Please count each person just once, even if they come several times a year)
Total number of individuals the organizationexpect to serve next year ______
(Please count each person just once, even if they come several times a year)
Number of Episcopalians involved in the ministry as staff ____ and volunteers ____.
Number of non-Episcopalians involved in the ministryas staff ____ and volunteers ____.
* * * * * *
This application was prepared by: ______
Title:______
I am aware that this application has been made to ECSF for this congregation.
Signed by: ______
Rector/Vicar/Priest-inCharge* or other: ______
(*If there is no Rector/Vicar/PIC or there is an Interim, the Sr./Jr. Warden may sign for the congregation.)
2017 Application Narrative
for Ministries Requesting $1,000 or Less
1. Describe the need you are addressing and why.
2. Please describe the ministry you have designed to meet this need.
3. Our funding criteria asks that your ministry be Biblically and Spiritually Grounded. Please describe how your ministry empowers those you serve and those who minister to live into their Baptismal Covenant, demonstrating ‘love of neighbor’ and respecting the dignity of every person.
4. What do you hope this ministry will achieve?
5. How will you evaluate and measure this outcome?
6. Provide examples of how you are using your ministry to connect those you serve with additional resources and services in your community.
Please complete the Ministry Budget sheet on the next page.
If you receive a grant, we’ll ask you for two short reports that will help us share your experience with other churches. The first is a narrative report on the feedback you get by interviewing the people you serve as well as other service providers. What do they find valuable and what changes do they recommend? If you apply for a subsequent grant for this project, their answers must be part of the proposal, under questions 1A and 2C.
The second is a set of statistics that we can add up across all the grantee programs meeting the same need as yours. We will work with you to make sure these are useful but not burdensome to collect. The statistics are due in February following the end of the grant year.
Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your ministry.
For ECSF staff use
SV
Date
Name
Date Report Sent
Page 1 of 7Rev. August, 2016
Ministry Budget –2017 ECSF Grant Application
(If this application is to support another organization, please attach their budget as well.)
Sponsoring Congregation: ______
Name of Ministry: ______
If the ministry will be started next year, leave the current year column blank.Add an extra sheet if needed for more line items or explanations. / 2016 budget / projected 2017 budget
SOURCES OF INCOME
1 / Sponsoring Congregation (financial support)
2 / ECSF (Enter the current grant if you received one, and the request for next year)
3 / Other sources of support (e.g. foundations, individual donations, etc. - please list)
4
5
6
7
8 / TOTAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT / $ / $
EXPENSES*
9 / Staff Salaries
10 / Payroll taxes and fringe benefits
11 / Space Rental/Lease
12 / Utilities
13 / Insurance
14 / Supplies
15 / Equipment (Copier, etc.)
16 / Other (please itemize below)
17
18
19
20 / TOTAL EXPENSES FOR THIS MINISTRY / $ / $
IN-KIND SUPPORT
Please list below any in-kind support you receive, giving the source and type of support. For example: "Shared Harvest Food Bank, free commodities." If you can estimate the cash value of the contribution, show that amount in the right column.
21
22
23
25 / TOTAL IN-KIND SUPPORT
*If only a portion of your staff, space, utilities and supplies are used for this project; show only the prorated share. For example, a staff person who earns $30,000 and spends half of his or her time on this project would count for $15,000 in line 12. If your budget is prorated in this way, please attach a note explaining how you calculated the figures shown, e.g. “Project Director @ 50% x $30,000 annual salary.”
Page 1 of 7Rev. August, 2016