2022 Grant Recipients for Spring
KiDs Beach Club of First UMC Winnsboro ($5,000):
The vision of KiDs Beach Club is to build strong Christian foundations in students ages 8 through 12 with the use of a weekly character word and scripture lesson in an after-school format. This rural congregation has made a significant positive impact in the lives of children and their families while strengthening the ties between the church at the school district. (East District)
Esperanza Strings and ONE+ONE Dallas at First UMC Dallas ($5,000):
ONE+ONE Dallas and Esparanza Strings have collaborated to create a faith-based music program at Casa View Elementary and are now prepared to replicate their successful model with three other churches who have partnerships with Dallas ISD schools. Children will receive free strings music classes as well as added faith community and school support through engagement with Esperanza Strings. Partnering with schools transforms the church to being an outward-focused body that invites, walks alongside and serves with its neighbors. (Metro District)
Rainbow Connection: LGBTQIA Outreach Ministries of Lakewood UMC ($2,000):
The goal of the Rainbow Connection is to provide a safe space for members of the LGBTQIA community to find all-encompassing support within a faith-based community that believes in God’s absolute love and acceptance. Lakewood UMC will support LGBTQ persons as they process their faith understanding and how their sexuality can be a healthy part of their spirituality. With wraparound services provided through community partnerships, they will provide counseling, support, and engagement to help build bridges between the church and the LGBTQIA community. (Metro District)
Removing Barriers of Education Inequality with Partners at Harper Elementary, Creekwood UMC ($2,500 Matching Challenge Grant):
The vision of Creekwood UMC’s Removing Barriers of Education Inequality is to come alongside our neighbors at Harper Elementary, ministering with them to bring equitable access to literacy in this Title 1 school. The goal is for every student in the school to have access to books they can read both independently, and with their families at home, further engaging the partnership between caregivers, teachers and students. Funds from this grant will provide book fair vouchers to every student at Harper Elementary, empowering students, families and teachers to work as a team to select age-appropriate, highly engaging reading material that will give families ownership over their student’s education and reading progress. (North Central District)
Summer Tings at Church of the Disciple ($5,000):
The vision of Church of the Disciple is to be the "center of life for believers, a resource for the community, and a beacon of hope." Their partner school, one block south of the church, has 800 students in PreK through second grade, with 65 of those students in foster care, hundreds on free-reduced lunch and hundreds more on a waiting list for after-school programs. Church of the Disciple is partnering with the YMCA to launch a summer camp for families to be housed at the church as the need for safe space over the summer is paramount. (Metro District)
The 4th Grade Common Ground Project from Wesley Prep School & Wesley Rankin Community Center, a Ministry of Lovers Lane UMC ($1,000);
The 4th graders at Wesley Prep School are establishing a garden at Wesley-Rankin Community Center to combat food insecurity and provide healthy foods to seniors and other neighbors in West Dallas. These funds will help the students establish the garden as a place of respite with buddy benches and will expand their ability to grow and harvest produce year-round. (Metro District)
The Vining Garden at Rhome UMC ($2,500):
The vision of Vining Garden is to be a resource for families in the community who are food insecure and to grow relationships with neighbors in hopes of meeting both their physical and spiritual needs. Ten percent of the community lives in poverty and the need is great. With these funds the goal is to double the size of the garden, plant fruit trees and grow in the ability to meet the fresh food needs and the spiritual well-being of the community. (Northwest District)
2021 Grant Recipients
- Reading with Friends, First UMC Wichita Falls ($10,000): creates a summer literacy-focused program by deploying summer interns and volunteers, with the coordination of local educators and church partners.
- Pilot Point Multicultural Choir, Pilot Point UMC ($3,700): creates infrastructure to create a community-wide multicultural choir.
- Los Vecinos Community Center, First UMC Sherman ($10,000): builds out church-based community center and programming to respond to needs of Latinx immigrants in the Sherman community.
- Students Connecting Students, Wesley Center, Paris Junior College ($8,000): deploys student interns to build a network within a variety of college groups to broaden connections with a diverse student body.
- One + One Dallas ($4,000): supporting North Texas Conference churches in efforts to partner with Dallas ISD schools as well as resourcing for students in care of Child Protective Services.
- Faces, Holy Covenant UMC ($2,500): builds out effort to support diverse foster and adoptive families through finding ways to fill gaps among those impacted.
- BIPOC Solidarity Coalition, Owenwood Farm & Neighbor Space ($5,000): creates cohorts “to focus on anti-racism within BIPOC communities, creating space for BIPOC to address bias within their own communities and the impact that bias has on other BIPOC groups.”
- Network Community Missions, partner of First UMC Royse City ($2,000): funds the next stage in development of coalition of civic leaders, school partners, social services and churches to support young people most likely to suffer the effects of racial inequity.
- Rockwall County Clergy Coalition, First UMC Rockwall ($4800): partners with local faith communities to organize a deep listening campaign in county to understand the on-the-ground racial justice and other concerns of neighbors.
2020 Grant Recipients
- Healthy Food, Healthy Hearts for Jack County: Raising community health, improving relationships and increasing economic and environmental sustainability (FUMC Jacksboro). Advanced community garden and greenhouse for hub of food security in Jack County – $10,000
- Callback: An innovative ministry of pastoral care to theater practitioners, opportunity for a central, Sabbath-centered hub for the community, and support for productions and producing theater alike (Union) – $10,000
2019 Grant Recipients
- First UMC Allen: Change the World Allen housing redevelopment – $3,000
- Dallas Bethlehem Center: Community Liaison Work – $10,000
- Christ UMC Plano: STARS Tutoring at Dooley Elementary School – $6000
- Ubuntu Music Project: Summer Camp, One+One Partnership with DISD schools and local churches, and Recruitment Concert for volunteers and partners – $10,000
- Christ’s Foundry UM Mission (Dallas): FestiKIDS Off-site Ministry with Children and Families – $10,000
- St. Paul UMC Dallas: WOW (Walk Over Wednesdays) student ministry with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – $10,000
If you have questions or would like help thinking through your ideas, please email Rev. Andrew Fiser or call 972-526-5018.