Chalice Lighter Grants | Application | Become a Chalice Lighter | Worship Service Resources
Chalice Lighter Grants
Spreading the Light of Our Liberal Faith
The Chalice Lighter Program is a funding program of the Clara Barton District (CBD) that helps congregations to implement efforts for membership growth. It is a competitive grant program funded by “Chalice Lighter” donors. The Chalice Lighter Committee sets criteria for grant applications, notifies congregations about the program, reviews applications and awards grants. After grantees are chosen, the committee calls for monetary support from Chalice Lighters, collects donations, and assesses evaluations of recipient programs. Two to three grants are made per year.
The Benefits to congregations are unlimited! Here are some:
- Assist a congregation to obtain its first professional staff: Minister, Director of Religious Education, Minister of Religious Education
- Increase hours of staff from part time to full time
- Assist a new congregation to lease or obtain space for worship
- Assist a congregation to become accessible for people with disabilities
- Remodel or expand existing space to accommodate increased membership
- Assist a congregation to obtain resources or to develop leadership capacity to welcome more members
Chalice Lighters are people like you who make contributions to help Unitarian Universalism grow throughout the Clara Barton District. Chalice Lighters respond to 2-3 “calls” (e-mail or mail, not telephone) for specific grants each year, donating $20 or more each time. If just 10% of our district membership (700 members) became Chalice Lighters, at a minimum of $20.00 per call, the collection would be $14,000 for one grant and $42,000 for three grants! [More information about becoming a Chalice Lighter ]
Applying for a Grant
- Chalice Lighter Grant Applications are mailed to congregational board presidents twice a year. Forms and instructions can also be downloaded on-line. Any existing or newly-forming congregation in the Clara Barton District is eligible for funding if it has a project to develop and implement intentional plans for membership growth.
- The congregation fills out the proposal forms for its growth project. The Board of the congregation votes to approve it, and the application is submitted to the CBD District Office before the deadline.
- The Chalice Lighter Committee reviews the grants, recommends one to the CBD Board for funding approval, and sends out a call for funding to the Chalice Lighters. After the funds are received, a check is sent to the grantee congregation.
- The amount raised depends on how many Chalice Lighters are active in the District. Our last call raised $1500, and the program has grown past the first milestone of 100 members.
- If not funded, a congregation may re-apply in the next funding round. If a congregation receives a Chalice Lighter grant, it must wait one fiscal year before submitting a new application. ( For example, a grant is received fall 2007 or spring 2008 during the 2007-08 fiscal year. The next time an application could be sent is in the fall of 2009 during the 2009-10 fiscal year.)
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Fall Deadline: October 15 |
Fall Decision: October 30 |
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Spring Deadline: February 15 |
Spring Decision: February 28 |
Chalice Lighter Team Co-Chairs:
Rev. Claudia Elferdink, suusminister@sbcglobal.net, (Shoreline UU Society, Madison, CT.)
Rev. Judith Wright, Jwright@firstparishnorthboro.org, (First Parish Church UU of Northborough, MA.)
Team Members:
Jenna Gervasi, greendelsol1993@yahoo.com, (UU Church of Brookfield, MA.)
Dick Kreitner, dkreitner@sbcglobal.net, (Universalist Church of West Hartford, CT.)
Rev. Bill Leggett, revwmleg@comcast.net, (First UU Church, Milford, MA.)
Cynthia Sommer, casom@comcast.net, (UU Society of Greater Springfield, MA.)
Lynn Thomas, lthomas275@aol.com, (District Executive, Clara Barton District)
