Small Grants Available in 2021 for Parishes
Applications are now being accepted for the Diocese of Easton’s Church Initiatives Grant Program. Money is available exclusively to parishes and mission churches in the Diocese of Easton to undertake innovative programs and projects. The Grant Program is funded by investment returns from the Diocese’s St. Stephens Endowment Fund, a fund created with proceeds from the sale of St. Stephen’s Church, East New Market several years ago.
This is the nineth year of the program’s existence. Last year three grants were awarded:
- Peter’s, Salisbury to provide start up funding for the St. Peter’s Choir School
- Shrewsbury Parish and La Sagrada Familia de Jesus for the development of the Shrewsbury Community Garden Site.
- Paul’s, Trappe to jumpstart their new outreach work to support needy families in their area.
Many grants have been awarded in all of our convocations over the years to support a wide variety of worthy initiatives. Some examples are:
- Trinity Elkton for computers to support Youth Sunday School, Adult Christian Education, and Food Pantry clients who are job searching, parishioners who do not have access to a computer, and for parish presentations;
- Paul’s Centreville to provide weekend meals to needy elementary school students;
- Christ Church Kent Island to fund a summer backpacks for kids program;
- Emmanuel Parish in Chestertown to help start an on-site afterschool program;
- Shrewsbury Parish to create a Kent County Coalition; and
- Andrew’s Mission in Hurlock to incorporate the Moveable Feast as part of its food bank program.
As much as $10,000 could be available to support community initiatives in 2020. The Church Initiatives Grants Committee is accepting grant applications now through February 4, 2021. Grant recipients will be announced at the Diocesan Convention with grants awarded in March 2021.
Churches may download instructions and the grant application or they may request an application from the Diocesan office.