Grants

Below is a list of grants offered through the office of connectional ministries:

These grants are established to strengthen missions in the local churches of our annual conference as the church reaches out to their communities in efforts to fulfill the purpose of the Mississippi Annual Conference. These grants are for mission and ministry--they are not for bricks and mortar. These grants are available to any Mississippi United Methodist church. The grant application window is traditionally October 1-31 each year. Applicants are notified in early December if their grant was approved. All grant funds must be spent and a witness report submitted by September 1 of the following year. To learn more about mission grants and/or apply click here.

The Foundation for Evangelism Local Church Grant

The Foundation for Evangelism is pleased to announce the launch of a new $250,000 Equipping the Local Church grant cycle.

Grants for $5,000 or $10,000 will be awarded to small and medium* church congregations, or clusters of churches working together, in a Wesleyan-tradition denomination. The grant focus is to launch an experiment or initiative to share the Gospel, tell their faith stories, and invite others into a relationship with Jesus.

Any church or group of churches fitting the criteria may apply. A total of 25-50 possible grants will be awarded in the summer of 2022. Applications are due by February 28, 2022. Click here for more information and to apply.

Global Ministries Racial-Ethnic Local Church Grants

The General Board of Global Ministries provides grants to foster the development and strengthen the witness and ministry of racial/ethnic local churches in the United States.

Funds are provided to assist local racial/ethnic congregations and annual conferences with projects and programs on one of the four areas: 1) Leadership Development; 2) Church Growth and Development; 3) Ministry with the Poor, and 4) Health Ministries.

Applications must be received by Global Ministries’ staff by March 4, 2022. Click here to apply.

Renfro Trust Grant

The Renfro Trust Fund awards annual brick-and-mortar grants to small rural United Methodist congregations in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.

While Renfro Trust Grants are available for award with a deadline for application of August 1 of the year in which the application is made, applications will only be accepted when submitted through the conference secretary for global ministries of the Mississippi Conference. The deadline for submission of the application forms linked below is Sunday, August 1, 2021. Applications should be emailed to vwhite@mississippi-umc.org.

For the Renfro Trust Guidelines, click here. The Renfro Trust Fund Application has recently been updated. To download the fillable version of the application, click here. You can also download the printable version for filing here . Guidelines must be followed completely for applications to be considered.

Questions about the application form, award process or the Renfro Trust Fund may be directed to vwhite@mississippi-umc.org or 769.243.7047.

The United Methodist Appalachian Ministry Network Grant

Attention New Albany, Tupelo, Starkville, Senatobia, Meridian and Greenwood Districts,

The United Methodist Appalachian Ministry Network (UMAMN) 2022 Hunger and Poverty Grant applications are now available twice a year. The upcoming UMAMN application deadline April 1, 2022. In order to receive conference level signatures, applications must be received in the conference office (320-C Briarwood Dr., Jackson, MS 39206) no later than April 15, 2022.

Application must be received by the cycle deadline to be considered for the current cycle.
Maximum grant amount is $2,500.
Grants cannot be used for agency/ministry operating expenses, but may be used for non-agency/ministry resource persons.
Grants must be used for projects within the geographic region of Appalachia and that serve a majority of Appalachian people.
Here are the counties in Mississippi that fall inside the Appalachian region:
Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Itawamba, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha (see map below)
Priority will be given to applications addressing causes and barriers related to hunger and poverty.
Project must be church-related—local, district, conference or ecumenical (must have active United Methodist involvement).

Click here to apply for the grant.