NBA Announces Release of 2018 Application for Mission and Ministry Grants Program

by NBA Cares

2017 NBA Mission and Ministry Grantees2017 NBA Mission and Ministry Grantees

The National Benevolent Association (NBA) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is currently receiving applications for Disciples congregations and health and social service ministries interested in applying for an NBA Mission and Ministry Grant.

NBA Mission and Ministry Grants

Serving as the Disciples health and social services general ministry, the NBA seeks to support Disciples projects and ministries working with older adults and at-risk children and youth in the United States and Canada.

The NBA Mission and Ministry Grants are designated for “Educational Purposes for At-Risk Children and Youth” between the ages of 10-25 years, and for “Older Adult Ministries” serving those who are 50 years or older. These communities have been a primary part of NBA’s ministry since our founding more than 130 years ago, and are communities that the NBA continues to support and accompany.

After announcing the launch of the grant program in 2017, the NBA granted a total of USD $150,250 to 21 ministries. The grantees are located across 12 Disciples regions and 4 areas in the United States. Of the selected projects, 14 are focused on at-risk children and youth; 5 are focused on older adults; and 2 are intergenerational, serving both communities.

“The funds from the NBA Grant equip us to serve children with disabilities,” says Rev. Tom Jones, pastor of First Christian Church Midland, a 2017 grantee for its projects RISE (Respect, Include, Support, Embrace) and SHINE (Supporting Hearts in New Experiences). ”We look for kids who have special needs in our church and we sit with them. We reassure parents that it’s okay. We are a welcoming congregation for families and children with special needs.”

“With the barrage of gambling activities that have come to Northeast Ohio,” says Michelle Moreland, Assistant Minister of Heights Christian Church, a 2017 grantee for its project A Bet Away (Better Way) Group, “I have been called to address how seniors are targeted by casinos that are resulting in gambling addictions.”

In July 2018, the NBA will begin accepting applications from Disciples organizations for grants in the following categories and amounts, (USD for American dollars and CAD for Canadian dollars):

  • Catalyst Grants USD $1,000 – $5,000 (CAD $1,330 – $6,655): These are startup funds to get projects up and running and/or to expand an existing project to a new area/initiative. These grants should enable organizations to explore a new venture or a new project idea.
  • Innovation Grants: USD $6,000 – $15,000 (CAD $7,985 – $19,955): These funds should help move an established project to a new level of effectiveness and impact. Organizations should clearly explain how these funds will help accomplish this.
  • Impact Grants: USD $20,000+ (CAD $26,610+): These funds should be used for major leaps in project areas with a proven plan for how these will move the organization to a new level of sustainability and impact. Grantees will be required to work closely with NBA staff to ensure implementation and sustainability of the projects and to provide opportunities for the rest of the church to learn from their experience.

NBA Grant Committee and Evaluation

A Grant Committee will review all applications and make funding decisions on an annual granting cycle. Committee members are:

Application Process

Our Mission and Ministry Grants are available for congregations and health and social service ministries that are affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and are located in the United States and Canada. American projects must have a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status through the church and/or the state in which the ministry operates. Canadian projects must be registered charities through the CRA.

Grantees will be required to complete an impact report and share a story about their project and the impact it has in their setting. The NBA always looks to foster learning for the whole church about effective health and social service ministries, and will work with grantees to help amplify the success and impact of the work they are doing.

The grant application is available online, and all completed applications must be submitted by September 14, 2018, by 11:59 p.m. Applicants will be notified of their results by November 15, and funds will be distributed to awardees by early December for use in the 2019 calendar year.

Find frequently asked questions, the online application, and more information about the NBA Mission and Ministry Grant Program at nbacares.org/grants. For additional questions, please email grants@nbacares.org.

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As the health and social services general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the National Benevolent Association partners with congregations, regions, general ministries, and a variety of Disciples-related health and social service providers to create communities of compassion and care. Founded in 1887 by six women responding to the needs of the day and on their doorsteps, for 130 years the NBA has continued to serve “the least of these.” Learn more at www.nbacares.org.