Helping Emerging Communities Make Connections

In a move aimed at helping emerging communities make connections the Communications Ministry Team will redirect it resources and energy to the Conference priority of creating “New Places for New People.”

Rather than continuing with an Iowa Conference presence at the annual Iowa State Fair, the Communications Ministry Team will offer a number of grants to help emerging ministries gather and form new communities.  The combined total of the grants will be $7000.

Grants will be awarded from among the following categories:
• Web ministry
• Publicity/advertising
• Print material – brochures, flyers, handouts
• Discipling resources
• Creative consultation support
• Equipment
• Software

The grants will be matching grants, with an amount equal to or greater than the grant being committed by the recipient with two exceptions.  The “creative consultation grant” will provide electronic or print design and the equipment grant will assist in the purchase of items such as projection or sound equipment.

A committee comprised of members of the Communications Advisory Team, the Communications Ministry Team, Leadership Development Minister for Evangelism and New Ministry and an additional at-large member will select grant recipients.  The Director of Communications will convene and chair the committee.

The application deadline for grant proposals will be September 15, 2012.  Grant recipients will be notified on or about October 15, 2012.  Information about the number of grants and the amounts to be awarded will be published electronically and in print by July 20, 2012.  The grant application form and related explanatory information will be posted on the Conference website.

It is intended that the grants helping emerging communities make connections will be an ongoing annual initiative of the Communications Ministry Team.  The grant review committee will establish application dates for 2013 by December 1, 2012.