Local Service & Outreach Project Grant Application

God is calling you! That calling often lives at the intersection of our community’s needs and your personal passions. What opportunities do you see to make a difference?

(Looking for specific ideas. We’ve got you covered later down.)

Your name *

Email address *

Grant Funding Requirements

"Relationships are Everything”
We want to support projects that bring together at least 2 people who are making a difference for someone who would receive it as an act of love in the name of Jesus.

Don’t Hide Who We Are
Receiving or participating in an act of love from a church can be a major turning point in someone’s spiritual journey. We can help you come up with a plan for letting people know that this is a ministry of Grace.

Celebrate What God Is Doing
At least two people participating in your project must agree to share about it in worship or on video.

Aligned with Grace’s Values
You probably have a sense of whether your project fits with Grace’s values. When in doubt, just ask.
We don’t fund projects that promote political candidates or parties.

How much funding is available?

We fund projects up to the lesser of $5 per person impacted or $50 per Grace participant who is volunteering with the project.

For example, if you have a group of 3 Grace participants who want to do something to make a difference for 20 people, you could receive up to $100 ($5 x 20). Alternatively, if you have 3 Grace participants who want to
make a difference for 500 people, you could receive up to $150 ($50 x 3 participants).

Funding Process

1) Submit the application at least 5 weeks prior to the project start date. (attached). You may submit the application online at www.graceottumwa.org/grants, in the black offering kiosk, or in the Grace office.

2) A Grace Staff or Team member will reach out to you to schedule a time to meet.
Together, you’ll review the application. The person you meet with will likely have suggestions for how you could make your project as impactful as possible.

3) If the person reviewing the application with you agrees that your project meets all the requirements, they will sign it, give you a copy, and give our book-keeper the other copy.

4) After the event, meet with the Grace Staff or Team member to reflect on the service project results.

5) After the follow-up meeting with the Grace Staff or Team member, and within 60 days after your project, the Primary Contact for the project may turn in receipts for themselves and other participants for reimbursement. Only the Primary Contact may submit the receipts. To submit receipts, bring them to the Grace Office or take a picture and send them to office@graceottumwa.org.

Suggestions for your Service or Outreach Project

1) Invite F.R.A.N.C to Serve with You
For many people who have no group or church, a small group service project is their first step into a meaningful faith community. So invite F.R.A.N.C. to serve with you. (F.R.A.N.C. is your Friend, Relative, Acquaintance, Neighbor, and Co-Worker.)

2) Invite the people you are serving to serve with you!
It is great when people serve food to people in need. It is much better when we invite people who need food assistance to join us to plan for, prepare, and serve the food.

3) When we want to B.L.E.S.S. someone, it is best to Begin in Prayer, then Listen and Enjoy life with the people you intend to serve. That’s the only way to know that you are serving people in the way that they most need.

4) We are changed by serving when we reflect on what happened.
Gather with your group after serving and ask one another what you noticed and discovered. Pray with one another for the people you served.

5) We love to celebrate!
Please submit pictures and videos to ashley@graceottumwa.org immediately after the event that we can share in worship, the newsletter, and social media so that we can celebrate together as the people of Grace! It is always great to see pictures of people serving and hear quotes about what serving or receiving this service meant to someone.

6) One way to let people know that this is a ministry of Grace is to have printed materials to hand-out as you serve. The materials communicate that you aren’t just a nice person. You are doing this as an act of love in the name of Jesus. We have those available for you in the Grace office.

7) Don’t stop with one project!
Touch base with each other after your first project and decide how you will follow up and continue to connect with one another and the people you served in the future.

Ideas for Service & Outreach Projects

1) Goodie bags for...
a) ...Teachers & Staff at a school.
b) ...Essential Workers (school staff, firefighters, law enforcement,
medical teams, recycling plant employees, therapists, sanitation
workers, or other ‘essential workers’)
c) ...Traveling team when they load up and go to their game or
competition. (Consider all kinds of times: Dance, Horse Shows,
the Arts, Sports, etc.)

2) Neighborhood cookout to bring a neighborhood together.

3) Prepare meals for...
a) ...Neighbors who are lonely or going through a hard time.
b) ...Teachers and Staff during parent-teacher conferences.
c) ...Local Sports Team, Music Group, other Extracurricular Group at the end of their season.

4) Host a Game-Booth, Halloween Trunk, or Resource Table on behalf of Grace at a Family Fair or Trunk or Treat.

5) Renewal Retreat for people in a field with a high burnout rate.
(Mental Health Professionals, Firefighters, Police Officers, Nurses, etc.)

6) Organize a Community Event
(Think large-scale or small scale. Examples: Non-gambling Bingo, Board Game Night, The Longest Table, Fall Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, etc. It may or may not take place on the Grace campus.)

7) Organize a Resource Fair

8) Organize an Event that brings Diverse People together.

9) Trash Clean-up Day

Application for the Service & Outreach Project Grants

On approximately what date will your service project start? *

On approximately what date will your service project end? *

How many people will be participating in this service project as a volunteer? *

How many of these volunteers already participate at Grace? *

Approximately how many people will your project benefit? *

How would you describe the people who you intend to serve? *

(Examples: "High School athletes", "Single Parents", Employees at ____")

What need(s) do you see that you expect your project to meet? *

How do you plan to meet that need? *

How do you know this project will be meaningful to the people you intend to serve? *

(Example: I’ve been talking with people from this group & they told me this would be amazing!)

How will you use the funds? *

(Example: We plan to purchase candy and gift bags to hand out.)

Who from your group will be responsible for taking pictures or videos and emailing them to ashley@graceottumwa.org afterwards? *

Who from your group will share the story of their service project in worship or in a video? *

(You need at least 2.)

Someone from the Grace Office will contact you about reviewing your application together.

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