Lutheran Grant Program Grant Application Requestor Information Full name of requestor (Lutheran organization) Employee Identification Number (EIN) Xxxxxxxxxx Lutheran Church EIN - XXXXXX Contact person/project director E-mail address of contact person Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx@xxxxx.org Phone Fax Web site address (123) 345-6789 (123) 345-6781 www.xxxxxxxxxx.org Mailing address City State ZIP code 1234 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx Anytown XX XXXXX-XXXX Street address check if same as above City State ZIP code Church Body Affiliation Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx - Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Annual operating budget $ XXX,XXX Project Information Project title Grant requested Total project cost (min. $5,000 max. $250,000) Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx $ 5,000 $ 16,000 Project start date (mm/dd/yyyy) Project end date (may not exceed three years) (mm/dd/yyyy) Which of the following Lutheran Grant Program charitable interests does this project impact? Stewardship Volunteerism Church Worker Wellness Leadership Development Life Needs of the Working Poor Congregational Vitality Aging Services Describe this project and specifically how it will address the charitable interest indicated. Include data to support this. Engage a strategic planning and development process that will help our congregation: 1. Define and adopt a strong outreach plan and congregational vision goals. 2. Develop a work plan that outlines task assignments with corresponding timeline. 3. Recruit and train lay leaders for key roles. 4. Deploy "active" lay leaders and engage "inactive" laity. 5. Increase giving (stewardship). What other organizations are involved with this project and what is their specific role? Vision 2 Serve (www.vision2serve.com), a professional congregational advancement consulting group will be contracted to help provide detailed training, materials, and coaching during the startup 8-week program and occasionally as needed the first year. List 1-5 goals you have set for this project. If the project is funded these will be expectations of your grant. Project goal descriptions/examples 1. Develop a congregation strategic-vision and community outreach plan by XXXX X, 200X. (Product goal) 2. Train and deploy 16 individuals in leadership positions that have not previously held congregational leader roles by XXXX X, 200X. (Behavioral goal) 3. Engage 40 inactive members in supporting leadership roles by XXXX X, 200X. (Behavioral goal) 4. Increase member advocacy, satisfaction, and loyalty by XX% based on pre and post survey results -- to be completed by XXXX X, 200X. (Performance goal) 5. Increase regular giving by 5% of budget by XXXX X, 200X. Special monthly program/project gifting will exceed 10% of budget by XXXX X, 200X. 24873 R1-08 1
How will you measure the impact of this project on the charitable interest you indicated on page 1? Which specific indicators of change will you track and how often? 1. Develoop strategic-vision and outreach plan > Congregational document. 2. Train and deploy 16 new leaders > Skill and promoter assessment will be conducted after training and midway through the project. 3. Engage 40 inactive members as supporting leaders > Skill and promoter assessment will be conducted after training and midway through the project. 4. Member advocacy, satisfaction and loyalty > Pre and post survey assessment. Post survey results will increase by XX%. 5. Increase regular giving > 5% increase -- Special program-project gifting will exceed 10% of current budget. If your project will extend beyond the life of the grant, please explain how it will be resourced. The theory behind the Vision 2 Serve process is to combine strategic planning, member engagement, unity building along with stewardship education and giving challenge(s). Vision 2 Serve will mentor and facilitate the congregational leadership through the 8-week startup phase to ensure success. They will provide advise as needed during the first year. Following the initial 8-week Vision 2 Serve implimentation phase, the activities and processes will be adopted on an ongoing basis. Modifications and adjustments will be made periodically to the activities as the needs and goals of the church change. Vision 2 Serve will provide voluntary support but not be retained financially beyone the first year. Action Plan: Chronologically list the high-level action steps and decision points pivotal to completing the project. Outline the actions decisions and the corresponding timeline in the table below. Target Dates Start date 1. Select Vision 2 Serve Program Team Leader 2. Conduct a series of three strategic-vision planning meetings 3. Recruit, train and deploy team leaders and assistant leaders 4. Launch Vision 2 Serve 8-week program to be called (theme name selected by church) 5. Conduct visitation of evry member by teams of lay-members 6. Prayer vigil to more fully engages member spiritually 7. Gala desert feast celebration event 8. Gifting commitment week (Stewardship) -- pledged offering (stewardship) commitment by members 9. Victory services to announce giving pledge totals. 10. Crtique of program by pastors and program leaders End date 24873 R1-08 2
Organization Capacity: How will this project help your organization to be more effective in fulfilling its mission? We believe that our congregation is poised for change and growth. This initiative will help motivate and engage our members utilizing their valued time and talents to more effectively nurture our current members as we reach-out to the unchurched and dechurched in the surrounding community. Xxxxxxx Lutheran church has XXX members. We have strong leadership now, but more importantly we know that we have latent leaders and members who have the potential to help transform our ministry and mission. We are certain that we have the potential for tremendous growth and the leadership within our congregation to raise the health and vitality of our church. We believe that a reasonably priced consultant (Vision 2 Serve) will help us jump-start our congregation into a new growth-phase in the life of our congregation. How is your organization currently funded? The congregation is currently being funded through offerings and special gifts. Project leader What other projects have you led and what was the outcome of those projects? Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx will be the project director-leader for this initiative. The congregation is supportive of Xxxxxx s leadership, and he/she is well-respected and influential. As a congregation, we believe Xxxxxx is well-suited and positioned to lead this project. Here is a brief background sketch of Xxxxxx: Business Church This section has been expanded and the information to be inputted may not fit into the downloadable grant application. The grant writer may wish to provide a brief biographical sketch or resume-type document as an attachment to the grant proposal instead of trying to squeeze this information into the grant application space that is provided. Following are two church projects that Xxxxxx have led successfully at Xxxxxxxxx Lutheran church. 1. (Title of project) (Description and outcome of the project here) 2. (Title of project) (Description and outcome of the project here) 24873 R1-08 3
Project Budget ( and Expenses) Provide an itemized list of funding sources. Include in-kind contributions. 25% of the total project costs should be funded by the requestor organization. Project budget example Income All Sources or Project Income/Revenue (including in-kind donations) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Congregation $ 5,000 $ 3,000 $ 3,000 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation $ 5,000 $ $ Yearly total estimated project income $ 10,000 $ 3,000 $ 3,000 Expenses Project Expense Description Grand total estimated project income (This amount must equal project expense.) Year 1 Year 2 $ 16,000 Year 3 Vision 2 Serve Consultant-Facilitator $ 5,000 $ 0 $ 0 Program materials and supplies $ 4,000 $ 3,000 $ 3,000 Web site upgrade $ 1,000 $ 0 $ 0 Yearly total estimated project expense $ 10,000 $ 3,000 $ 3,000 Grand total estimated project expenses $ 16,000 24873 R1-08 4
Project Budget Narrative: Describe what the grant will fund in the budget and provide income and expense line-item explanations as necessary. Budget narrative details The Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation $5,000 grant contribution will be directed and designated as follows: Vision 2 Serve (50% of fee) Payable in year one only $ 2,500 Program materials & supply costs for year one $ 2,500 Program materials & supplies will include the following items: > Newsletter & brochure/flyer >Upgrade Website > Banners > Name tags and wrist bands > Book markers, prayer & pledge cards/envelopes > Food and beverage > Stewardship (charitable gifting) resources > Miscellaneous Send an electronic copy of this completed application along with the other required enclosures (see program guidelines) to Foundation@thrivent.com. Terms and Conditions: The purpose of this section is to outline mutually agreed upon terms and expectations of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation in order to extend a grant. It should be understood that this information is not exhaustive in its terms. Other issues may be required and further discussions may expand the scope of the terms. Grantee will provide a written report each year of the grant period to inform the Foundation of Grantee s use of the funds and status toward objectives. A communication plan may be jointly developed by your organization and Thrivent Financial for Lutheran Foundation. In addition, the Foundation does need to approve any use of its name or logo as the Foundation retains control of its logos, marks, etc. So, we ask that you provide the Foundation the opportunity to review any publications containing the Foundation name, logo, etc. prior to publication or use. The Foundation agrees to provide timely response to any review request. The Foundation may request photos of your project. Applicable releases would be required from the grantee organization. By accepting a grant, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions listed above and are authorizing the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation to use any and all project information for the purpose of sharing information to support the charitable mission of the Foundation. This includes the following: Encouraging other organizations to start such projects Providing examples of good projects Showing the impact the project had on the Lutheran Community 24873 R1-08 5