bath & wells: fund for church growth

grant and loan funding for growth and development

The following paper was submitted to Diocesan Synod in April 2008.

THE FUND FOR CHURCH GROWTH

(Supporting Mission and Ministry across the Diocese)

Preamble

The Diocesan Development Fund (DDF) was established in 1991 as a practical response to the Decade of Evangelism and subsequently in support of our own diocesan Go for God initiative.  As a result of the challenges presented by the diocesan mission initiative, Changing lives, changing churches for changing communities in 2003, the DDF changed its name to the Parish Development Fund (PDF) with a further injection of capital funding from the diocese.  The fund offers grants and loans to parishes within the diocese in accordance with the following criteria.  Applications:

• will demonstrate a commitment to enhance the ministry of the church
• will demonstrate outreach from the church to the wider community
• may relate to people eg the appointment of a parish based youth worker or church administrator
• may also relate to buildings eg re-ordering a church to provide for opportunities for greater flexibility in worship, an extension to a church or church hall to further the work of mission in the parish or benefice.

In 1995 a parallel initiative, the Authorised Lay Ministry Scheme (ALM) was proposed by the then Archdeacon of Bath and agreed by the diocesan synod.  It sought to ensure that money budgeted for ministry was not lost because of cuts in stipendiary clergy posts.  As a result, from its annual budget, the diocese made provision for a number of half time deanery lay ministry posts.  Applications for funding have to be applied for and supported by deaneries.  They are funded for an initial period of 4 years with the possibility of renewal.  Those appointed are funded directly by the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF), although expenses and working costs are met by the deanery.  Although funding is provided by the diocese, the person is managed and supported locally.  At the present time 18 such posts are being funded.

The fund offers grants to deaneries within the diocese who present a viable and imaginative case for the opportunity of lay ministry.  The ministry supported has included

• deanery youth work and school chaplaincy
• work with homeless and disadvantaged people
• work in rural and urban ministry and mission

Following the Changing Lives initiative in 2003 there has been an increasing desire to see if these two sources of funding can be brought together under one new umbrella.  Indeed the Structures Review passed by the Synod in November 2007 recommended it.  Consequently, early in 2007 a series of meetings and focus groups comprising both those responsible for funding and those receiving funding through both the PDF and the ALM were held, and there is now general agreement that a new fund be created holding together the essential elements of both the PDF and the ALM.

The Purpose

To provide funding for church growth in new expressions of ministry and community outreach from

• Initiatives generated and owned by parishes, benefices, deaneries or local ministry groups.
• Initiatives from within the diocese sponsored by either or both the Bishops of Bath and Wells and Taunton in support of ‘Changing Lives’.  This is intended to allow for the Bishops to propose projects directly to the Fund Managers (who will assess them using the same criteria as other projects), and may become particularly relevant with the possibility of Bishop’s Mission Orders being introduced under the forthcoming Pastoral and Mission Measure.

The Objectives

To directly assist and develop the ministry and mission of the local church by offering financial support to projects and posts eg youth workers, church café, re-ordering buildings to enhance or develop local mission, employment of lay workers, chaplains, mission advisors, pensioners lunch clubs etc.  Wherever possible and appropriate, ecumenical involvement should be encouraged.

Funding

A capital fund will be established by the transfer of the existing designated PDF Fund.  Further transfers will be made from time to time from the Board’s Reserves.  The employment costs of all those authorised lay ministers currently in post (1 April 2008) will be met, as now, through the annual revenue budget of the Board of Finance.  Donations will be sought from individuals and from parishes, LMGs, and deaneries.

Fund Features

• Single or annual grant funding for up to 5 years which may be on a reducing, sliding scale
• Fast track loans for emergency building works in line with the fund objectives
• Local management of projects
• Fast track processing of small grant applications
• Provision for funding of lay posts for up to 5 years
• 1 and 3 year ‘best practice’ support reviews of funded projects
• Support funding for partnership initiatives with Christian agencies

Administration

A committee of assessors will be appointed to consider applications and to award grants and loans.  The term ‘manager’ relates to the assessment and awarding of grants and does not imply any responsibility for fund management.  The Fund will be a designated fund of the Board of Finance managed in accordance with the Board’s investment strategy.  It is expected that in some cases, especially in relation to larger grant applications, one of the assessors will act as lead assessor.  This will involve a visit to the applicant parish/LMG/deanery to meet with those most closely involved with the project.  The assessor will subsequently present the application to committee with a recommendation.  In the case of ‘people’ projects an invitation will be made to the parish/LMG/Deanery to make their case to the committee.  If the project relates to the employment of a person and is thus of several years duration, there will be a comprehensive review procedure to follow.

The Diocesan Secretary has primary responsibility for the administrative processes of the Fund.  He may act as Secretary to the Assessors, or appoint a senior staff colleague to do so.  Administrative support could be through a half time ‘Fund for Church Growth Support Officer, who would:

• Deal with all paperwork for meetings including minutes
• Assist applicants and people making enquiries about the Fund
• Appoint assessors for specific project visits and collate their reports
• Work with the Diocesan Secretary and Finance Director on financial record keeping
• Market the Fund to parishes/LMG’s/Deaneries (in conjunction with the internal DCO)
• Maintain the grant and loan diary
• Organise reviews

Membership

Optimum number of 15 to include representatives of the current PDF and ALM bodies and to be chaired by the Bishop of Taunton.

+Peter Maurice

1 April 2008

___________________________________________________________

Application form for Funding from the Fund for Church Growth

PDF format

Word format