JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Media Grants for New Churches Launching Weekly Worship

**Grants have been awarded for 2009. We are currently accepting applications for 2010.**

United Methodist Communications through its Igniting Ministry Team, in collaboration with the General Board of Discipleship through the Path 1 team, is offering media services and limited one-time media grants to support ten new United Methodist Church starts within the U.S. These grants are available annually.

Each grant is awarded for the sole purpose of advertising the launch of first public worship. The grants will cover media costs based on industry standards for the cost of advertising in media markets given the area of the plant.

Click here to apply for a 2010 grant.



A successful applicant will meet the following requirements:

  1. Leadership: The new church start planter has been assessed, found to be excellent/exemplary and has attended boot camp or a similar training event whereby benchmarks and timeline for launch have been established.
  2. Timing: The new church start is at least 3 months from public launch (although many pastors prefer to work further out than 3 months).
  3. Location: The new church start is located within a growth corridor (see map to the right) or location where the UMC has not been able to keep up with population growth.
  4. Culture: The new church start is located within an annual conference with a commitment to a culture of multiplication. The annual conference demonstrates this, in part, through implementing best practices in each stage of the new church start process including adequate financial support tied to benchmarks.
      
Applicants must agree to the following stipulations for using the grant:
  1. Ensure that advertising supports the first public weekly worship experience (launch).
  2. Track attendance for the event and participate in an evaluation of the impact of media used.
  3. Work with Igniting Ministries staff to construct an advertising narrative to accompany the new church start’s ministry plan.
  4. Include “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors” logo on all advertising and marketing material funded by the grant.
**Applications for 2010 grants must be received by 5 p.m. Pacific Time, November 1st, 2009.**


Click here to apply

FAQs:

What is the selection process?
The application deadline is November 1st.  We will look at all applications following this date and select the 10 recipients by December 1st. We are looking for applicants who have met requirements in terms of mission field need (location within a growth corridor), leadership (trained and assessed), timing (at least 3 months before launch of first public worship), and for plants located in an annual conference with a culture of multiplication.

Who evaluates the applications?
Your online applications are reviewed and prioritized by the GBOD staff associated with Path 1. They will be selecting 10 high potential projects based upon the criteria given in the application information and summarized above.

When will I know if I am selected to receive a grant?  
You will be hearing about the status of your application by the first week of December.

Who will help me with my advertising/marketing strategy?
Experienced Igniting Ministry staff are standing by to help! They assist with the marketing collateral and expertise required for a successful first public worship launch and also administer the grant monies. Please contact Jackie Vaughan or Pam Buck for more information at newchurchgrants@umcom.org or toll free: 877-281-6535.

Are grants available to publicize preview worship or taste and see events?
No. To optimize available funds, supporting a public launch allows us to effectively build awareness that translates into increases in attendance. We have data from the past three years to suggest that churches using our public launch media strategies have seen an increase of 30-50% in attendance. Advertising works best in conjunction with personal invitation. For churches with strong community mobilization efforts, results can be exponential.

I heard I was approved for a grant! How soon might funding be made available?
We generally pay the grant based on media we have agreed to and submitted to us for payment.  So a lump sum grant payment up front is never the way we process the grants.  Once a contract is signed and in place, we will cut a check to cover that paying the church and the church pays the vendor.  We know that new churches will be hard hit with media bills, so we work them as quickly as possible.

How do you define media services and advertising?
Media planning, media estimates, media buying. Advertising vehicles may include: direct mail, billboards, radio, cinema, etc.

What about me?  We have already launched but need some help with marketing and advertising.
All United Methodist congregations are always eligible to apply for Matching Media Grants.

Your question still isn't answered? Click here to contact us.

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