“Behold, I am doing a new thing.” — Isaiah 43:19
Take a risk. Try something new, in partnership with your community.
Catalyst grants exist to fund innovative ministry. We also seek projects that further the Wisconsin Conference’s core justice initiatives of racial justice and immigration.
- Consider worship materials that can inspire new ideas.
- Learn more about the Catalyst Mission and Purpose.
For questions, and before filling out a grant application, please contact the program coordinator Mary Kuenning Gross: via email or at (262) 271-8990.
The ideal Catalyst Grants include:
- Member involvement
- Partnering with Community
- Innovative/Experiment
- Catalyzing – starting something new
- Partnerships with other churches/shared resources
- Addresses a need in your community
Less desirable Catalyst Grants include:
- Pass thru (just taking $ and giving it to another charity)
- Lack of involvement by members/community
- Capital improvements – equipment upgrades
- Lack of Innovation
- One-time event – not sustaining – short-term impact
Catalyst grants help congregations take a risk, as the members stretch into new good works in partnership with others from your local community.
Catalyst grants help transform lives through innovative ministry for the 21st century. The strongest applications include members collaborating with people outside your UCC faith community. The ideas have an impact and a vision that reaches beyond the local congregation to benefit the wider community context to which the congregation is called to respond.
For Short-Term Initiatives
Your idea adds or expands a ministry that partners with people outside the congregation. You build new relationships and experiences between local congregation(s) members and people nearby, as you work together to address a local need. The idea will be implemented within one year. We grant up to $5,000. Your request should typically be no more than 50% of the estimated total expense.
Examples of past projects
- Organizing a community concert and entertainment series whose proceeds support a local free clinic as well as a food pantry.
- Rebuilding a local meal program in a way that generates wider support from other community organizations.
- Starting a free clothing closet for the county in a nearby unused building through efforts of both congregation and community.
For Community Conversations
Your idea nurtures conversations about sensitive topics. The goal is learning from one another and from invited guests through discussion groups, book studies, speaker series, workshops, etc. We grant up to $1,500. Your request should typically be no more than 50% of the estimated expense.
Examples of past projects
- Lenten speaker series on Racial Justice, a collaboration of two urban and three suburban congregations, expanding the perspectives of all involved
- An educational series on the Doctrine of Discovery, including PhD guest speakers from indigenous cultures.
For Long-Term initiatives
Using funds from theLeadership Forward capital campaign happening now. These grants encourage you to try out big ideas that require up to three years to implement between congregations and local community groups.)
Due dates throughout the year are on the Applying page.
For Short-Term Initiatives
Your idea adds or expands a ministry that partners with people outside the congregation. You build new relationships and experiences between local congregation(s) members and people nearby, as you work together to address a local need. The idea will be implemented within one year. We grant up to $5,000. Your request should typically be no more than 50% of the estimated total expense.
Examples of past projects
- Organizing a community concert and entertainment series whose proceeds support a local free clinic as well as a food pantry.
- Rebuilding a local meal program in a way that generates wider support from other community organizations.
- Starting a free clothing closet for the county in a nearby unused building through efforts of both congregation and community.
For Community Conversations
Your idea nurtures conversations about sensitive topics. The goal is learning from one another and from invited guests through discussion groups, book studies, speaker series, workshops, etc. We grant up to $1,500. Your request should typically be no more than 50% of the estimated expense.
Examples of past projects
- Lenten speaker series on Racial Justice, a collaboration of two urban and three suburban congregations, expanding the perspectives of all involved
- An educational series on the Doctrine of Discovery, including PhD guest speakers from indigenous cultures.
For Long-Term initiatives
Using funds from theLeadership Forward capital campaign happening now. These grants encourage you to try out big ideas that require up to three years to implement between congregations and local community groups.)
Due dates throughout the year are on the Applying page.
Steps to apply for a Catalyst Grant
- Contact the program coordinator Mary Kuenning Gross: via email or at (262) 271-8990. Your conversation with her is to share your idea, and to explore questions that can help you prepare your grant application.
Talk to us early. We do not expect you to have “all the answers” – these grants are about helping congregations decide to take a risk, as the members stretch into new good works in partnership with others from your local community.
- Apply online. The application is an online form that must be completed in one sitting. Download this pdf version to help you prepare to answer the questions. When you are ready, here is the link to the online form. We accept applications year-round.
Due dates
Catalyst Grants for Short-Term Initiatives and Catalyst Grants for Community Conversations are both granted quarterly (May, August, November, February) based on review of applications received by due dates a month earlier: March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31.