grants

As a stewardship leader in the Annual Conference, the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana is double tithing--giving 20% of its annual income to others through grants. 

Since 1995, the Foundation's Grants Program has given approximately $4.7 million to United Methodist ministries. The majority of projects approved for grants are those that take an innovative approach to leadership development, new church development, ministerial education and recruitment, and hands-on mission projects throughout the Louisiana Annual Conference.

Priority is given to those grant applicants who:

  • Request a challenge grant to be matched by local resources
  • Include two or more church communities working together
  • Are actively building endowments at the Foundation
  • Have a record of 100% giving of Conference apportionments

Grants are approved by the Foundation’s Grant Review Committee and are subject to the approval of the Executive Committee or the Foundation Board of Trustees.

Need Assistance Writing a Grant?

The Foundation has sponsored several lay people and clergy in our state for an extensive grantsmanship training and certification program. These people are qualified and available to assist you with all the stages of planning programs, locating funding sources and writing grant proposals.

  • For a listing of these qualified individuals, click here.

For more information on Foundation grants, contact Grants Administrator Tracie Wharton.

Grants have been awarded to many churches, organizations and ministries, including:

  • UMFLA Service Loan Program. The United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana has granted nearly $800,000 in financial assistance to over 100 qualified seminary students from Louisiana since 2000. Loans are forgiven when the recipients serve in the Louisiana Annual Conference for five years upon graduation.
  • Office of Church Extension and Renewal. The Foundation awarded a $250,000 total grant over several years to fund the position of Church Extension and Transformation in the Louisiana Annual Conference.
  • Centenary Leadership Conference. A $5,000 grant to this organization sponsored a community luncheon with speaker Kirbyjon Caldwell to benefit theological study and innovative leadership training.
  • Louisiana Methodist Children's Home. $150,000 over three years was awarded for the south Louisiana children's home in Mandeville, beginning in 2007.
  • Grant Writer for Louisiana Conference. The Foundation's Grants Program provided funds to hire a grant writer for the conference, who obtained over $1 million in grants in the first year and over $7 million since being hired. The majority of this grant money has benefitted Disaster Recovery, Inc., to rebuild after hurricanes.
  • Shalom Zone at First Street New Orleans has been awarded $40,000 in grant money from the Foundation over the years to provide academic, social and spiritual guidance to at-risk students from elementary schools in inner-city New Orleans. The program provides a curriculum that addresses anger management, conflict resolution and academic learning, including exposure to drug prevention and other criminal behavior.