Seeding Grants

Baptcare's seeding grants program will fund community initiatives of up to $10,000. This program is a valuable addition to our mission – ‘caring communities for all’ – and will enable local Baptist churches to assist their communities in areas of need.

What are seeding grants?

Seeding grants are funds and resources for new initiatives by congregations to work with and support other people in their neighborhood. The program has been designed to provide financial support to Baptist congregations who are responding to identified local needs. Funding will be primarily given to projects or programs addressing poverty and disadvantage and will complement existing church pastoral care activities.

Who is eligible?

The seeding grant scheme is open to all congregations of the Baptist Union of Victoria.

A congregation may be awarded only ONE grant from the seeding grant fund in any one year. Any subsequent applications for funding will need to demonstrate that the project funded previously was completed successfully, and point out the significant progress that can be expected by a second round of funding. First-time funding will receive a higher priority in assessing applications.

What can be funded?

In practice, seeding grants can cover a wide range of activities, including essential research, one-off events and seminars, and term or year long programs in community ministries. Seeding grants can cover material and equipment costs, communications and publicity, and operating expenses.

Seeding grants are not primarily intended to cover operating costs for existing programs, or to cover significant salary costs.

An example of the type of initiative that Baptcare is seeking to fund is Norlane’s ‘Long Room’. The long room is a community building program run by the local Baptist Church and Urban Seed, and is a place where dining, listening and caring meet. Each Monday the long room is set for 20 people for a hearty evening meal where members of the community can meet to share their troubles, build new relationships, and enjoy a free meal prepared and served by volunteers from the local Uniting and Baptist churches. Baptcare’s funding has provided a new outdoor deck to accommodate more guests, a ramp at the front door for wheelchair and pram access, and a larger kitchen cook top and range hood to prepare larger meals.

How to apply for a seeding grant

Grants will be assessed on the basis of innovation, ongoing viability, quality and need for the program or project. Please take a look at the form below for details of eligibility and advice of making an application.

Funding rounds will take place bi-annually, with the first round closing on 30th May 2008 and the second on 30th November 2008.

Baptcare is looking forward to receiving applications. If you ask us, we will even help you prepare your application. For more information about the seeding grants program, please contact our Community Ministries Coordinator on 03 9831 7221 or send an email to comm.min@baptcare.org.au.

Download the Seeding Grants application form (PDF, 60kb).

Already granted 

We are proud to announce that the following Baptist congregations have been given seeding grants to support their initiatives to benefit their community:

  • Cloverdale Baptist Church - $10,000 to support a community ministry internship.
  • Chadstone Baptist Church - $10,000 to support a 40 week community arts program which promotes social transformation and positive parenting through supervised arts activities.
  • Mitcham Baptist Church - $2,518 to set up a youth centre.
  • New Peninsula Baptist Church - $10,000 to develop a team of youth mentors, providing peer support to at-risk young people in disadvantaged families.
  • Latin American Baptist Church - $2,000 for “Hispanic American Smiles”, a recreation program targeting isolated and aged Hispanic people in Melbourne’s outer south eastern suburbs.
  • Ocean Grove Baptist Church - $10,000 for “Team Wave”, mobilising volunteers to do ‘handyman’ tasks.
  • Portland Baptist Church - $9,301 for “Portland Community Care”, another ‘handyman’ service using church volunteers.

 

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