Guidelines for submitting Mission Grant proposals

Revised July 12, 2021

Criteria for Mission Grants

Mission grants should:

• benefit a Lutheran organization
• focus on extending the ministry of the Word
• be current and ready for implementation
• be well documented, include amount of funds requested, use of funds, and if partial funding, list the amount and source of additional funds
• use no more than 20% of the grant for salaries
• fit into the plans and projections of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
• not be scholarships or short term missionary trips

Who may submit a proposal?

1. Mission grant proposals may be submitted by individual members, local units, zones, districts and LCMS boards.
2. Generally, four (4) years, must elapse between accepted proposals from a previously funded organization.
3. Grant proposals which come from Lutheran organizations not directly submitted by district or LCMS boards must have a cover letter from an LWML society or member.

What is the procedure for submitting a grant proposal?

1. Call or email the Vice President of Gospel Outreach as soon as possible to ensure that the grant proposal meets eligibility requirements and receive any help necessary in completing the process.
2. Grant proposals must be submitted to the Vice President of Gospel Outreach by January 15th of an even numbered year to be considered for the following fall convention ballot. (Remember to allow sufficient time for required signatures.)
3. The proposal must be in resolution form (see sample), accompanied by supporting documents of budget, need and distribution of funds. Please send the following both electronically (email) and paper (regular mail):
   1. proposal in resolution form – see sample
   2. brief (100 word) description of scope of project
   3. spending plan for how grant money would be spent
   4. 10 digital, individual, high-resolution photos (jpeg), not in PowerPoint or other presentation software, and a 1-minute script to go with the pictures; on flash drive
   5. annual report which reflects current ministry and income (does not have to be emailed if it is a bound report)
   6. Signature Page filled out correctly
   7. Organizations headquartered outside of NID must obtain signatures from District LWML President and District Synodical President within the district of residence.
4. At the present time, maximum request is $18,000.

How are grants chosen?

1. The LWML NID Mission Advocacy and Grants Committee shall submit its recommended grant proposals, except those submitted by the LCMS boards, to the appropriate district or LCMS board for approval.
2. The Mission Advocacy and Grants Committee shall then submit its recommended and approved proposals to the LWML NID Executive Committee for selection of grants for the convention ballot.
3. Delegates to the fall LWML NID convention shall vote by ballot to choose the grants to be funded during that current biennium.

How are funds disbursed?

While the projects are listed in rank order based on the number of votes for each project, each project selected should submit receipts or invoices as soon as possible.

Every month as mite money is received into the treasury, the funds will be distributed among those projects which have turned in receipts until the end of the biennium, June 30 of even-numbered years. Any unfunded grants will not be carried forward into the new biennium.

How do I submit a grant proposal?

Proposals should be sent to the Vice President Gospel Outreach: [email protected]