The NC Conference recommends the following grants, scholarships, and loans available to United Methodist churches and ministry leaders in the North Carolina Conference. These programs are funded by the Conference or our partner organizations.
The funding opportunities listed here have application deadlines in the near future. Additional opportunities have deadlines coming up later in the year. View the complete list at Grants, Scholarships & Loans.
Upcoming Deadlines
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Ministry Scholarships
UNITED METHODIST COMMITTEE ON DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING MINISTRIES
These scholarships are offered for attending seminary or professional training events for people upgrading their skills or preparing for ministries with Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, and/or DeafBlind people.
Applications Due 7/1/24. Learn more and apply now→
Seminary Debt Repayment Endowment
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
This endowment seeks to bring about wholeness in regard to our pastors’ fiscal stability and stewardship, thus allowing them to be the most effective clergy persons they can be.
Applications Due 7/15/24. Learn more and apply now→
Ken E. Rowe Memorial Research Grant for LGBTQ+ Methodist History
GENERAL COMMISSION ON ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
Provides seed money to support research projects related to LGBTQ+ Methodist history.
Applications Due 7/31/24. Learn more and apply now→
Racial Ethnic Local Church Concerns
DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES OF THE UMC
Provides funding to strengthen the ethnic local church through leadership training, small groups, worship, stewardship, and spiritual formation as they engage in developing disciple-making systems inside the church walls as well as in the community.
Applications Due 9/10/24. Learn more and apply now→
Peace with Justice
NC CONFERENCE BOARD OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY
Is your church ready to step beyond charity and into solidarity and justice ministries? Funded by Peace with Justice Sunday offerings, these grants are available to UMC churches and affiliated nonprofits.
Applications Due 9/15/24. Learn more and apply now→
Rural Church Grants
THE DUKE ENDOWMENT
The Duke Endowment is committed to preserving the pivotal role churches play in rural communities. We support clergy and congregations — ensuring they have the tools to walk faithfully together — as they strengthen rural areas.
Applications Due 10/3/24. Learn more and apply now→
Rolling Deadlines
The following opportunities accept applications throughout the year or on a rolling basis. Follow each link for more information.
Course of Study
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
The NC Conference provides reimbursement of registration costs for the Course of Study programs, including Basic and Advanced COS.
Continuing Education
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
Continuing Education funds are for clergy currently under appointment. Applicants must be a member of the North Carolina Annual Conference. Opportunities include Clinical Pastoral Education, Holy Land trips, and more.
Clergy Counseling
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
The Clergy Care Committee provides financial assistance to clergy families of the NC Conference who seek confidential counseling and therapy.
Board of Mission Church Loans
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
The Board of Mission, Inc. is primarily a low-interest lending organization. Churches receiving missional priority are those in low-income neighborhoods and those needing more space to engage in cross-cultural and cross-racial programs. Some matching grant funding is available to churches needing repairs or replacement of vital building components.
UMVIM Missional Exchange Grants
NC CONFERENCE UNITED METHODIST VOLUNTEERS IN MISSION
Missional Exchange Grants are intended to encourage UMVIM initiatives by various groups. Team leader training by the Conference UMVIM Committee is required to qualify for this grant. Additionally, teams seeking this grant must register for insurance through UMVIM, SEJ.
UMVIM Scholarships for Individuals
NC CONFERENCE UNITED METHODIST VOLUNTEERS IN MISSION
NCC UMVIM offers scholarships to individuals through the Amanda Lee Scholarship Fund and the Jason K. Branton Scholarship Fund.
Golden Cross
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
Golden Cross is a ministry that reaches out in love to the laity in our Annual Conference who are experiencing financial difficulty due to excessive medical expenses. Recipients must be active United Methodist members and be recommended for assistance by their pastor.
One Who is Loved
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
United Methodist Foundation is a trustee of this special endowment that makes possible love gifts to benefit children under the age of 18 who have special needs such as specialized medical equipment or supplies/medicine, transportation to hospitals or treatment centers, or other special needs. Pastors of the NC Conference are encouraged to recommend children for the fund.
Hispanic-Latinx Ministries
NC CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
The NC Annual Conference offers funding to enable Pilgrimage participation by Hispanic/Latinx youth.
Refugee and Immigrant Communities
NC CONFERENCE REFUGEE & IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE
Churches can now complete one of three short Google forms to request monetary assistance to assist refugees and immigrants for: Refugees’ or immigrants’ filing and legal fees; Refugees’ or immigrants’ resettlement and transition expenses; Projects impacting the refugee/immigrant community.
Retired/Medical Leave Clergy Grants
THE SHEPHERD’S FUND
A retired pastor and their spouse can qualify for a one-time grant of up to $10,000 each or $20,000 total. They may reapply in subsequent years, especially if they have a chronic ongoing medical condition. Grants may also be given to pastors on medical leave and their spouses, or widows of pastors. Grants may also be given to retired pastors or pastors on medical leave that are legal custodians for their adult children that may have a medical issue from childhood. Grants may also be given to retired pastors or pastors on medical leave that are legal custodians for their grandchildren that may have a medical crisis or issue, regardless of age.
Farmer Fund Grant
WESPATH
Distressed clergy members or former clergy members of an annual conference; their spouses, former spouses, former surviving spouses; or surviving dependent children (including adult dependent children) are eligible to apply for a grant. The applicant is required to attach additional documentation pertaining to any unusual medical, legal, or other expenses that have created this one-time emergency situation.
Clergy Debt Relief Program
WESPATH
In partnership with Wespath, the Interfaith Federal Credit Union offers opportunity for active and retired clergy to make significant progress toward relieving their overall debt burden. Clergy can borrow up to $20,000 to alleviate high-interest debt.
UMCOR Grants
UNITED METHODIST COMMITTEE ON RELIEF
UMCOR offers grants for Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation, Relief, Recovery, and Migration. UMCOR’s core values of equality and justice, respect with dignity, and good stewardship are reflected in UMCOR’s grant-making priorities.
Multiethnic Ministries Grants
GENERAL BOARD OF GLOBAL MINISTRIES
GBGM accepts applications monthly for Asian American Language Ministry grants, Community Developers Program Seed grants, Community Engagement grants – United Methodist Voluntary Service, Native American Ministries grants, and Pacific Islander Ministry Plan grants.
Mustard Seed Migration Grants
UNITED METHODIST COMMITTEE ON RELIEF
The Mustard Seed Migration Grant program is designed to encourage local United Methodist churches to engage in ministry to migrants in their midst. UMCOR will award grants of $2,000 USD to up to 100 United Methodist local churches in the U.S. to engage in new, one-time community-based service projects and ministries focused on migrants and refugees.
First Come, First Served. Learn more and apply now→