American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware

2023 Palmer Grants Available

to Churches, Associations and Regional Ministries

 

Flourishing in Exile:
How Can We Be a Fruitful Church in Today's Land?


Applications for ministry grants from
the Virginia and Gordon Palmer Jr. Trust of the American Baptist Foundation
are now available.

MRC Palmer Grant Cycle 2023
Online applications available June 1, 2023.
Deadline for applications July 13, 2023.
Awards are anticipated to be made late September 2023.

 

Many of our churches feel as if they are now, more than ever before, in exile. Fewer people are part of church life now and society is changing swiftly. Even those who are participating in congregational life are participating in different ways, attending only via Zoom; sometimes, even, joining membership with a church in another part of the country that they have only experienced virtually. Although many of these issues have been part of church life for many years, the pandemic made everything happen more, and more quickly. For some congregations this may feel like a seismic shift and they’re having difficulty finding their footing again.

 

Jeremiah 29:4-7 gives the people of Israel words of instruction and hope that we can resonate with today: We are to settle down and settle in. This is now our reality. And yet it is not a barren reality. Rather, it is a time of productivity, growth, and community. We are to plant gardens and raise families—we are to do the work now that lays the groundwork for the future. We are to “Flourish in Exile.”

This grant cycle will provide funds for ABC churches and regions to create opportunities for assessment, discernment, equipping, and envisioning—getting a better lay of the land for where they are now while exploring what future God is holding in front of them.

https://www.abcofgiving.org

(Click on Ministries and select “Palmer Grants” from drop-down menu)
Available June 1

 

Grant Awards:

  • Minimum $5,000; Maximum $25,000 for an individual congregation or ABC Region
  • If applying in partnership with another church, ABC Region, or organization, the minimum is $5,000 and the maximum is $60,000.
    (You can get more if you work together!)

 

Important Notes:
Your grant application has a much better chance of success if you pay attention to the criteria.

 

  • One ABC Region is not a collaboration. Two or more ABC Regions working together or a Region and institution would be a collaboration. Additionally, a Region may only receive one grant in a cycle.
  • No partial grants are awarded. Please ask for the amount you need.
  • Ensure your request equals the maximum amount or less of the grant allowed.
  • Ensure no more that 25% of your grant request is for pre-existing staffing or administrative costs. 
    See grant application for complete details.
  • Complete the grant application fully, and give as much information as you can in each section.
    Less complete applications are less likely to be awarded a grant.