Seeds for Growth Fund will open for applications in June
Published on 23 May 2023
The 2023 General Assembly will see the launch of a £25 million Seeds for Growth Fund aimed at supporting local church projects that reach out to people who do not belong to an existing church.
Announced last year, the fund is designed to support the establishment of new worshipping communities. It will run over the next seven years and will be open to applications from 1 June.
The Assembly Trustees say that the future of the Church depends on inspiring and motivational ministry and leadership that builds communities of faith among people of all ages who are not part of the existing Church.
Rev Neil Glover, convener of the Seeds for Growth committee says the fund demonstrates the Church's commitment to investing in local church initiatives.
"I am really excited about the opportunities this fund will bring us," Mr Glover says. "We are called to share faith with all the people of Scotland and this means taking the risk of forming new worshipping communities that reach out to people who don't normally go to church.
"Projects that bring people together and build community are places where everyone feels they belong, and wherever faith in action is visible we encounter the stories and the presence of Jesus.
"We know that people across the Church are motivated to serve others in all kinds of ways and they have big dreams about the transformational power of faith communities. Yet very often our dreams can be difficult to sustain because they need support.
"This fund is not only about saying we support mission, it's about making a commitment to come alongside those who dare to take tentative first steps and to give them the funding and support they need.
"Yes, it's experimental and not every project will succeed, but we will learn from our successes and our failures and we will share our learning with one another."
About Seeds for Growth Fund grants
Projects eligible to apply for grants can be based in one or more congregations, can be presbytery-wide or could include more than one presbytery. However to apply for funding, those based in congregations must be approved by a presbytery.
The fund will offer four different levels of grants to support projects of different sizes and stages of development. When it opens on 1 June, funding levels 1 and 2 will open. Levels 3 and 4 will open to applications in Autumn 2023.
Level 1 grants will offer up to £1,000 for small projects, events, trialling new ideas and to get larger projects started. Level 2 grants will offer up to £10,000 to test new ideas over a period of time, such as six months to a year.
Level 3 grants will offer core funding of up to a maximum of £40,000 a year for projects that have done some research and tested out their ideas. Level 4 grants will offer core funding of up to £100,000 a year to projects that have successfully researched and tested out their ideas.
You can find out more about the fund and how to apply on the Seeds for Growth Fund pages.
Training on how to apply for Level 1 and Level 2 Grants will be offered in a series of webinars beginning in June.
To request application forms and funding guidelines for Level 1 or Level 2 grants please email grants@churchofscotland.org.uk .
