PURPOSE
If the Society of Friends is to remain vital, outreach is a need for every Meeting, large and small. This fund supports work to attract new people to our Meetings and to our beliefs. It is our hope that each Meeting will discuss outreach as an opportunity to be seized and to grow on and will develop its own ideas to attract new people to attend Meeting.
As the name suggests, the fund also supports projects to strengthen current members and attenders in their development as Friends, and to strengthen Meeting communities so they are attractive and welcoming to new people. Friends are encouraged to envision the growth they seek, and to innovate to achieve it, in particular to incorporate use of social media into their grant request.
WHO CAN APPLY?
The Membership Development Support Fund is available to all Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for projects that promote membership development.
GRANT SIZE
Grants depend on demand for and availability of funds. Multi-year grants will be considered only in rare cases, and only when a major goal is reachable through clearly identified stages.
THE FUND CAN SUPPORT PROJECTS TO:
- Enhance the visibility and outreach of Monthly Meetings in their communities
- Attract new people to attend Meeting for Worship
- Increase engagement of members and attenders in the Meeting community
- Strengthen and increase membership in Monthly Meetings
: March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. You can expect to hear a decision from the granting group within one month of the deadline. Please plan to apply
at least two months before your project is due to begin.
Report Requirement:
Membership Development Granting Group Reports are due within one year of receiving the award. Grantees are expected to return
grant money not used for the specified purpose at the time they report. Until a report is received, requests for new grants will not be considered.