Ministry Funding and Supporting Opportunities with Friends
Below are listed funds restricted to or giving preference to Friends, which award grants to individuals or Friends organizations. If you are aware of other funds that should be listed here, please contact the Yearly Meeting office.
Everence COVID19 Congregational Relief Fund
The fund will make grants of up to $5,000 each from churches and meetings for help during the pandemic. Churches may use the grants to meet their financial needs (such as rent, mortgage, utilities, staff salaries, etc.) or to assist families and individuals in their midst. Churches and Meetings with historic roots or relationships with the Anabaptist faith community, including Quakers, are eligible to apply for a grant. The application form can be downloaded, below.
New England Yearly Meeting Legacy Gift Funds
The purpose of the Legacy Gift Funds is to support the ministries of New England Yearly Meeting Friends, both within and beyond our region.
New England Yearly Meeting Prejudice and Poverty Fund
Grants are awarded to address the needs and concerns of organizations who work to alleviate the suffering of segments of the U.S. population who experience discrimination. Click here for details.
New England Yearly Meeting Fund for Sufferings
The Fund for Sufferings is available to support Friends who suffer as a result of their faithful witness, and is intended to respond to urgent needs precipitated by witness. Click here to learn more and find out how to apply.
New England Yearly Meeting Mosher Book & Tract Fund
Distributions from this fund are to be used for the purpose of “printing and circulating books and tracts inculcating and developing the principles of the Christian religion as preached and promulgated by the early Friends.” Grant size ranges from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Funds are awarded once a year by approval of the Permanent Board. Click here for guidelines or download the file at the bottom of the page.
Obadiah Brown’s Benevolent Fund
Primarily focused on New England Friends and Friends’ organizations, grants shall be made for Quaker purposes. OBBF favors discrete projects. OBBF encourages applications from Friends engaged in a wide range of ministries. Grants to organizations are not for regular expenses usually included in operating budgets. Does not support educational institutions for general operating funds, although in particular circumstances it may support Friends attending Friends institutions. Grants are generally limited to one-time applications for each project. Grant size is modest. Applicants are encouraged to find matching funds elsewhere and other collaborative funding strategies., and grants must be for a Quaker purpose. Deadlines: 15th of January, April and September. The guidelines for applying are available for download.
The OBBF committee announced Special Focus grants in July 2021! Get more details here.
Contact
Ralph Gentile, Clerk OBBF, 108 Pine Street, Andover, MA 01810-1722
Potential applicants and others with questions can telephone the clerk at 508-265-0189 or contact him at his email.
Applications may be submitted electronically or via post. Electronic submissions should be sent to Clerk.OBBF@gmail.com with a copy to ralphbgentile@gmail.com.
Note: If you submit a proposal, please make sure we acknowledge its receipt.
Friends Meeting House Fund
The Friends Meeting House Fund (FMHF) is a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation set up by FGC to provide a way for Quaker meetings to borrow money to help build, buy or renovate their meeting houses. FMHF has also established the Green Meeting House Fund, which provides grants to Quaker meetings for energy-saving improvements to their meeting houses.
Salem Quarterly Meeting
Salem Quarter is blessed with funds available to support emerging and established ministry. Currently, Salem Quarter’s funding guidelines lean strongly toward making grants that arise from, and supported by, the meetings of the quarter and nourish and encourage a vital spiritual condition in those meetings, and strong bonds between them. The application form is available in File Downloads, below.
The Lyman Fund
Members of the Religious Society of Friends are given preference, but applications may be made by any person with financial need who seeks to follow their deepest inward spiritual leading. The Lyman Fund does not grant to persons dwelling outside the USA.
For initial inquiries, contact:
Tracy Booth
Email: tdbooth@earthlink.net
Cellphone: (202) 262-2563
Deadlines: Applications and letters of reference must be received by March 15 for the spring and September 15 for the fall grant cycle. The board meets in April and October for funding decisions.
The Elizabeth Ann Bogert Fund
The Elizabeth Ann Bogert Memorial Fund was established to support the study and practice of Christian mysticism, primarily focused on New England Friends and Friends’ organizations. As a general guideline, the Bogert Fund understands the mystical element in Christianity to be that aspect of its belief and practices that relates to an immediate and direct sense of the presence of the Divine. Grants up to a maximum of $1,000 are made to individuals, groups, or institutions. Inquiries may be sent by e-mail to request an application form. Deadline: Annual deadline is March 1st; grants typically awarded in July.
Contact
Kathleen McVey
Princeton Theological Seminary
272 Mercer St
Princeton, NJ 08540
Email: kathleen.mcvey@ptsem.edu
Shoemaker Fund
Focuses on grants to organizations investing specifically in the growth and development of the Society of Friends. The fund provides major support for new and collaborative initiatives developed by organizations that provide leadership, innovation and resources which address this strategic goal.
Anne L. Edmunds, Administrative Assistant
Thomas H. and Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund
c/o Greene Street Friends School
5511 Greene Street
Philadelphia, PA 19144-2805
Phone: (215) 545-7099
Young Adult Friends Development Fund
For events and projects that benefit and strengthen the network of Young Adult Friends around the world according to the objectives and requirements. Preference for engaging in partnerships and for working across theological and cultural differences and across Sections. Details on the FWCC World website.
Quaker Earthcare Witness Mini-Grants
QEW has grants available for Quaker projects that have the a primary purpose of benefiting the environment and/or promoting environmental awareness and education among Friends and the larger spirit-led world. QEW especially encourages projects that directly address climate change and those that will involve young people. Friends’ organizations in any country are eligible to apply for these annual awards, up to a maximum of $500. Details on the Quaker Earthcare website.
Lydia Fellowships
Offered through the Massachusetts Council of Churches, Lydia Fellowships support pastors serving in part-time ministry positions. Learn more here.
Last updated: August 10, 2022.
Earlham College, an independent, residential college, aspires to provide the highest-quality undergraduate education in the liberal arts and sciences, shaped by the distinctive perspectives of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
