The Office of National Health Ministries is formalizing the process whereby entities may request and receive funding to support health ministries work in congregations and other divisions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Beginning with the challenge put forth by the 200th General Assembly in 1988, Life Abundant: Values Choices and Health Care, National Health Ministries has supported a diverse array of projects, programs and needs. The overture relating to care teams, emanating from the 212th General Assembly further mandated that congregations be "educated, trained and empowered" in the care team model.

Toward that end, considerable effort and funds have been spent in developing the groundwork for that mandate to be fulfilled. Opportunities for financial support available through National Health Ministries will be utilized to bring that mandate closer to fruition.

In total, $150,000 will be made available through grants for the support of congregational care teams. A portion of these funds will be made available for the development or expansion of parish nursing programs which relate to or include care team components. The funds will be distributed according to the following guidelines:

Submission Schedule
Requests for funds for health ministry related projects and programs from congregations, presbyteries, synods and other recognized Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) groups will be accepted twice each year, on March 15 and July 15. The majority (70 percent) of the available funding will be awarded in February, while the remainder (30 percent) awarded in July. (See timeline for more specific information.)

Submission Procedures
All applications for grant funding must be submitted on the ONHM Request for Funding Forms. Applications which are not complete or are not received by the National Health Ministries by the deadline will be returned to the submitting body for re-submission in the next funding cycle.

Applications for funding can be obtained online or by contacting the Office of National Health Ministries at 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202, ATTN: Grants Program; or (502) 569-5550 or (888) 728-7228, x8011; or by email.

If you require detailed specific information or have complicated questions please contact Pat Gleich, associate for Health Ministries at email or (502) 569-5550 or (888) 728-7228, x5793.

Completed applications must be returned to the mailing address above or emailed as an attached Microsoft Word document. All grant attachments, letters of support and endorsements or any other supporting information you feel will strengthen your application must be clearly identified, and submitted with the National Health Ministries forms.

Application Guidelines
The principle emphasis for proposals solicited for funding will be congregational care team ministry development and support. Congregational care teams, for the purpose of these grants will be defined as service based programs, utilizing volunteers and working in concert with pastors, parish nurses, health ministry programs or with community interfaith groups, who provide services which sustain, support, or enhance the ability of others to live independently, and to improve their overall quality of life. Congregational care team ministries may focus on members of the congregation sponsoring the care team or on other members of the community.

Applications for grants to support parish nursing projects will also be accepted if they show a relationship to a congregational care team or a care team component.

Potential applicants who wish to have a determination as to whether a proposed project meets the guidelines may do so by contacting Pat Gleich, associate for National Health Ministries by writing (at the above address) or emailing. Approval of a topic does not indicate approval or funding.

Application Timeline
Packets of information describing the grant process and containing the required forms will be available February 28. Announcement of the availability of funds will be made prior to that time, through the PHEWA, OHM consultants, Care Team Regional Resource and Training personnel, to the list of congregations, synods and presbyteries who have called ONHM to inquire about financial support.

The schedule for review and determination is as follows:

It is anticipated that the bulk of the applications will be received during Round 1.

Grant Payments
Grantees receiving funds in the implementation or seed grants category will receive 2/3 their total award upon signing the grant agreement. The final 1/3 of their funds will be made available upon completion of an interim report.

Grantees receiving demonstration grants, training grants, resource development grants and parish nursing grants will receive their funds in two equal payments. The first will be made available upon signing the grant agreement. The second half will be made available upon completion of an interim report.

Reporting Requirements
Once granted, funds may be expended only as outlined in the grant agreement and in keeping with the time schedule approved as a portion of the application package. Any modification of amounts greater than 10 percent of the award must be requested and approved in writing, in advance of expenditure. In accepting funding through the ONHM Grants Program, the grantee agrees to comply with the reporting requirements. Reporting forms will be mailed from the ONHM office, along with due dates for the information.

Interim reports can be completed in advance of the due date, (the report is needed before the second grant payment is made) but in all cases must be completed by the due date.

Multi-year Funding
In most cases, grants will be made for one year and are not renewable for a second year. However, if a grantee wishes to extend a project into a second year, funding will be available at one-half of the first year amount. Applications to renew funding will be reviewed and rated based upon the need to extend the project, rather than under the guidelines developed for funding in the new grant year.